Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 08/21/1990
NRHP Listing Date 12/21/1990
NRHP Reference Number 90001841
Built in the 1820s, the brick house of Locust Level illustrates the high degree of architectural refinement common in many of Bedford County’s early dwellings. Although basically an I-house, it is set off by a finely detailed doorway surround, modillion cornice, precise brickwork, and bold interior woodwork including a fine stair. The house was built for Paschal G. Buford (1791-1875), one of 19th-century Bedford County’s largest landowners and developers. Buford also was an agronomist and served as a county justice. Buford was also responsible for securing a top rock from the Peaks of Otter from which a block was cut and sent as Virginia’s contribution to the Washington Monument. In 1863 Locust Level served as a retreat for Gen. Robert E. Lee’s wife and two daughters. On the property are the ruins of the 18th-century Henry Buford House, 19th-century outbuildings, and a family cemetery.
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: April 25, 2022
