Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 07/06/1971
NRHP Listing Date 12/16/1971
NRHP Reference Number 71001062
The eclectic tastes of the late Victorian era in architecture, interior decoration, art collecting, and gardening are lavishly displayed at Maymont, the suburban estate created by Richmond philanthropist Maj. James H. Dooley and his wife, Sallie May. The combination Romanesque- and Chateauesque-style stone mansion was designed by Edgerton S. Rogers and completed in 1893. Contrasting with its somber exterior is a glittering interior where each room has its own stylistic character. The Dooleys filled the house with a singular collection of artistic objects gathered on world travels. They also developed the estate’s 100 acres overlooking the James River in the city of Richmond into a series of gardens, including an English-style park, an Italian terraced garden with fountains, a Japanese garden, and a grotto. At Mrs. Dooley’s death in 1925, the estate became a city-owned museum and park. Since 1975, custodianship for this monument of the Gilded Age has been entrusted to the Maymont Foundation.
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: March 30, 2023
