Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 02/21/1978
NRHP Listing Date 03/26/1980
NRHP Reference Number 80004227
The closet windows in the wide exterior end chimneys of Montpelier give singularity to a relatively standard plantation house of the colonial period. Closets in colonial houses were not used strictly for storage but often served as pantries, dressing rooms, or toilet areas, uses requiring daylight and benefiting from the warmth of the chimney. The deceptively large-scale dwelling has original weatherboarding and facades dominated by large windows with original sash. Montpelier probably was built in the third quarter of the 18th century by Charles Harrison on property inherited in 1744. The roof originally had clipped gables but they were covered over during an early-19th-century remodeling which included the installation of much of the present interior woodwork. The Surry County house stood neglected for a number of years but was restored in the late 1970s.
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: May 17, 2021
