Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 12/19/1978
NRHP Listing Date 06/19/1979
NRHP Reference Number 79003303
Built ca. 1875 as a residence for Holmes Erwin, Rose Terrace illustrates the prosperity enjoyed by Staunton following the Civil War. Near the top of the city’s highest hill, the L-shaped, two-and-a-half-story structure is in a freely-interpreted Italianate style. It is an outstanding example of Victorian-era taste, with decorative brickwork and fancy chimneystacks. Rose Terrace was purchased in 1919 by Mary Baldwin Seminary (now Mary Baldwin College) and served as the president’s home for many years. More recently, Rose Terrace has served as a residence hall and home of the college admissions office. Towering above the college’s lower campus, the dwelling provides a lively architectural foil for Mary Baldwin’s cream-colored, Greek Revival academic structures and serves as a link between the upper and lower portions of the campus.
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 26, 2022
