Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 03/02/1971
NRHP Listing Date 09/22/1971
NRHP Reference Number 71000984
This massive colonial house preserves a timeless setting in the midst of cultivated fields in King & Queen County on the banks of the Mattaponi River. Hillsborough has special architectural interest by being the only known frame house of the period to combine masonry end walls with a hipped roof. Brick-ended houses are common in the Chesapeake region but are rarely found west of the York River. The interior of Hillsborough reserves much of its original paneled woodwork including a Georgian stair. The outstanding parlor paneling, however, was removed in the 1930s, and is now in Mount Cuba, a Delaware mansion. A rare survival at Hillsborough is the colonial store building, constructed of thin, Dutch-type bricks. The main house was most likely built for Col. Humphrey Hill, who is recorded as owning the property in 1752. The Hillsborough property remains the home of Hill family descendants.
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: July 23, 2021
