Francis Land House
Encyclopedia
The Francis Land House, or Rose Hall, is a brick house in located within the neighborhood of Thalia in Virginia Beach, Virginia
. It was the plantation home of a prominent founding family of Princess Anne County, Virginia
. Land family history on the site spanned the 1630s to the 1850s. The house passed through six males named Francis Land and then the last Francis' daughters before being sold to another family. Slaves were first documented on the site in 1694, with importation of new slaves up to the 1730s. In the mid-18th century the plantation had as many as 20 slaves. The first Francis Land arrived in the area in 1638–1639 and later acquired 1020 acres (412.8 ha) of land by 1654, 200 of which was acquired via head rights by bringing four people with him. The plantation got as small as 350 acres (141.6 ha) over the next 150 years and at the time the current house was built the plantation was just under 700 acres (283.3 ha). The current house sits on 7 acres (2.8 ha) of that original plantation, and is now in the midst of a very commercialized area. The house was at one time thought to have been built in 1732, but recent research has placed its construction in the period 1805–1810 by Francis Land VI. Francis VI and his family lived there around 1805–1819, when Francis VI died. When Francis Moseley Land built the house his family had already been living on that land for 150 years. Francis VI and his wife had two daughters, who held onto the land until about 1850–1851, when it was first sold outside their family. The roof was raised 12 inches (30.5 cm) in 1912. The continued functioning as various types of farms until the 1940s, at which time it was a dairy farm. By the 1950s the area began to have businesses and a major road. During the mid-late 20th century the house functioned as the Rose Hall Dress Shop. In the early-mid 1970s a developer wanted to tear down the house and build a shopping mall, but the City of Virginia Beach stepped in purchased the house and land in 1975; subsequently operating it as a historic house museum since 1986. Special programs for schools, Scouts
, and the general public are offered throughout the year. Adjacent to the house are the Rose Hall Apartments and Rose Hall Professional Center.
The house's exterior is Georgian style and the inside features period rooms furnished with Federal style
antiques and reproductions with heart of pine floors. The exterior walls are double depth Flemish bond brickwork. The manicured grounds include herb, vegetable, flax, formal, and "pleasure" gardens, as well as a history park which includes a constructed 0.1 mile (0.160934 km) nature trail in a wooded wetland with interpretive sign exhibit. The trail leads to what was once the Pine Tree Branch of the Lynnhaven River
. There is a spinning wheel demonstration that shows how the family made clothing from its sheep. A Midsummer Celebration based on a medieval theme has been held annually during the summer solstice
for over 20 years.
The house was listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register (Virginia Historic Landmark) and the US National Register of Historic Places
in 1975. While the house has a plaque stating it was placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks in 1975, it does not appear on the official National Park Service
listing of National Historic Landmark
s (NHL) for Virginia. If not already listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, an NHL is automatically added to the Register upon designation. About three percent of Register listings are NHLs.
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. It was the plantation home of a prominent founding family of Princess Anne County, Virginia
Princess Anne County, Virginia
Princess Anne County is a former county which was created in the British Colony of Virginia and the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States in 1691. The county was merged into the city of Virginia Beach...
. Land family history on the site spanned the 1630s to the 1850s. The house passed through six males named Francis Land and then the last Francis' daughters before being sold to another family. Slaves were first documented on the site in 1694, with importation of new slaves up to the 1730s. In the mid-18th century the plantation had as many as 20 slaves. The first Francis Land arrived in the area in 1638–1639 and later acquired 1020 acres (412.8 ha) of land by 1654, 200 of which was acquired via head rights by bringing four people with him. The plantation got as small as 350 acres (141.6 ha) over the next 150 years and at the time the current house was built the plantation was just under 700 acres (283.3 ha). The current house sits on 7 acres (2.8 ha) of that original plantation, and is now in the midst of a very commercialized area. The house was at one time thought to have been built in 1732, but recent research has placed its construction in the period 1805–1810 by Francis Land VI. Francis VI and his family lived there around 1805–1819, when Francis VI died. When Francis Moseley Land built the house his family had already been living on that land for 150 years. Francis VI and his wife had two daughters, who held onto the land until about 1850–1851, when it was first sold outside their family. The roof was raised 12 inches (30.5 cm) in 1912. The continued functioning as various types of farms until the 1940s, at which time it was a dairy farm. By the 1950s the area began to have businesses and a major road. During the mid-late 20th century the house functioned as the Rose Hall Dress Shop. In the early-mid 1970s a developer wanted to tear down the house and build a shopping mall, but the City of Virginia Beach stepped in purchased the house and land in 1975; subsequently operating it as a historic house museum since 1986. Special programs for schools, Scouts
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
, and the general public are offered throughout the year. Adjacent to the house are the Rose Hall Apartments and Rose Hall Professional Center.
The house's exterior is Georgian style and the inside features period rooms furnished with Federal style
Federal architecture
Federal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the United States between c. 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815. This style shares its name with its era, the Federal Period. The name Federal style is also used in association with furniture design...
antiques and reproductions with heart of pine floors. The exterior walls are double depth Flemish bond brickwork. The manicured grounds include herb, vegetable, flax, formal, and "pleasure" gardens, as well as a history park which includes a constructed 0.1 mile (0.160934 km) nature trail in a wooded wetland with interpretive sign exhibit. The trail leads to what was once the Pine Tree Branch of the Lynnhaven River
Lynnhaven River
The Lynnhaven River is a tidal estuary located in the independent city of Virginia Beach, Virginia, in the United States, and flows into the Chesapeake Bay west of Cape Henry at Lynnhaven Inlet, beyond which is Lynnhaven Roads. It has a small, developed watershed covering , terminating at Lynnhaven...
. There is a spinning wheel demonstration that shows how the family made clothing from its sheep. A Midsummer Celebration based on a medieval theme has been held annually during the summer solstice
Summer solstice
The summer solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined towards the star that it orbits. Earth's maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26'. Though the summer solstice is an instant in time, the term is also...
for over 20 years.
The house was listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register (Virginia Historic Landmark) and the US National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1975. While the house has a plaque stating it was placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks in 1975, it does not appear on the official National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
listing of National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
s (NHL) for Virginia. If not already listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, an NHL is automatically added to the Register upon designation. About three percent of Register listings are NHLs.
External links
- Francis Land House - official site
- Francis Land House at carolshouse.com
- Francis Land House at FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Francis Land House at Virginia Beach Public Library SystemVirginia Beach Public Library System-External links:********...