Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 06/20/1989
NRHP Listing Date 11/13/1989
NRHP Reference Number 89001813
Occupying the edge of a steeply sloped rise in the Montgomery County village of Graysontown, this festive Victorian house is a surprisingly bold architectural statement for a somnolent hamlet. Particularly striking is the idiosyncratic treatment of the porch gable and second-floor window hoods, which are gaily decked out with patterned shingles, scrolled brackets, turned finials, and lacy sawn fascias. Distinctive as well is the three-level side tower with its sawn-work railing. The house was built ca. 1881 for Ephraim C. Grayson, member of the village’s local founding family. It was sold in 1889 to J. H. H. Gravely who moved the house to its present site from farther up the hill. Local tradition has it that the house received its decorative flourishes at the behest of Mrs. Gravely following the move. Much of the material may have been produced in the local Grayson family sawmill.
The Grayson-Gravely House was listed in the registers under the Prehistoric and Historic Resources of Montgomery County MPD.
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
