Fleming-Smith House

Built as a simple five-bay house, the Fleming-Smith House received Victorian additions consisting of the angled corner tower, bays, a porch (now missing), and other trim after Vivian Minor Fleming acquired it around the turn of the twentieth century. Emily White Fleming, his wife, subsequently turned her architectural interests to preserving Kenmore, and this house became the center of Fredericksburg preservation efforts for decades. Her daughter, “Miss” Annie H. (Mrs. Horace) Smith inherited the house and lived here until 1952, raising over $750,000 for Kenmore. She became known for her motto: “Praise the Lord, work like the Devil, and love Kenmore.” Much of the area beyond this house was destroyed during Civil War battles.