Abell-Gleason House is a handsome Greek Revival mansion built about 1859 for Alexander Pope Abel in the city of Charlottesville. The principal façade has robust brick pilasters dividing its bays, a feature once common in Charlottesville buildings. An entrance vestibule is separated from the main hall by louvered doors. The dwelling has been home to members of several prominent local families. J. E. Gleason, who owned the house from 1946 to 1974, served on the city council for 12 years and was mayor during part of World War II. While mayor, he allowed parties, weddings, funerals, and wakes in the house. On the Abell-Gleason House property is a four-room servants’ quarter built at the same time as the house. The property contributes to the Charlottesville and Albemarle County Courthouse Historic District.
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