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Geddy_House Latitude and Longitude:

37°16′17″N 76°42′06″W / 37.27137°N 76.70159°W / 37.27137; -76.70159
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Geddy House
Alternative namesJames Geddy House
General information
StatusMuseum
Town or city Williamsburg, Virginia
CountryUnited States
Coordinates 37°16′17″N 76°42′06″W / 37.27137°N 76.70159°W / 37.27137; -76.70159
Named forJames Geddy, Jr.
Construction started1762
Renovated1930
Owner Colonial Williamsburg
Technical details
Floor countTwo
Website
Colonial Williamsburg Geddy House

The Geddy House, also known as the James Geddy House, [1] was built by James Geddy Jr. ca. 1762. [2] One of the oldest houses in Virginia and in Williamsburg, [3] it is located on the Palace Green across from Bruton Parish Church. It is a two-story, central-passage house. [4] [5]

History

James Geddy Jr. was a well-established silversmith in Williamsburg. [6] Advertisements in the late 1760s indicate that Geddy's business sold imported silver and gold items, in addition to fine jewelry and cutlery. [7] [8]

In 1762, Geddy built the house at the corner of Duke of Gloucester Street and Palace Green. [9] In addition to serving as the family home, the structure also housed the various business ventures of the Geddy family utilizing a rear entrance as a retail shop. [6] [10]

During restorations of Colonial Williamsburg in 1930 and 1967, the entrance porch was replaced, and the house's chimneys were rebuilt above the roof ridge. [4] The house retains much of its original woodwork. [11] Further preservation activities were undertaken in 2002. [12]

Features

Many aspects of the house's design are not common in other sites in Williamsburg. [13] The house's low-pitched roof and lack of dormers are unusual features, as are the door and balcony above the front porch. The L-shape may have also been adapted to fit the location. [4]

The details of the home include English architecture and Italian variations of Greek and Roman architecture. [4] [13] Archeological excavations of the shop site of the house have provided information about eighteenth-century clockmaking in British America. [14]

References

  1. ^ "Historic Site: James Geddy House". www.colonialwilliamsburg.org. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  2. ^ Foundation, The Colonial Williamsburg (2011-01-01). Colonial Williamsburg: A Pocket Guide. Colonial Williamsburg. ISBN  978-0-87935-248-6.
  3. ^ Beney, Peter (1997-11-30). The Majesty of Colonial Williamsburg. Pelican Publishing. ISBN  978-1-4556-0814-0.
  4. ^ a b c d "James Geddy House". www.slaveryandremembrance.org. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  5. ^ "James Geddy House Historical Report Block 19 Building 11 Lots 161 & 162 | Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library". research.colonialwilliamsburg.org. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  6. ^ a b "James Geddy Jr.: Silversmithing and Retail Business". www.slaveryandremembrance.org. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  7. ^ Stephenson, Mary A. (1953). James Geddy House.
  8. ^ Morgan, Timothy E. (2004). Williamsburg: A City that History Made. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN  978-0-7385-2473-3.
  9. ^ pls4e (2019-03-27). "James Geddy House". SAH ARCHIPEDIA. Retrieved 2023-08-12.{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ( link)
  10. ^ "Geddy House and Foundry - site description". www.slaveryandremembrance.org. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  11. ^ Foundation, The Colonial Williamsburg (2014-12-08). Colonial Williamsburg: The Official Guide. Colonial Williamsburg. ISBN  978-0-87935-265-3.
  12. ^ Taylor, Thomas H. (2002). Planned Preservation Project Completion Report James Geddy House.
  13. ^ a b Yetter, George Humphrey (1988). Williamsburg Before and After: The Rebirth of Virginia's Colonial Capital. Colonial Williamsburg. ISBN  978-0-87935-077-2.
  14. ^ Hume, Ivor Noël (2001-06-15). A Guide to the Artifacts of Colonial America. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN  978-0-8122-1771-1.