Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 06/06/2007
NRHP Listing Date 08/08/2007
NRHP Reference Number 07000805
The Fort Nelson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution Chapter House was constructed in 1935 in Portsmouth. The building appears as a typical Tidewater-style house, with its one-and-a-half stories, prominent external chimney, and symmetrical façade, and exemplifies the Colonial Revival architectural trends of the 1930s. It stands as an important representative of women’s history in Virginia. The Daughters of the American Revolution is a women’s institution focusing on historic, educational, and patriotic objectives in American culture, founded in 1890 as a response to the exclusion of women from the Sons of the American Revolution. The Fort Nelson Chapter of the DAR, named after a nearby fort built during the Revolutionary War, was founded May 9, 1896, and was the tenth Virginia chapter formed. Though other chapters had acquired existing buildings for their meetings, the Fort Nelson chapter house is the first purpose-built house for a DAR chapter in Virginia, and it is still operational today. Its style was influenced by many sources, but draws heavily on the architecture indigenous to its location.
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 11, 2021
