Historic Resources Identification and Assessment of Nelson County, Virginla
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Historic Resources Identification and Assessment of Nelson County, Virginla Prepared by: The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Nancy K. O'Brien, Executive Director Project Consultants: Archives/Research Library Land And Community Associates Virginia Department of P.O. Box 92 Historic Resources Charlottesville, VA 22902 Richmond, Virginia 23219 Douglas Mc Varish, Preservation Consultant 2 East Zane Avenue Collingswood, NJ. 08108 Project Supervisor and Editor: Michael Collins, Senior Environmental/Land Use Planner, Thomas Jefferson Planning District Project Team: Julie Gronlund, Land and Community Associates Dr. Jeff Hantman, University of Virginia Department of Anthropology Douglas McVarish, Douglas McVarish Preservation Consultant Ashley Neville, Land and Cordmunity Associates Anne Robertson, Preservation Planning Intern, University of Virginia Mary Hanbury Ruffin, Preservation Planning Intern, University of Virginia Nelson County Historic Resources Technical Committee: Jeff Johnson, Former County Administrator, Nelson County Julie Vosmik, Survey and Register Programs Manager, Viginia Department of Historic Resources William Whitehead, Citizen and liason, Nelson County Historical Society Rojectfundingprovidedfrom the Virginia Depment of Hktoric Resources, the County of Nelson, Virgnia and the lbmmJamson Planning District Commisswn. March, 1993 Acknowledgements This project is a new type of initiative funded by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Like all new initiatives, there were a number of unexpected hurdles. Fortunately, the members of the project team worked countless hours to bring the best they could to Nelson County. For all their dedication, heartfelt appreciation is expressed to the members of the project team: Julie Gronlund, Land and CommunityAssociates Jeff Hantman, University of Vitginia, Deparhent of Anthropology Douglas McVmish, Douglas McVhh hewation ConnJrant Ashlev NeviUe, Land and Communitv~ociates ~nne&bertsoi sw Intern, ~nivekyof Vim Mary Hanbwy Ruffin, Student Intern, University of Viia The project could never have been undertaken without the contributions of the following persons and organizations: Ella Browning NeLFon CountyAdminktrator's Office Bob Cmter, Vi'niaDepahtent of Hirforic Resources Emily Eig Traceries Jan~Hall, %mar Jeffemon Planning l&kt Historic Staunton Foundation Information Support Systems Laboratory Jeff Johnson, former Nelson County Adminktrator Lany KM, KMAssociates Genevieve P. Keller, Land and Community Associates Lee Mannon, Oak Ridge fitate National Pmk Service Nancy K O'Brien and the entire stafi Thomas Jefferson Planning District Constance Ramirez, University of Vivg2niaDepartment of Urban and Environmental Planning Susan Romr, Nelson County GLpsy Moth Coordinator Catherine Sker, Virginia Department of Historic Resources Randy Turner, VivgrniaDeparhent of Historic Resources University of Virginia Preservation Planning Claw, Spring, 1991 J&e Vosmik, VivgrniaDepartment of Hirtoric Resouxes Joe White, VivgrniaDepartment of Hirtoric Resources Catherine Whitehead, Nelson County Historical Society an4 The citizens of Nelson County and the Nelson County Historical Society A special thanks goes out to Lou Southad, Catherine Seaman, and especially, William Whitehead, who volunteered time and energy to provide essential knowledge, advice and hard work to make this project the most it could be. Executive Summary Table of Contents Acknowledgements ......................................i Executive Summary .....................................1 Ove~ew............................................ 4 Introduction ..........................................8 Methodology and Description of Architectural Assessment and Archaeological Overview ..................................10 Historic Contexts Historic Context Methodology ...........................14 Settlement Patterns .................................17 Domestic .......................................26 Subsistence/Agriculture ...............................43 Industry~ProcessingExtraction ...........................48 National Register Eligibility .................................54 Prehistoric Archaeological Overview and Predictive Model ..............58 Historic Archaeological Overview .............................65 Preservation Plan Goal 1: Identify Significant Historic Resources ..................67 Goal 2: Identify Significant Prehistoric Resources ................67 Goal 3: Assess Significant Historic Resources ..................68 Goal 4: Assess Significant Prehistoric Resources .................69 Goal 5: Nominate Outstanding Buildings and Sites to the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places ..............69 Goal 6: Establish Lovingston, Schuyler, and Nonvood as National Register Historic Districts ...................................71 Goal 7: Investigate the Formation of a Rural Historic District in Nelson County .........................................71 Goal 8: Develop Policy to Protect Resources ...................72 Goal 9: Develop Recommendations. Guidelines and Ordinances to Implement Policy .........................................72 Goal 10: Promote Heritage Economic Development ..............74 Goal 11: Encourage and Enhance Historic and Prehistoric Resource Education .......................................75 Action Agenda ........................................77 Bibliography ..........................................80 Appendix I: Reconnaissance and Intensive Level Survey: Selected Photographs Appendix 11: Database Summary Hutoric Recou~~esIdentification ~d Assessment of NehCowrty, Viihia In July, 1991, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources awarded a survey and planning grant to Nelson County, Virginia. The grant was requested by the Board of Sunervisors to assist with their 1992-1993 Comprehensive Plan revision. The goal of the prAject was to prepare an integrated d~cumenicontainin~architectural, arch~eological,and preservation planning elements. The objectives of the project were to: a Assess a portion of the architectural history of the county; a Research the archaeological history of the county to prepare a prehistoric and historic overview; a Prepare a propriate preservation planning strategies for Nelson County to imple- ment the Ldings of the study. Residents of Nelson County and the Nelson County Historical Society identified hundreds of notentiallv sienificant structures on USGS 7.5 minute auadraneles. From these st&ctures, 20Stes were selected to be surveyed to a recAnnais&ce level. Thirty sites were selected to be surveyed to an intensive level. Four historic contexts were developed for the project. The settlement, domestic, subsistencelagriculture, and industry/processing/extractionVirginia Department of Historic Resources themes were selected as the most central to the historical development of the county. Among the many findings of the architectural research, the Shenandoah Valley was found to influence construction in the county. Scotch-Irish and German artisans demonstrated a willingness to experiment with form and style. Decorative treatments from the Valley found their way into many Nelson County homes. Houses surveyed at the intensive level indicate a preference for the late Georgian style, which persisted into the early nineteenth century. The Federal style is also well represented in the county. Subsequent styles such as Greek Revival, have less impact in the county, due to the fact that major construction had already occured. The most common postbellurn house design found in the reconnaissance surveys was the I-house with a single pile, two-story, center hall plan which often has a one or two story rear ell. Based on Commonwealth of Virhia and national guidelines. pronerties surveved to the intensive level were evaluated f& potential nomination to the 'NaGonal ~egistdrof Historic Places and the Virninia Landmarks Redster by the Virpinia Denartment of Historic Resources. The foilowing properties were foukd to be iotentialiy eligible for designation: Cove Creek House Elk Hill Forkland Glenthorne Highview Level Green New Alberene Stone Quarry OakRidge Pharsalia HiiResmes Identi&uion mui Assessmcnl of Nelson Cwrty, VVuginia Red Hill Riverside Rockspring Three Chimneys Tyro TyroMill Variety Mills Willoughby Wright, Biiy House 140 historic and prehistoric archaeologic sites on file at the Virginia Department of Historic Resources were assessed in the project. 52 sites were found to be prehistoric. 88 were found to be historic. A prehistoric archaeologic predictive model was developed using this site 6le data. The archaeological model was found to be too limited to allow generalization of prehistoric sites based on environmentd variables. No predictive model was attempted for historic archaeologic resources. A preservation strategy with eleven major goals was developed for the county. The following action agenda was recommended: Re-examine areas already identified on the maps supplied with this report for additional potentially significant historic resources. Identify potentially significant structures that may exist in areas of the county not previously examined. Seek federal or state funds to conduct systematic survey of previously unidentified archaeologic resources in Nelson County. Seek federal or state funds to conduct systematic survey of previously unidentified archaeologic resources in Nelson County. Make use of local knowledge in adding to state site files information concerning archaeological sites in Nelson County which are known,