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User:Wikipelli/Stirling (Spotsylvania County, Virginia)

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Stirling
Nearest cityMassaponax, Virginia
Area13.8 acres (5.6 ha)
Built1858
Architectural styleGreek Revival, Federal
NRHP reference No.89000366[1]
Added to NRHPMay 5, 1989

Stirling is a 19th century plantation located in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, Virginia. The primary building is a Federal and Greek revival style brick home built between 1858 and 1860 by John Holladay (1799-1880). The chief carpenter in the construction was Holladay's nephew, Tavener Holladay. The house is named for Stirling Castle in Scotland.[1][2] [3] Stirling was one of the last of the plantation homes built in Spotsylvania County before the outbreak of the American Civil War. [4]

Design and construction

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The account books for John Holladay have survived and can be examined today. They provide access to information about the construction of the two-story brick house. For example, an entry in the accounts for July 20, 1856 records the purchase of "Plank purchast at Willisis & Co. Mill, To 2 lodes 2,000 feet $20" In another entry, Holladay recorded "Commence work on building" on April 20, 1858. In 1860 an entry in the books states, "Cash paid for building house to date.. . $2,714.79."[4]

The house is five bay, with a hip roof and four interior end chimneys.[4]

The house has a central-hall floor plan with two rooms on each side. [4]

On the site of the plantation are a family graveyard, in use since 1864; three slave cabins; and a weaving house. The house has been owned and occupied by the same family since it was built. The interior architecture is largely unchanged.[4]

History

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The original entry porches, the width of the central hall, were replaced in 1912. [4]

Stirling was added to the National Register of Historic Places in May 1989.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ "State Landmarks' List Gets Stirling Plantation". The Free Lance-Star; Fredericksburg, Virginia. 22 February 1988. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  3. ^ Loth, Calder, ed. (2000). The Virginia Landmarks Register (4th ed.). Virginia Department of Historic Resources. p. 498. ISBN 9780813918624. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Stirling Plantation" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved 11 June 2012.

{{National Register of Historic Places}} [[:Category:National Register of Historic Places in Virginia]] [[:Category:Federal architecture in Virginia]] [[:Category:Greek Revival architecture in Virginia]] [[:Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1858]] [[:Category:Spotsylvania County, Virginia]] {{Virginia-NRHP-stub}}