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 01/03/1991
NRHP Reference Number 90002111
Arvonia’s two Queen Anne residences, Bryn Arvon (pictured above) and Gwyn Arvon, are landmarks of Virginia’s renowned slate industry and the Welsh immigrants who dominated it. The houses were built in the 1890s for the Welsh quarrymen brothers Evan and John Williams, who founded the Williams Slate Company in the 1870s and revitalized Buckingham County’s slate quarries. They capitalized on a growing market after the Civil War, when new construction throughout the country created an enormous demand for roofing materials. Their houses are distinguished not only by their Welsh names but by the extensive and creative use of slate inside and out, making them interesting demonstrations of the quarryman’s art and serving as advertisements of the quarry’s products. Although similar in design and the utilization of materials, the plan and elevation of each house differ. The property includes a collection of contemporary outbuildings.
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: January 14, 2022
