Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 01/18/1983
NRHP Listing Date 08/11/1983
NRHP Reference Number 83003283
Erected in 1819-20 by Robert and George Ellis, as the Farmers Bank of Virginia, this Federal-style commercial building has served continuously as a bank except for intervals during the Civil War. The residential part, originally occupied by the bank’s cashier, was the boyhood home of the 19th-century naval captain William Lewis Herndon. During the Union occupation of Fredericksburg, the bank was used as headquarters by the Union command. President Lincoln addressed troops and citizens from its steps on April 22, 1862. The Farmers Bank failed at the end of the war, and the building became the home of the National Bank of Fredericksburg, chartered in 1865. The building, located in the Fredericksburg Historic District, is distinguished by its pedimented temple form and fine detailing, including stone lintels and keystones, Flemish-bond brickwork, and handsome entrance. Some early trim remains within.
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: January 6, 2022
