Adam Thoroughgood House Historic Marker ~ Virginia Beach, Virgina
Adam Thoroughgood passed away in 1640 and was buried at the First Church at Church Point. His widowed wife promptly remarried. Her new husband, John Gookin, was a burgess for Upper Norfolk, as well as a presiding magistrate for the lower part of the county.
Construction of the Adam Thoroughgood House was thus probably started by Adam Thoroughgood’s great grandson, Argall. Argall passed away before the house was completed, though, so many of its most exquisite elements are attributed to his wife and son. These include “its extensive wainscoting and paneling, as well as its dramatic turned staircase.”
The Adam Thoroughgood House remained in the Thoroughgood family until the 1860s, after which it changed many hands. Today, it is one of the oldest, surviving homes from early colonial times. It is a central-passage house, also known as a Tidewater-type cottage. Its hall and parlor are divided by a central passageway, and it has a weather-boarded, timber frame. It also has an underground, secret passageway, which leads to the James River.
The house was nominated twice to be included on the National Register of Historic Places. According to the second nomination, made in 1972, the Adam Thoroughgood House stands at one-and-a-half stories tall and has “three walls laid in English bond and one in Flemish.”6 The report also lists several hallmark alterations made during the house’s lifespan. In 1745, the its walls were given additional panels, for instance, and its leaded glass panes were replaced with Georgian windows. Classic Georgian style architecture rose to prominence during the early 1700s, and was favored by middle and upper class citizens.
Adam Thoroughgood House Historic Marker ~ Virginia Beach, Virgina
Adam Thoroughgood passed away in 1640 and was buried at the First Church at Church Point. His widowed wife promptly remarried. Her new husband, John Gookin, was a burgess for Upper Norfolk, as well as a presiding magistrate for the lower part of the county.
Construction of the Adam Thoroughgood House was thus probably started by Adam Thoroughgood’s great grandson, Argall. Argall passed away before the house was completed, though, so many of its most exquisite elements are attributed to his wife and son. These include “its extensive wainscoting and paneling, as well as its dramatic turned staircase.”
The Adam Thoroughgood House remained in the Thoroughgood family until the 1860s, after which it changed many hands. Today, it is one of the oldest, surviving homes from early colonial times. It is a central-passage house, also known as a Tidewater-type cottage. Its hall and parlor are divided by a central passageway, and it has a weather-boarded, timber frame. It also has an underground, secret passageway, which leads to the James River.
The house was nominated twice to be included on the National Register of Historic Places. According to the second nomination, made in 1972, the Adam Thoroughgood House stands at one-and-a-half stories tall and has “three walls laid in English bond and one in Flemish.”6 The report also lists several hallmark alterations made during the house’s lifespan. In 1745, the its walls were given additional panels, for instance, and its leaded glass panes were replaced with Georgian windows. Classic Georgian style architecture rose to prominence during the early 1700s, and was favored by middle and upper class citizens.