Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 06/18/2009
NRHP Listing Date 08/20/2009
NRHP Reference Number 09000641
The Simon Reid Curtis House, in the Lee Hall area of the city of Newport News, was constructed in 1897 by Curtis as a residence from which he could manage all of his business, political, and social activities. Often referred to as the “boss of Warwick County” (which was consolidated with Newport News in 1958), Curtis held the office of treasurer from 1899–1945, served as road commissioner and postmaster for Lee Hall, and eventually gained control of the county’s Democratic party. He also established several regional banks and bought his way onto the boards of several utility companies. So that he might manage all of his endeavors centrally, Curtis instructed architect Adolph Wagner to build his massive, Colonial Revival-style house with a store on the first floor. After his death in 1949, Curtis’s business ventures were run by his two sons, and the house remained in the family until 1995. Today the Simon Reid Curtis House is the only 19th-century dwelling still standing in the city’s Lee Hall area.
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 19, 2023
