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 89001807
This unforgettable structure is without parallel in Virginia as an example of rustic work. Rustic architecture and furniture, most frequently associated with the Adirondack camps of the late-19th century, employed untrimmed limbs, branches, and vines to give buildings and objects a naturalistic, “of-the-forest” look. The two-tiered Alleghany Springs Springhouse, a large octagonal pavilion, is supported on rough cedar posts with complex intertwined knots of rhododendron branches and roots forming brackets, railings, and even “vaulted” ceilings. Sheltered within is a marble counter for serving spring water. Established in 1853, Alleghany Springs in Montgomery County was one of Virginia’s most popular spas, until the main hotel burned in 1904. In one season following the Civil War, the springs hosted nine former Confederate generals. Now surrounded by modern houses, the fantastic Alleghany Springs Springhouse, built ca. 1890, is the principal reminder of this once-popular place.
The Alleghany Springs Springhouse 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: June 8, 2022
