The prosperity of Staunton’s boom years at the turn-of-the-20th century is confidently displayed in Breezy Hill, one of the most ambitious and articulate of the large houses of the period scattered through the city. Incorporating fine materials and craftsmanship, the irregularly massed suburban villa of some thirty rooms is a knowing blend of the Queen Anne and Shingle styles—late Victorian modes favored by the nation’s upper class. The exterior combines limestone, fieldstone, and shingled surfaces. The house was begun ca. 1896 for Mrs. Thomas B. Grasty and completed in 1909 after many changes by the owner during construction. It was designed by T. J. Collins, the city’s leading architect for several decades. While many of its contemporaries across the country have succumbed to demolition, Breezy Hill has been successfully adapted for alternative uses.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Programs
DHR has secured permanent legal protection for over 700 historic places - including 15,000 acres of battlefield lands
DHR has erected 2,532 highway markers in every county and city across Virginia
DHR has registered more than 3,317 individual resources and 613 historic districts
DHR has engaged over 450 students in 3 highway marker contests
DHR has stimulated more than $4.2 billion dollars in private investments related to historic tax credit incentives, revitalizing communities of all sizes throughout Virginia