Wickham House facts for kids
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Wickham-Valentine House
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The Wickham House in 2019
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1015 E. Clay St., Richmond, Virginia |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1812 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Late Victorian, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000329 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | June 11, 1969 |
| Designated NHL | November 11, 1971 |
The Wickham House, also known as the Wickham-Valentine House, is a special historic house museum in Richmond, Virginia. It was finished in 1812. People think it is one of the best examples of a building style called the Federal period. In 1971, it was named a National Historic Landmark, which means it's a very important historical place in the United States.
Today, The Valentine museum owns and takes care of the house. This museum is all about the history of Richmond.
Contents
What is the Wickham House?
The Wickham House is in a part of Richmond called the Court End neighborhood. It is close to the Virginia State Capitol building. Right next to it is the main building of The Valentine museum.
How the House Looks
The house is a two-story building made of brick. It has a flat roof with a low fence around it. The outside walls are covered in stucco, which makes them look like fancy stone blocks. The front of the house has three sections, with the middle part sticking out a little.
The main door is under a small porch. This porch has two sets of columns and a fence on top. The windows are special, with a wider middle section and two narrow parts on the sides. Inside, there's a beautiful curved staircase. The walls have cool paintings with ideas from ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian art.
Who Built the Wickham House?
The Wickham House was built in 1812 for a man named John Wickham. He was a very successful lawyer. The house was designed by an architect from Massachusetts named Alexander Parris. Some people also think other famous architects, like Robert Mills or Benjamin Latrobe, might have helped design it.
John Wickham was known for defending Vice President Aaron Burr in a big trial. Later, a man named John Ballard bought the house. He added Victorian-style decorations to the living room.
The Valentine Museum Connection
In 1882, Mann Valentine II bought the house. He loved collecting old things. He filled the house with many artifacts, including items from ancient Native American sites. These included things from the South Appalachian Mississippian culture and historic Cherokee towns.
Mann Valentine II wanted these collections and the house to become a museum for the city. So, he left them to create what is now The Valentine museum. The house is now part of the museum and you can take tours to see it.
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