053-0676 Bernard Hough House

For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF

VLR Listing Date 06/17/2021

NRHP Listing Date 08/09/2021

NRHP Reference Number SG100006815

Completed in 1859 by Bernard Hough, a descendant of mid-18th century Quakers who established mills and businesses catering to travelers and farmers, the Bernard Hough House is a Greek Revival­­–style­­ brick residence located in northwestern Loudoun County, near the village of Hillsboro. The house is noteworthy for its brick construction, a rarity in a region dominated by the era’s stone, log, and frame buildings. Largely unaltered since its construction, Hough House’s distinguishing architectural elements include a five-bay frame porch and double-front doors, molded cornices, a balustrade central deck surrounded by four capped chimneys atop the main hip roof, and a rear ell with a gable-end chimney. The interior retains its architectural integrity, with elaborate woodwork, molding, fireplaces, and other details still intact. The property also features a one-and-a-half–story cottage originally constructed to house enslaved workers, and a compact, mid-19th century barn with a shed extension. Together with an additional 10-acre field, the 23-acre lot holding the Hough House and its dependencies preserves the site’s agricultural setting. A Hillsboro religious community leases the barn and fields, plus an additional portion of Hough’s original 169-acre farm, to grow produce it sells within the nearby Hillsboro Historic District, making the property, now known as Shannondale Farm, one of the last operating farms on Hillboro’s south side.

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Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark

Updated: October 6, 2021