Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 05/20/1980
NRHP Listing Date 09/17/1980
NRHP Reference Number 80004310
One of the earliest and most distinctive of several neighborhoods situated on Lynchburg’s several hills, Federal Hill has served primarily as a residential area favored by merchants and civic leaders. Spread through the district’s dozen blocks is an assemblage of freestanding dwellings in architectural styles popular from the early 1800s through the early 1900s. Most significant are the neighborhood’s early Federal houses, which include some of the oldest and finest dwellings in the city, among them the ca. 1816 Roane-Rodes house on Harrison Street, and the 1817 Norvell Otey house, built on Federal Street for banker William Norvell. Several other early Federal houses, including the Micajah Davis and the Gordon house, both built before 1819, are scattered along Jackson Street. The area was incorporated into the city through annexations in 1814 and 1819.
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 25, 2022
