Spence's Point facts for kids
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Spence's Point (John Roderigo Dos Passos House)
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Spence's Point in 1971
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | On Sandy Point Neck, off VA 749, Westmoreland, Virginia |
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| Area | 1,800 acres (730 ha) |
| Built | 1806; 1942 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000991 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 11, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | November 11, 1971 |
Spence's Point is a special old estate located by the Potomac River in Westmoreland, Virginia. It's also called the John R. Dos Passos Farm. This was the home of a famous writer named John Dos Passos for the last 25 years of his life. In 1971, this important place was named a National Historic Landmark.
Exploring Spence's Point Estate
Spence's Point is found in a quiet, rural part of Westmoreland County. The main house sits on the south bank of the Potomac River. You reach it by driving down a long road from Virginia State Route 749.
The estate covers a huge area, about 1,800 acres. The main house is a simple, two-and-a-half-story building made of brick. It has a pointed roof and a chimney at one end. The front of the house has three sections, with the main door on the right side. Its design is a basic example of the Federal style, which was popular in the early 1800s.
The Writer's Home
Behind the main house, there's a two-story addition. This part was built in the 1940s by John Dos Passos himself. It has a two-story porch that looks out over the beautiful river.
Close by, in the village of Sandy Neck, was the house where John Dos Passos grew up. That original house is no longer there, but some of the smaller buildings from his childhood still stand.
A Place of Inspiration
The land where Spence's Point is located was first bought by John Dos Passos's father in 1885. John Dos Passos spent his childhood years in the Sandy Neck house nearby.
Later, in 1942, John Dos Passos became a very important writer. He decided to buy a part of his family's original property. He then fixed up the old brick farmhouse that was built around 1806. This farmhouse became his home until he passed away in 1970.
Even though he wrote some of his most famous books before moving here, many of his later works were created at Spence's Point. When the estate was named a landmark in 1971, his wife was still living there.
