Virginia State Seal Virginia Department of Historic Resources

043-0041 Farmer’s Rest

Farmer’s Rest
Photo credit: Wikipedia, 2018

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For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF

VLR Listing Date 09/18/2014

NRHP Listing Date 02/13/2015

NRHP Reference Number 15000015

Farmer’s Rest, a rural Greek Revival house, was built ca. 1835 in Henrico County by the prominent and wealthy landowner, Henry Cox. The house features a transverse-front-hall plan and two semi-exposed rear chimneys, making it one of only a few surviving pre-Civil War dwellings with this type of layout in the county. Considering that the house was within a few miles of Civil War battle lines, fronted the major transportation route of Varina Road, and had a temporary military road passing across the rear of the property, it is fortunate that the house survived the war. It appears to have been used by Union troops at various periods, but most intensively in 1864-1865. Although the dwelling has undergone a moderate evolution of architectural materials since its construction, the current house was rehabilitated to reveal its original high-quality features such as its 1830s weatherboard, formerly concealed by aluminum siding.


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 2, 2021