Some call this house at 3017 Williamsburg Road “Richmond’s oldest frame house” (an honor also given to the Patteson~Schutte House at 5600 Westower Drive). True or not, it is undeniably the last house standing from the Port of Rocketts and listed on the National Register of Historic Places (PDF):
Want to own an important piece of Richmond history? President Lincoln walked past this house on his way to the Confederate White House the day after Richmond fell in April 1865. Today, it is the last survivor of Richmond’s Port of Rocketts. Picturesquely situated on 2 acres near Rocketts Landing, Captain Woodward’s house is zoned M-2, which allows for office/residential/commercial use. Please share with anyone looking for a rare opportunity to own a private oasis in downtown Richmond, just minutes from the airport and interstate.
9 comments
@chpn that house has to be haunted!
This house still has part of the original structure which was very small but for the most part has been added on to and refaced many times over making this larger home. The “oldest” frame structure is in there somewhere 🙂
Not sure about the Patteson~Schutte House.
Wow- you think a house with that much history would be priced more expensively. $280K sounds really reasonable. Eric, you should snap it up!
I think that the “oldest frame house” designation refers to the house as being a structure that is within the original boundaries of the city of Richmond; the Patteson-Schutte house was originally located in Chesterfield County, and was brought into the city by annexation. Not sure, but that’s my guess.
Is this house visible from the overlook at Chimborazo Park? There’s a house nestled back in the trees by the river that’s always piqued my curiosity. I’d love to tour it if they host an open house.
#5 – Yes and I agree. It’s a beautiful house that has always looked so out of place amongst all the industrial ruins around it.
#3 – History premium is pretty low in this area. Those old houses are neat to look at but many come with some serious drawbacks. Jennie does a great job selling them but the market is often limited as many folks don’t want all the quirks that come with the really old houses. The early 20th century ones are a lot more functional since a lot were originally built with electricity and indoor plumbing.
Alex, our house is the oldest in Church Hill – 200-years old this year, and was fully renovated with modern wiring, plumbing, dual central heat/AC, etc… in 1986. Not all older houses have “old” things in them but I do get your drift. Home buyers today have a different mindset and not 1) into older things in general or 2) looking for low maintenance. These older homes are for those who do have time and an appreciation of historic. One of the issues this city is currently facing.
Eric, I certainly wasn’t suggesting that the oldest houses don’t have running water and electricity now. Just that retrofitting them can sometimes result in a less optimal setup. We lived in an 1850s house right before our current one and while it had AC, because of the way it was designed originally, the space between the floors wasn’t deep enough to get the same flow to the vents, resulting in a less efficient system. Bathrooms are often squeezed in, AC units jammed in the limited amount of closets that did exist, etc.
Many buyers are picky about this kind of stuff and aren’t willing to sacrifice what they are used to – big closets, powerful AC, modern wiring, spacious bathrooms, etc. for the history. For the right buyer, these homes are a gem but the market doesn’t add much of a premium because so few are interested.
Jennie had a cottage on 25th and Grace a year or so back that was a perfect example of this – great historic details but bedrooms had very small closets, bathroom was tiny and only one on the second floor, no space for a washer and dryer, etc. The buyer could rework the house to correct these things but doing so would destroy some of the charm and would require premium contractors to do. Any premium the buyer might be willing to pay goes to finding a good contractor who can balance history and modern demands instead.
Unfortunately, this house is wedged between two very busy roads, next to a toxic waste site, and underneath a busy train trestle.