Fall Hill
Fall Hill | |
![]() Fall Hill | |
Nearest city | Fredericksburg, Virginia |
---|---|
Coordinates | 38°19′07″N 77°29′30″W / 38.31861°N 77.49167°W |
Area | 70 acres (28 ha) |
Built | 1790 |
Architectural style | Georgian |
NRHP reference No. | 73002062[1] |
VLR No. | 111-0149 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | June 18, 1973 |
Designated VLR | April 17, 1973[2] |
Fall Hill is a plantation located near the falls on the Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg, Virginia.[a] Though the Thornton family has lived at Fall Hill since the early 18th century, the present house was built in 1790 for Francis Thornton V (1760–1836).[3] The land on which Fall Hill is located is part of an 8,000 acres (3,200 ha) land patent obtained by Francis Thornton I (1657–1727) around 1720. The present-day town of Fredericksburg, Virginia is located on that original patent.[4]
The mansion at Fall Hill
The mansion at Fall Hill (pictured) is a Georgian two-story home with a central hall and two large rooms on either side. Its roof is hipped and there are interior chimneys at each end. The outside walls are randomly glazed Flemish bond brickwork. In keeping with the Georgian design of the exterior, second floor window openings are proportionately smaller than those of the first floor.[5]
The home was remodeled around 1830 and, as a result of replacements to door and window frames, doors and sashes, the only original parts of the exterior are the walls, roof, and chimneys. During this remodeling, two windows on the front of the house were bricked over on both the first and second floors.
The grounds surrounding the house contain many old trees in a wide variety of species. There are a number of gravel walks around the 'park-like' grounds. A hillside west of the house provides a view of nearby Fredericksburg.[5]
History
The land on which Fall Hill was established is believed to have been included in a grant of 8,000 acres (3,200 ha) in Spotsylvania County patented by Francis Thornton I (1657–1727) around 1720. Thornton belonged to one of Virginia's distinguished Colonial families. Upon settling in the area, Thornton established a home at The Falls, a plantation at the foot of Fall Hill within the present-day town of
Francis Thornton III married Frances Gregory, daughter of Mildred Washington Gregory, aunt and godmother of George Washington. He served as a burgess, a trustee of Fredericksburg, and Colonel of the Spotsylvania militia.[5][6] In 1749, Fall Hill was inherited by Colonel Thornton's son, Francis Thornton IV (1737–1794). However, he and his wife, Ann Thompson, maintained their primary residence at The Falls.[5]
The present mansion at Fall Hill is believed to have been built by Francis Thornton V (1760–1836) probably around 1790 when he married Sally Innes. This belief is supported by architectural evidence in the design of the houses common to the period. Francis Thornton V was a
Its proximity to the Rappahannock River made Fall Hill a strategic point during the
In 1870 Dr. Taylor's son, Murry Forbes Taylor, married Butler-Brayne Thornton, a cousin of his mother, and also a descendant of Francis Thornton V, which again reinforced Fall Hill as a part of the Thornton family legacy. Taylor and his wife lived with Doctor Taylor at Fall Hill from 1875 to 1877. In 1877, Murray Taylor and his wife moved to California where Taylor managed the estate of Mrs.
Butler Franklin, who died in 2003 at the age of 104, was the last of the Thorntons to own the property.[10] In 2000, Fall Hill was purchased by Barry and Maureen Kefauver. Fall Hill was added to the National Register of Historic Places in June 1973.[1]
Notes
- ^ Fall Hill has historically been a part of Spotsylvania County, Virginia. The area on which it is located was annexed by the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia in 1983.[11]
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ Chasen, Donna (26 October 2002). "Nanny of Fall Hill". The Free Lance-Star; Fredericksburg, Virginia. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
- ^ ISBN 9780813918624. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Fall Hill" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form. United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
- ^ Tyler, Lyon Gardiner, ed. (1915). Encyclopedia of Virginia biography. Lewis historical publishing company. pp. 340–341. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
Fall Hill Thornton historic.
- ^ "Alabama Secretaries of State: James Innes Thornton". History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography. Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
- ^ Chasen, Donna (28 February 2004). "A life well-lived". The Free Lance-Star; Fredericksburg, Virginia. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
- ^ ISBN 9780874133837.
- ^ Schemmer, Clint (10 April 2010). "Spring Break at Fall Hill". The Free Lance-Star; Fredericksburg, Virginia. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- ^ "Substantial Changes to Counties and County Equivalent Entities: 1970-Present". Census Bureau; United States Department of Commerce. U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Archived from the original on 6 May 2009. Retrieved 30 May 2012.