Miller-Claytor House, Miller-Claytor Lane & Treasure Island Road, Lynchburg, Lynchburg, Virginia
Summary
Significance: The Miller-Claytor House is Lynchburg's sole remaining 18th Century Town House. Built on the corner of 8th and Church Streets, by John Miller, a tavern keeper in 1791 and later purchased by Samuel Claytor a tobacco merchant and Virginia State Senator in 1835.
At this well-located vantage point, the Miller-Claytor House witnessed the passing parade of the growing town for over one hundred and forty years. By the 1930s, the site of the Miller-Claytor House had become far to valuable to be occupied by a simple, frame, two-story house.
Because it was one of the "first houses," remaining in the city, interest was soon aroused in its preservation. It was this groundswell of concern that led to the formation of the Lynchburg Historical Society. The society's first board met in April 1934, consisting of representative from the Lynchburg Art Club, the Lynchburg Garden Club, the Architects' Club and the Junior League. The first task was to purchase the house which was made easy by the graciousness of the owner Walker Pettyjohn, who offered it to the society for only $100.00. The house was taken down from its original location in 1935, was stored and re-erected in Riverside Park and was opened to the public during the sesquicentennial celebration in October 1936. This site, the corner of Miller-Claytor Lane and Treasure Island Road, was selected as it approximates the original corner location downtown. A similar relationship of building to street has been recreated, and the house is accurately set close to the intersection of the two roads.
Survey number: HABS VA-1085
Building/structure dates: 1791 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: 1935-1936 Subsequent Work
Tags
Date
Contributors
Location
Source
Copyright info