Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 10/17/1978
NRHP Listing Date 02/01/1979
NRHP Reference Number 79003045
Clover Lea’s broad lawns and old trees combine with the porticoed house to present an idealized picture of an antebellum plantation residence. Although the Hanover County structure is not large compared to the Greek Revival houses of the Deep South, its tall square pillars, high-ceilinged rooms, and handsome woodwork give it the stately air inherent in the Grecian mode. The use of a portico on the façade is a departure from the Richmond region practice of placing the portico on the rear or garden elevation. The house was built for George Washington Bassett who, with his wife Betty Burnet Lewis, moved into their completed home in September 1844 where they eventually raised eleven children. The property remained in the Bassett family until the end of the century. During the Civil War Clover Lea was raided by Union cavalry seeking Gen. J. E. B. Stuart.
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: August 4, 2022
