Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 06/21/1977
NRHP Listing Date 02/23/1979
NRHP Reference Number 79003079
Church Hill was first occupied in 1848 by Horatio Thompson, a minister of the nearby Timber Ridge Presbyterian Church. The Rockbridge County house is an earnest example of builder’s Greek Revival; its solid mass and forthright lines reflect the Calvinistic tradition of the region. The exterior is set off by massive corner pilasters and by a carefully proportioned dwarf portico. The interior, though generally plain, has trompe l’oeil-painted decoration on the main stair. The property was formerly owned by the pioneering Houston family who acquired title in 1742. In a log dwelling, probably demolished to make way for the present house, Sam Houston, the Texas pioneer, was born in 1793 to Samuel and Elizabeth Houston. Tradition has it that some of the logs from the Sam Houston birthplace were incorporated in a later log structure on the Church Hill property.
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: March 3, 2022
