Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 02/16/1982
NRHP Listing Date 07/08/1982
DHR's Virginia Board of Historic Resources easement
NRHP Reference Number 82004604
Waverley Hill is an elegant expression of the Georgian Revival that was designed by William Lawrence Bottomley, a New York architect who maintained an extensive Virginia clientele in the 1920s and ’30s. Drawing from Palladian, English, as well as colonial Virginia precedents, Bottomley fashioned imaginative and functional dwellings, and set a standard of excellence in domestic architecture. Bottomley stated his philosophy in a magazine interview: “I believe we should do everything possible to preserve this old southern ideal of country house architecture because it is one of the finest things we have and it is still vital.” Waverley Hill was commissioned in 1928 by Mr. and Mrs. Herbert McKelden Smith. The five-part form of Waverley Hill is reminiscent of Carter’s Grove, although the main doorway was inspired by the Hammond-Harwood House in Annapolis. From its elevated site along Route 11 in the north end of the city of Staunton, the house at Waverley Hill commands stunning views of the surrounding countryside.
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: December 5, 2022
