Green Springs (Trevilians, Virginia)

Green Springs
Green Springs, HABS Photo, 1984
Location 0.2 mi. S of VA 617 and 1.5 mi. SW of jct. with VA 640, near Trevilians, Virginia
Coordinates 38°00′17.63″N 78°10′49.66″W / 38.0048972°N 78.1804611°WCoordinates: 38°00′17.63″N 78°10′49.66″W / 38.0048972°N 78.1804611°W
Area 640 acres (260 ha)
Governing body Private
NRHP Reference # 72001406[1]
VLR # 054-0057
Significant dates
Added to NRHP June 30, 1972
Designated VLR May 16, 1972[2]

Green Springs was built in the late 18th century on lands in Louisa County, Virginia assembled by Sylvanus Morris. His son Richard (c.1740-1821) developed 1,746 acres (707 ha) near the mineral springs that gave the property its name and built the two-story frame house. The property stands in an unusually fertile region of central Virginia, surrounded by a number of 18th and 19th century farms and plantations. The district has been designated a National Historic Landmark district, comprising about 14,000 acres (5,700 ha) under scenic easement protection.[3][4]

Description

The main house is a two story frame structure with a compact plan. The house forgoes the typical Virginia central-hall plan, employing instead a simple four-room plan on the main floor, with the stairs relegated to a small space at the rear. The two front rooms each have their own entry in the five-bay main elevation. The rear has received a shed-roofed addition, and a two-story frame addition has been added on the west side of the house. The interior features its original woodwork, using simple shapes and patterns. The property includes a number of barns and other dependencies.[3]

The Morris family

Colonel Richard Morris held a number of public offices, including Commissary for the Commonwealth, and was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates in 1788. Morris operated a small resort at the Green Springs with two houses, an icehouse, servants' quarters, a blacksmith shop and utility buildings, which were abandoned by Richard's son and heir James Maury Morris.[3]

Green Springs was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 30, 1972.[1] It is a component of the Green Springs National Historic Landmark District.[4]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2010-07-09.
  2. ↑ "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff (May 1972). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Green Springs". National Park Service. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff (February 1973). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Green Springs Historic District". Retrieved 19 October 2011.

External links