Lansdowne
Also known as: Retreat Farm; Backus House; Vdhr # 088-5375
Why it's listed
Lansdowne is a one-and-a-half-story, wood-framed house on a knoll about a mile south of Fredericksburg, Virginia, set on roughly 12 acres beside the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania battlefields park. It was built in three phases: circa 1755, the early nineteenth century, and 1950. The earliest section was a small single-pile building over a brick English basement, and the later expansion doubled its size. Inside, mantels, doors, trim, plaster and floors survive from the earlier periods. The grounds include a circa 1920 bank barn, a circa 1950 springhouse and pumphouse, an old road trace, and a terraced hillside that may predate 1800. The property was listed for architecture because frame houses of the eighteenth century rarely survive, and this one keeps so much original fabric. Its history also includes use as a working farm, and families fleeing Fredericksburg took refuge there during the 1862 battle.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that Lansdowne is significant under Criterion C for architecture. It is a rare surviving eighteenth-century frame house with an early-nineteenth-century addition, retaining its original room layout, interior trim, doors, flooring and most window sash. The property also has terracing, a road trace and outbuildings, and sits in the Fredericksburg battlefield core area.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 12001270, listed February 5, 2013. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4919 Lansdowne Rd., Fredericksburg |
|---|---|
| County | Spotsylvania County |
| Listed | February 5, 2013 |
| Reference number | 12001270 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Circa 1755-1950 |
| Architectural style | Mid-18th to Early-19th Century Vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Continues to serve as a single dwelling with agricultural outbuildings; the springhouse and pumphouse are no longer in use. |
| Acreage | 12 |
| Coordinates | 38.25461, -77.47307 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 12001270.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16893989
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.