You are here

Virginia: Valley, Piedmont, Southside & Southwest » Allegheny Highlands » Alleghany County » Falling Spring Vicinity » Oak Grove

Oak Grove

-A A +A
1826–1827. East side of U.S. 220, 0.4 miles northeast of VA 640
  • (Virginia Department of Historic Resources)

Built for Henry Massie, who operated a successful plantation in Falling Spring Valley, this is an important local example of Federal style. Pedimented gable ends and a dentil cornice lend formality to the two-story, five-bay weatherboarded dwelling. The unusual fenestration of one end wall, with a four-paned hinged sash fit into each of the eight openings, reflects the location of built-in closets and cabinets, which were lit by the small windows. Above the elaborate front entrance, with its double doors with arcaded upper panels, Massie's cursive initials, “HM,” embellish the tracery of a delicately ornamented fanlight.

Writing Credits

Author: 
Anne Carter Lee

If SAH Archipedia has been useful to you, please consider supporting it.

SAH Archipedia tells the story of the United States through its buildings, landscapes, and cities. This freely available resource empowers the public with authoritative knowledge that deepens their understanding and appreciation of the built environment. But the Society of Architectural Historians, which created SAH Archipedia with University of Virginia Press, needs your support to maintain the high-caliber research, writing, photography, cartography, editing, design, and programming that make SAH Archipedia a trusted online resource available to all who value the history of place, heritage tourism, and learning.

,