Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 10/09/1991
NRHP Listing Date 01/22/1992
NRHP Reference Number 91001974
The Harnsberger Farm complex in Rockingham County has multiple points of interest. The oldest building is an early-19th-century log dwelling, an interesting vernacular structure showing a German influence with its three-room plan and central chimney. The main house was built in 1859-61 for George Harnsberger and his wife, who acquired the property in 1849. Harnsberger was a descendant of Stephen Harnsberger, one of the Shenandoah Valley’s early-18th-century Swiss-German settlers. Except for its I-house plan, the house is a stylish Italianate dwelling showing a break with exterior plainness of local vernacular tradition. Of particular interest is the ca. 1890 decorative painting of the walls, ceilings, and mantels of the interior, including stenciling, graining, and marbleizing. The ceilings of the parlor and second-floor passage are painted with trompe l’oeil panels and medallions.
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: April 16, 2021
