Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 12/01/2004
NRHP Listing Date 04/20/2005
NRHP Reference Number 05000333
Built by Garland Carr of the prominent Carr family of Albemarle County, Bentivar is a one-story, double-pile brick residence with an English basement and clerestory attic. Documents indicate the original house burned and a new one was built in the 1830s, designed by notable architect and builder Thomas R. Blackburn. An interesting construction detail is revealed above the ceilings and below the floors of the main level where intermediate boards at mid-joist level carry several inches of clay, supposedly for insulation and fire protection. This measure could well have been installed as a response to the 1830 fire. Also contributing to the nearly 20-acre property’s historic significance is a stone structure, a family cemetery, and an ice pit that was originally 35-feet deep, 20-feet wide.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: September 28, 2018
