Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 06/16/1981
NRHP Listing Date 09/16/1982
NRHP Reference Number 82004543
The James Alexander House and adjacent springhouse are the core remnants of one of Augusta County’s most distinctive early vernacular farm complexes. In view of thousands of travelers daily passing on Interstate Highway 81, the buildings preserve a glimpse into the past, revealing the flow of central European-inspired architectural traditions to the area from Pennsylvania. The James Alexander House, built ca. 1827, integrates the Continental two-level bank form with the Georgian plan and detailing of eastern Virginia. The more purely regional springhouse employs similar two-level bank siting and limestone construction typical of Pennsylvania German architecture. The exterior fireplace on the springhouse, one of the few surviving examples of this utilitarian form, was used in such household and farm chores as butchering, laundering, soapmaking, and apple butter cooking.
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: May 26, 2022
