Branch House facts for kids
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Branch House
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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| Location | 2501 Monument Avenue, Richmond, Virginia, United States |
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| Built | 1916–1919 |
| Architect | John Russell Pope with Otto R. Eggers |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival, Jacobean Revival |
| Part of | Monument Avenue Historic District (ID70000883) |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003569 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 23, 1984 |
The Branch House is a large, historic mansion located in Richmond, Virginia. It was designed in 1916 by the famous architect John Russell Pope for a wealthy businessman named John Kerr Branch and his wife, Beulah Gould Branch.
This impressive house is part of Richmond's Monument Avenue Historic District. This district is a special area recognized for its history. The Branch House itself was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This means it's an important building worth protecting.
After the Branch family, the house changed owners several times. In 2003, the Virginia Center for Architecture Foundation bought it. Since 2015, the Branch House has been home to The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design. This museum showcases different exhibits about design and architecture.
Contents
Why Branch House is Important
The Branch House is historically important for several reasons.
Designed by a Famous Architect
The firm of John Russell Pope designed this house. Pope's firm became very famous for designing major buildings in Washington, D.C. These include the National Archives and Records Administration building and the Jefferson Memorial. His partner, Otto R. Eggers, finished these projects after Pope's death. Eggers also designed other notable places like the Morehead Planetarium.
Branch House is special because it's the only home designed by Pope's firm in Virginia. It's also the only one of their homes built in the Tudor-Jacobean Revival style where the inside is still original.
A Glimpse into the Past
The house shows us what life was like for wealthy families in the early 1900s. Back then, English architectural styles were very popular among rich Americans. The Branch family was also important in Virginia and had a large collection of old European art.
Largest House in Richmond
The Branch House is the biggest house in the city of Richmond. It's located in a historic area that has a lot of cultural meaning.
House Design and Style
John Kerr Branch received half a city block from his father. He and his wife then asked John Russell Pope's firm to design their new home. The house is located on Monument Avenue, near the Jefferson Davis memorial.
How the House Was Planned
John Russell Pope himself didn't visit the house much during its building. His business partner, Otto R. Eggers, signed the architectural drawings in 1916.
The house is huge, with about 28 main rooms. These included public halls, private suites, and even rooms just for storing carpets, china, paintings, and suits of armor! The total size of the house is reported to be between 27,000 and 33,000 square feet. That's about three times larger than other houses on Monument Avenue.
The Branch House looks like it has three stories from the outside. However, the inside is built on many different levels, sometimes as many as 19! It has a central part with two sections sticking out on the sides. The roof is complex, with special decorative walls called castellations.
Inspired by English Castles
The style of Branch House is often called Tudor Revival. This means it looks like old English houses from the 16th century. The architects made the building materials look old on purpose. This helped create the feeling of an ancient, powerful home. Wealthy Americans like the Branches wanted their homes to look like they had a long, noble history.
Pope's firm based the design on a large 16th-century English country house called Compton Wynyates. The Branch House has many similar details, like special wood paneling inside and half-timbering on the outside. It also has unique windows with leaded glass.
Building Details and Inside Features
The outside of Branch House has walls made of weathered brick and special sandstone. You can see sculpted stone designs, fancy chimneys, and brickwork in diamond patterns. There are also carved stone symbols and special windows that stick out. Some inscriptions on the windows refer to the Branch family's arrival in Virginia long ago.
Inside, the house has vaulted ceilings and decorative plaster molding in the Tudor style. It also had modern features for its time, like fireproof concrete floors. The Branches used items from their own art collection to decorate the house. These included an old Italian door and a carved wooden screen from England. Many walls were covered with their collection of tapestries and textiles.
The Branch Family Story
John Kerr Branch was born in Danville, Virginia. His father, John Patteson Branch, was a well-known banker and investor in Richmond. The New York Times even called his father the "Nestor of Richmond Bankers" when he died.
John Kerr Branch grew up in Richmond and studied in Europe. He started working at his father's company at age 21. He was very successful in real estate and railroads. He eventually inherited his family's banking fortune. He became president of several important banks and companies.
John Kerr Branch met Beulah Frances Gould in Germany. They were both Quakers and married in 1886. They had three children: John Akin, Zayde Bancroft, and Louise.
John Kerr Branch started collecting art when he was just 19. He and Beulah became famous for their collection of Italian Renaissance paintings, furniture, and tapestries. They started working with John Russell Pope's firm in 1914. John Kerr's father gave him and his sister an entire city block to build their homes. John Kerr built his house on one half of the block. It was finished in 1919 and cost about $160,000, which would be like $19 million today.
The Branches lived "seasonally." This means they had several homes. Branch House was their winter home. They also had a farm estate in New York and a 15th-century Italian villa near Florence.
John Kerr Branch passed away in Italy in 1930. Beulah Gould Branch continued to live in the house until her death in 1952. Their daughter later gave the house to a charity. Their granddaughter later created a society to protect the area around the house.
Who Owned Branch House Next?
In 1953, the Branch family's daughter, Zayde Branch Rennolds, gave the house to the Richmond Community Chest, a charity. From 1957 to 1975, the house was known as the Branch Memorial House.
By 1966, several charities used the house as their offices. It hosted many community events, meetings, and even summer concerts.
In 1982, Robert E. Pogue and his wife Janice bought the house. They used it for their insurance business. The Pogues also made an agreement to protect the house. This meant no major changes could be made to its outside or inside. They also helped get Branch House listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. During their time, the house was repaired and used for public events again.
In 2003, the Virginia Center for Architecture Foundation bought the house for $2 million. They spent another $2 million to renovate it. This included fixing the roof, repairing the special windows, and updating the heating and cooling systems. They also made the building easier for everyone to access.
On April 1, 2005, the Branch House opened as a museum. It has galleries, shops, and offices. Two large rooms are used for exhibits. Since 2015, the Branch House has been the home of The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design (www.branchmuseum.org). The museum hosts changing exhibits and programs, like the annual Mad Hatter Garden Party. In 2024, the museum will have eight new exhibits as part of its "Design Matters" series.
See also
- Kobe City Museum of Literature, funded by John Kerr and Beulah Gould Branch
