Centre Hill Museum or Centre Hill Mansion as its proper name, completed initial construction in 1823 and was built by Revolutionary War veteran Robert Bolling IV. The Bollings were a very prominent family for many generations, being granted a plot of land in present-day Petersburg by the then King of England. Centre Hill served as Union headquarters during the reconstruction period; therefore, a meeting between a Union general and President Lincoln took place inside the home in 1865. President Taft also spent time on the property. Its doors were opened as a museum in the 1950s.
Centre Hill | |
.jpg) Center Hill in 2005 | |
   | |
| Location | Center Hill Lane, Petersburg, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°13′50″N 77°24′6″W / 37.23056°N 77.40167°W |
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1823 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Greek Revival transitional |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001514[1] |
| VLR No. | 123-0057 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | December 27, 1972 |
| Designated VLR | November 21, 1972[2] |
History
editThe mansion was built in 1823 by Robert Bolling IV, who had served in the Revolutionary Army.[3] An extensive remodeling was undertaken by Robert Buckner Bolling in the 1840s.[4] It is a two-story, five-bay, transitional Greek Revival style brick dwelling. An east wing was added about 1850. The front facade features a has a flat-roofed five-bay verandah supported by six Greek Ionic order columns.[5]
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.[1] It is located in the Centre Hill Historic District.
Today the house encompasses three American architectural styles.[3] The mansion's South Facade is dominated by a Greek Revival-style porch with ionic columns. Greek Revival architectural ornamentation is a feature of the interior, along with elements of early Federal style and later Colonial Revival style.[4]
The 1840s renovation also included construction of a tunnel from the back of the house to nearby Henry Street.[4] Slaves used the tunnel to carry food in and out of the house.[6]
Notable events
editPresident Abraham Lincoln spoke to Union soldiers occupying the mansion[6] during a trip to Petersburg in April 1865.[3] President William Howard Taft was a guest in May 1909.[3]
The mansion was used as a set in the made-for-TV movie Killing Lincoln.[6]
The mansion was also used as the set of the Green family home [7] in the PBS drama Mercy Street (TV series).
Legends
editEvery January 24, the ghosts of American Civil War soldiers are said to march up the stairs at 7:30 p.m. Twenty minutes later, the specters march back down the stairs and leave, slamming the front door behind them.[6]
Neighbors also have reported seeing a Lady in White standing at an upstairs window.[6]
The museum hosts a "Ghost Watch" on January 24 each year.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from the original on 2013-09-21. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
- ^ a b c d Virginia Tourism Corporation – retrieved 1/28/2013
- ^ a b c d City of Petersburg, Virginia – retrieved 1/28/2013 Archived January 20, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff (September 1972). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Centre Hill" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources. and Accompanying photo
- ^ a b c d e Wallace, Lena. (2013, January 25). Guests are on the lookout for ghosts at Centre Hill Mansion. The Progress-Index. Retrieved 1/28/2013: "Guests are on the lookout for ghosts at Centre Hill Mansion - News - Progress-Index". Archived from the original on 2013-02-02. Retrieved 2013-01-29.
- ^ "The Real-Life Inspiration for PBS' "Mercy Street" | National Trust for Historic Preservation".
External links
edit- Centre Hill Museum – City of Petersburg site
- Center Hill, Franklin Street, Petersburg, Petersburg, VA: 2 photos at Historic American Buildings Survey