POP UP TOUR: Historic Homes Oak Lawn and Brookhill March 11 @ 2PM

Preservation Piedmont welcomes members to attend a pop-up tour of two historic properties: Oak Lawn and Brookhill, March 11 @ 2PM, 501 9th Street SW, Charlottesville, VA.  This event is for members only - email us at preservationpiedmont@gmail.com if you are uncertain of your membership status. 

A special Thank you to Professor Ed Lay for offering historical information regarding the properties during the tour. We also advise carpooling whenever possible, and street parking is available on 9th Street.   We begin the tour with Oak Lawn, and end with Brookhill. 

Property Information: 

Oak Lawn c.1822 ~ Built by James Dinsmore 501 9th Street S.W. Charlottesville, Va 22902

Oak Lawn is a historic home located at the southwest corner of 9th Street SW and Cherry Avenue. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register in 1973, and is a contributing resource to the Fifeville and Tonsler Neighborhoods Historic District.  The property includes a kitchen outbuilding and two cemeteries. The home was built in 1822 for Nimrod Bramham, a merchant who served in the House of Delegates. The design and construction is attributed to James Dinsmore, a Scotch-Irish master carpenter brought to Charlottesville by Thomas Jefferson to assist with the building of Monticello and later the University of Virginia. After Bramham’s death in 1847, Oak Lawn was sold to James Fife, an influential Baptist minister who in 1823 helped organize the Baptist General Convention. Born in Scotland, Fife served as Richmond’s city engineer before moving to Charlottesville. Oak Lawn remains the home of Fife’s descendants.

Brookhill c.1803 ~ Built by William Dunkum 2163 Scottsville Road Charlottesville, Va 22902

Brookhill was built in 1803 by William Dunkum, a  builder brought to Albemarle County to assist in the building of Monticello and the University of Virginia. Born on 23 March 1777 in Cumberland County, after moving to Albemarle County he built his own five-part brick I-house, Brookhill, on Scottsville road.  He also built the first brick house in Charlottesville, a two-story with portico, for Joseph Bishop in Random Row on Vinegar Hill, and several other houses downtown.