Erected in the 1790s for Robert Sitlington, a settler who took a leading role in the organization of Bath County, this fieldstone vernacular farmhouse is one of the oldest dwellings in the county. Standing in an area containing few examples of stone architecture, the Old Stone House shows the influence of the Germanic building practices typical of the Shenandoah Valley. In a conscious effort to imitate the solid, two-story houses of the well-established Valley settlements, Sitlington was attempting to bring a sense of stability and permanence to his far-western home on the Cowpasture River. The façade porches were added in the late 19th century. Most of the original woodwork was removed during a 1920s remodeling. The Old Stone House underwent a restoration in the early 1980s, at the time of its listing in the registers.
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