Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 12/18/2008
NRHP Listing Date 02/18/2009
NRHP Reference Number 09000046
The ca. 1856 Baker-Strickler House, a notable example of Greek Revival-style architecture in Louisa County, retains much of its original building material in good condition. The interior shows how local craftsmen could impart individual expression into a popular style and distinguish the house from other period Greek Revival-style dwellings. Scroll-sawn six-pointed stars are applied to corners of door and window frames in the main public areas, and a vine-like motif is featured on the parlor mantel and entry door. The craftsmanship is primitive but well executed and both motifs have a folk quality reminiscent of the decorative tradition of Pennsylvania-German artisans. The likely builder of the house—which may have been built in response to the 1840 completion of the nearby Louisa Railroad line—was William Martin Mills Baker, who owned over 300 acres of land near Gordonsville. The Baker family name is reflected in street and creek names in Louisa County, suggesting the prominence the family enjoyed through the operation of a mill. The family also influenced the area’s religious development through participation in the Campbellite movement during the Second Great Awakening. In 1928, the house was sold into the Strickler family.
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: November 23, 2020
