National Register of Historic Places

Col Alto

Lexington (Independent City), Lexington County, Virginia
Listed
November 19, 1990
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
89001925

About this property

Col Alto is a historic home located at Lexington, Virginia. The original section was built about 1827, and is a two-story, double-pile, three-bay, Georgian style brick dwelling with a hipped roof. In the 1930s, the house was remodeled, enlarged, and modernized by architect William Lawrence Bottomley. Bottomley added the distinctive Palladian style veranda. Also on the property are a contributing barn and log cabin. Col Alto was the home of Congressman James McDowell (1795-1851), for whom the house was built, and Congressman Henry St. George Tucker III (1853-1932). It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. It is now operating as a Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton.

Location

Lexington (Independent City), Lexington County, Virginia
37.78051, -79.43884

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Col Alto

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Blandome
Industrial
0.3 mi
Lexington Presbyterian Church
Industrial
0.3 mi
Jackson, Stonewall, House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Alexander-Withrow House
Early Republic
0.4 mi
First Baptist Church-Lexington
Industrial
0.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Col Alto listed on the National Register?

Col Alto was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 19, 1990.

What type of historic resource is Col Alto?

Col Alto is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Col Alto?

The period of significance for Col Alto is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Col Alto?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Col Alto will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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