Holladay House
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Formerly called the Doctor Holladay House, the Holladay House in Orange, Virginia (c.a. 1830) is on the nationally recognized Journey Through Hallowed Ground. Named for Dr. Lewis Holladay, a prominent Virginia physician, the Holladay House has witnessed almost two centuries of American history. The building is historically significant because it is one of only a few antebellum structures still standing in Orange, Virginia.
Since approximately 1830, the Holladay House has served as a mercantile store, a residence, a doctor’s office, and a Virginia bed and breakfast inn. In the early 20th century, a private schoolhouse for local children was also on the property. Only a handful of proprietors have owned the home, and the Holladay family was its steward for over 100 years. The Holladay House still boasts much of its original woodwork, including floors, mantels, doors and period antiques from the Holladay family.
The Holladay House is one of the two oldest standing structures in historic downtown Orange, and is a contributing property to the Orange Commercial Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has been a landmark on Main Street for generations.
The Holladay House is a brick structure built in the classic Federal architectural style, with Greek Revival and Victorian-era upgrades to both the interior and the exterior. The brick is laid in Flemish bond, although the pattern is inconsistent in some places. The property contains two historical links to Montpelier, President James Madison's plantation home: the main entrance, and the English Oak tree in the backyard. This is not surprising because one of the early owners of the Holladay House was John Madison Chapman, a grand-nephew of President James Madison. The door at the main entrance on the front of the Holladay House is a duplicate of the front door of Montpelier. According to the staff at Montpelier, this doorway was designed by Thomas Jefferson. In addition, local legend holds that the large English Oak tree behind the Holladay House came from the Montpelier grounds.
Antebellum history
In 1821, Samuel Dinkle purchased a lot from Paul Verdier in Orange, Virginia on behalf of the Lynchburg-based mercantile firm, Dinkle & Rumbough. By the early 1830s, Dinkle & Rumbough had built a brick structure on the property, which would later be expanded to become the Holladay House. Their store sold dry goods, groceries, hardware, and hats.
In 1837, John Madison Chapman (1810-1879), a local lawyer, acquired the property. Chapman lived in the house until his death. During his lengthy ownership, Chapman completed numerous Greek Revival and Victorian-era upgrades, including new moulding, chair rails, wooden mantels, door frames, and a black and gold Port D'Oro (also called Portor or Portoro) Italian marble mantel.