lk- 31 p4-p- - virginia department of historic resourceserbhoff, jennie ann. old homes of page...

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1NSTRUCTIONS TO UOMPLETENATIQNAL ENTRlES A P P t t C A B t E

77 1.- NAME La *

s m u t Eieights

ANDJOR

LOCATION West U.S. Koute 211, .I L LG4 SrREErrtNUMBER Route

-NOT F K C A T l O N

'(OWN CONGRESSbQNAL D!STRICT

Lurcly v ~ a t ~ l r r (J. CODE COW NTY

OWMERSHIP

-DISTRICT +PUBLIC -%CCUPIED ~ G R I C U L T U R E -MUSEUM

XBU~LDING(S) XPR IVATE -UNOCCUPIED -COMMERCIAL -PARK

-BOTH -LvORK IN XPRIVATE RES~DENCE

-51TE PUBLIC ACclLIISlTlOPd ACCESSIBLE -ENTERTAINMENT -RELIGIOUS

-0WECT -IN ,YES -SCIENTIFIC

-BEING CONSlDERED -YES. -INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTAT!C)N

-FA 0 -MILITARY -OTHER.

31s. F t - s . Ruriler -..+-.-- .- -

&

RFD 3

Zuray - VICINITY 22335 ___I

LOCATION L. .mi OF ]LEGAL DESCRIPTION

REGlSTAYOFDEED5,ETC page county aurtq ilOUSf:

&

- CtTY,

L u r a y X'irgicia

-. ra REPRESENTATION TlTLE

H i s t o r i ~ Conmission Survcv - ..

-FEDERAL -COUNTY _LOCAL -- -- SURVEY RFCORDS 1Iis t o r i c - +

T O C N

OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

PLACES FORM

SEE IN HOW REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL -- COMPLETE SECTIONS

HISTORIC Mas ton

COMMON

s i d e of m i l e north of t h e in te r sec t ion of 211 and State Route 615.

FOR

CITY,

OF Seventh Kenneth Robinson) STATE CODE

CATEGORY STATUS PRESENT U S E

,STRUCTURE PROGRESS ,EDUCATIONAL

PROCESS RESTRICTED - GOVERNMENT

UNRESTRICTED

NAME and Roy C. .

STREET NUMBER

CITY. TOWN STATE

OF V i r g i n i a

COURTHOUSE.

STREET NUMBER

TOWN STATE

. IN EXISTING SURVEYS

V i r g i n i a Landmarks DATE

1973, 1975 DEPOSITORY FOR

V i r g i n i a Landmarks Commission---CITY. STATE

aDESCRIPTION

CONDITION CHECK ONE CHECK ONE

KEXCELLENT -DETERIORATED XUNALTERED XORIGINALSITE -GOOD -RUINS -ALTERED -MOVED DATE---

-FAIR -UNEXPOSED

DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Massanutton Heights i s s i t u a t e d on a kno l l west of Luray, near t h e Shenandoah River , i n Page County. The l a r g e , two-story, four-bay house i s b u i l t of b r i c k l a i d i n Flemish bond, wi th two e x t e r i o r end chimneys and one i n t e r i o r chimney. m e sou th e x t e r i o r chimney has a r e b u i l t s t a c k , but i t s base r e t a i n s e a r l y red-painted br ickwork wi th whi te - l ined j o i n t s . The body of t h e house has been pa in ted whi te , and t h e no r th chimney red. A four-course , molded-brick c o r n i c e embell ishes t h e eaves of t h e gable roof . To t h e r e a r i s a l a r g e , two-story frame a d d i t i o n cons t ruc ted i n 1924 when the bu i ld ing was used as a boarding house. The one-story porch which s h e l t e r s t h e f r o n t and nor th gable end of t h e main house a l s o d a t e s from 1924.

Massanutton Heights has a three-room, s i n g l e - p i l e p lan with c losed winder s t a i r s i n t h e southwest co rne r s of t h e two end rooms, There i s a c e l l a r under t h e northernmost two rooms, which i s en te red from a s ta i rway i n t h e no r theas t corner o f t h e south room.

The nor th bedroom is the p l a i n e s t of t h e t h r e e ground-floor rooms. A c h a i r r a i l and a pegboard a t p i c t u r e r a i l h e i g h t e n c i r c l e t h e room. The f i r e p l a c e has a d e l i c a t e Federa l mantel wi th f l u t e d p i l a s t e r s , sunburs t e l l i p t i c a l p a t e r a e i n t h e e n t a b l a t u r e b locks , and a reeded band beneath t h e molded s h e l f . A s i n t h e o t h e r two rooms on t h e ground f l o o r , t h e f i r e p l a c e r e t a i n s an e a r l y c a s t - i r o n F rank l in s tove vhich may be o r i g i n a l to the house.

The south room has a very p l a i n mantel wi th two h o r i z o n t a l recessed panels i n the f r i e z e and a band of molding above and below; t h a t above t h e f r i e z e being embellished with diagonal reeding. A pedes ta l - type c h a i r r a i l i s c a r r i e d around t h e room. I n the corner .

formed by t h e n o r t h wal l and t h e c e l l a r s t a i r s i s a two-level cupboard with l a r g e , f l a t -panel double doors. A l l of t h e woodwork i s gra ined t o resemble t i g e r maple. The g ra in ing i s probably an o r i g i n a l f e a t u r e .

The c e n t r a l p a r l o r i s t h e l a r g e s t and most e l a b o r a t e room i n t h e house. A p l a i n pedes ta l - type c h a i r r a i l i s c a r r i e d around t h e wal l s . The mantel c o n s i s t s of p a i r s oE engaged, sp indle- turned "colonet tes" which suppor t an e n t a b l a t u r e c o n s i s t i n g of a broad f r i e z e su r - mounted by a deep c a v e t t o molding and a p ro jec t ing s h e l f broken over t h e tops of t h e en- t a b l a t u r e b locks , which, wi th t h e c e n t r a l t a b l e t , a r e carved wi th e l l i p t i c a l p a t e r a e . The whole of t h e e n t a b l a t u r e i s enr iched wi th a profus ion of v e r t i c a l , diagonal and hor i - z o n t a l reeding. To t h e l e f t of t h e mantel i s a handsome wall cupboard, supported on the c h a i r r a i l . This has a four-panel , f l a t - p a n e l door f lanked by f l u t e d p i l a s t e r s , wi th under- s t a t e d caps, and a f u l l , p l a i n e n t a b l a t u r e . The most no tab le f e a t u r e of t h e room i s i t s e a r l y decora t ive wal l pa in t ing . Below the c h a i r r a i l a r e pa in ted on t h e p l a s t e r , i n brown and t an , quadrant panels i n i m i t a t i o n of wainscoting. A border of f lowers and v ines on a yellow f i e l d fo l lows t h e top of t h e c h a i r r a i l and t h e per imeters of t h e doorruays, win- dow openings, and cupboard. F i n a l l y , red swag d rape r i e s with gold f r i n g e and p a i r s of t a s s e l s a r e c a r r i e d around t h e w a l l s a t t h e c e i l i n g l i n e . The p a i n t i n g i s i n e x c e l l e n t cond i t ion and has appa ren t ly m t been retouched. D i s t r i b u t e d throughout t h i s room a r e many family i tems r e l a t i n g t o t h e h i s t o r y of t h e house, i nc lud ing p i c t u r e s of a l l of t h e otmers and an e a r l y n ine teenth-century mi r ro r c lock r,7hich has r epor t ed ly been i n p lace s i n c e t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n of t h e bu i ld ing .

Among t h e many ou tbu i ld ings s t i l l e x i s t i n g a t Massanutton Heights a r c a frame and s tone wash house/woodshed which was a l t e r e d i n t h e p resen t century ; an e a r l y n ine teenth-ccntury two-story, three-bay frame t enan t house wi th a rock-and-brick e x t e r i o r end chinncy; a twent ie th-century forebay bank barn , unusual f o r i t s onmbrel roof and l a t e da te ; and an e a r l y frame wagon shed which bas been a l t e r e d and enlarged.

DTU

aSIGNIFICANCE

PERIOD AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW

ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC -COMMUNITY PLANNING -LANDSCAPEARCHITECTURE -RELIGION

ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC -CONSERVATION -lAW -SCIENCE

KAGRICULTURE -ECONOMICS -LITERATURE -SCULPTURE

LRCHITECTURE-EDUCATION -MILITARY -SOCIAUHUMANITARIAN

XART - E N G I N E E R I N G -MUSIC -THEATER

-COMMERCE -EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT -PHILOSOPHY -TRANSPORTATION

-COMMUNICATIONS -INDUSTRY -POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -OTHER (SPECIFY)

-INVENTION

SPECIFIC DATES

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Nassanutton Heights i s an e s s e n t i a l l y undisturbed example of a prosperous e a r l y nine- teenth-century Shenandoah Val ley farmstead. The i n t e r i o r of t h e house i s noted f o r i t s pa in ted w a l l decora t ions which a r e a r a r e surv iv ing e x m p l e of p o p u l a r . a r t of t h e period. The decora t ions , combined wi th t h e house ' s bold p rov inc ia l woodwork, t h e numerous family a r t i f a c t s , and f i n e group of farm bu i ld ings , provide a v i v i d p i c t u r e of t h e m a t e r i a l

. c u l t u r e of t h e German-American s e t t l e r s i n the Valley. The farm i s s t i l l owned by t h e family which e s t a b l i s h e d i t .

The house, which overlooks Massanutton Old F i e l d s , one of t h e e a r l i e s t s e t t l e d a r e a s of 1 Page County, was probably b u i l t by John R. Burner and h i s wife E l i zabe th S t r i c k l e r around 11820. I n 1831, Burner was granted a t ave rn l i c e n s e and presumably conducted h i s bus iness ' i ' there . From t h e b u i l d e r , t h e farm passed t o h i s son, John A. Burner (b. 1824) and then , .

t o James K. Burner (1873-1955). From t h e 1920s u n t i l the 1940s, the M r n e r s took boarders / a t Massanutton Heights , and a l a r g e frame e l l was added i n 1924 t o accommodate them. The 1 present owners a r e M r . and Mrs. Roy C. Burner; M r . Burner is a great-grandson of t h e I !

I

bu i lde r . I !

li 11The pa in ted decora t ions i n t h e f i r s t - f l o o r p a r l o r were probably executed soon a f t e r t h e :1

house was b u i l t and a r e an at tempt t o i m i t a t e t h e border papers common i n f i n e Federa l ihouses of t h e e a r l y n ine teen th century . The reds , greens , and yellows of t h e swags and f lowers were t h e most popular c o l o r s among p rov inc ia l decora tors of t h e e r a , and they

,: I

r e t a i n t h e i r o r i g i n a l v i v i d hues. No p a i n t e r ' s name has been connected v i t h t h e decora- i t i o n s , a l though i t i s conceivable t h a t t h e p a i n t e r may have been l o c a l o r even a r e l a t i v e ; I' ! o f t h e owners. A t l e a s t one r e l a t i v e , Johannes S p i t l e r (1774-1837),was known f o r h i s : I

a r t i s t i c t a l e n t s , as a number of p ieces of pa in ted f u r n i t u r e (some former ly l o c a t e d a t ~1Massanutton Heights) a t t e s t . I !/ ;

DTU

/ Ii ' i,

I<erbhoff, Jennie Ann. Old Homes of Page county, V i rg in i a . I.uray, Va., 1962. L i t t l e , Nina F le t che r . American Decorative \$a l l Pa in t ing 1700-1850. New York, 1972. V i rg in i a H i s t o r i c Landmarks Commission Archives. Tialters, mna ld . "Johannes S p i t l e r , Shenandoah County, V i r g i n i a , F u r n i t u r e Decorator",

-The Hagazine Antiques, Vol. (3,111, Number 4, October , 1975, pp. 730-735. Waring, J ane t , Ea r ly American S t e n c i l s on Walls and F u r n i t u r e . New York, 1937.

~ G E O G B A P H I C A LDATA 144 Acres ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY

UTM REFERENCES

AM)711121314,01 )41217,9)5, / 71 1121 3t 61 01 I 41 21 71 81 61 & 4 ZONE EASTING NORTHING ZONE EASTING NORTHING

DU 141 7.1 71 91 61 11CUI 7 I l i o I 8 1 6 , 0 [ L41217r816t 5 ,0] 1711 1 01 81 4,01 VERBAL BOUNDARY nccrn'DT1nh'"L--.,,, ,,-,.

The acreage comprising t h e Massanutton Heights proper ty i s bounded by a l i n e beginning a t a poin t o n i l o r t h s i d e of U.S. Route 211 approximately .6 mi l e west southwest of i n t e r -s e c t i o n of U. S . Route 211 and S t a t e Route 615; thence extending 4500 f e e t westward i n a s t r a i g h t l i n e ; then extending 1700 f e e t south i n a s t r a i g h t l i n e ; then 400 f e e t s l i g h t l y west northwestward; thence extending 1200 f e e t southward i n a s t r a i g h t l i n e , then 500 f e e t s l i g h t l y e a s t southeastward; then approximately 200 f e e t southward; then fol lowing U . S . Route 2!1. t o po in t o f o r i g i n . The 144 a c r e s being nominated compose an e s s e n t i a l s e t t i n g

LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES f o r t h i s farmstead.

STATE CODE C O U N N CODE

STATE CODE COUNTY CODE I DFORMPREPAREDBY

N A M E / T I T L E

V i r g i n i a H i s t o r i c Landmarks Commission S t a f f ORGANIZATION DATE

i I Virg in ia H i s t o r i c Landmarks Commission January, 1976

STREET& N U M B E R TELEPHONE

221 Governor S t r e e t (804) 786-3143

' i ! !

CITY OR TOWN STATE

Richmond V i r g i n i a

STATE HISTORICPRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFrCANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS:

NATIONAL- STATEX LOCAL -

.

AS the designated Stat? Historic Preservation Off$cer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665). 1 I

hereby nominate this property for inclusion tn the National Register and certify that i t has been evaluated according to the

HE NATIONAL REGISTER

!

---- !

i i I

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CONTOUR INTERVAL 20 FEET DATUM IS MEAN SEA LEVEL

1 I 1 :967 MACkETIC N O R T H 1 1T C E h T i R C i S r i E E T THIS MAP COMPLIES WITH NATIONAL MAP ACCURACY STANDARDS

FOR SALE BY U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. WASHINGTON, D. C. 20242 AND VIRGINIA DIVISION O F M lNERAL RESOURCES, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 22903

A FOLDLR D E S C R I B I N G TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS A N D SYMEOLS IS AVAILABLE OK REQUEST

QUADRAFUGLE LOCATION