Virginia State Seal Virginia Department of Historic Resources

095-0098 Emory and Henry College

Emory and Henry College
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For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF

VLR Listing Date 01/18/1983

NRHP Listing Date 01/30/1989

NRHP Reference Number 85003695

Emory and Henry College, founded in 1838 by the Holston Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, is the oldest college in Southwest Virginia and one of the few colleges of its period in the South that has operated with continued affiliation with its founding organization. The hilly, tree-shaded campus includes several structures from its early days. Among these are the Charles C. Collins House (1845), home of the first president; the Emily Williams House (1848), home of the second president; and the J. Stewart French House (1852), home of seven successive college presidents. In addition to these, the college possesses a fine collection of Georgian Revival buildings. Dominating the complex is Ephraim Emerson Wiley Hall, the Georgian Revival administration building built in 1912. With their brick construction and classical trim, the buildings, both 19th- and 20th-century, form a cohesive architectural assemblage.


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: February 27, 2021