Nomination Form
The stone ruin atop a wooded ridge overlooking the James River in Campbell County is of the plantation house of Mount Athos, built ca. 1800 for William J. Lewis. Its elevated site, one-story plan, classical portico, and polygonal projections have led to the speculation that its design was influenced by Thomas Jefferson, who showed partiality to all these elements in his own works. Lewis family tradition holds that Lewis and Jefferson were friends and that Jefferson advised on the house. Mount Athos was gutted by fire in 1876. The Lynchburg Daily Virginian noted the many valuable paintings and fine library it had contained and commented: “It is sad to see an ancient abode of so much refinement, elegance, and hospitality swept away.” Archaeological investigation of the Mount Athos ruins and their immediate surroundings could provide additional information on this enigmatic structure in Campbell County.
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
