National Register of Historic Places

Exchange Hotel

Gordonsville, Orange County, Virginia
Listed
August 13, 1973
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
73002046

About this property

The Exchange Hotel in Gordonsville, Virginia, was built in 1860 for Richard F. Omohundro next to an important railroad junction, when the Exchange Hotel offered a welcome stopping place for weary passengers on the Virginia Central Railroad. In March 1862, because of its strategic location, the Exchange Hotel became part of the Gordonsville Receiving Hospital, admitting more than 23,000 sick and wounded in less than a year. The wounded and dying from nearby battlefields such as Cedar Mountain, Chancellorsville, Trevilian Station, Mine Run, Brandy Station, and the Wilderness were brought by the trainloads. Although this was primarily a Confederate facility, the hospital treated the wounded from both sides. Twenty-six Union soldiers died here. By war's end more than 70,000 men had been treated at the Gordonsville Receiving Hospital and just over 700 would be buried on its surrounding grounds. The scene of untold agony and death, the building survived the conflict. In the reconstruction period, this hospital served newly free people who were previously enslaved as a Freedman's Bureau Hospital. As the United States healed and the railroads boomed, this graceful building again became a hotel and enjoyed a fine reputation until the 1940s when it went into decline. Historic Gordonsville, Inc. acquired and restored the property in 1971. The museum contains many artifacts from the Civil War era, like medical artifacts, uniforms and firearms. The museum also houses a bookstore. It is located in the Gordonsville Historic District.

Location

Gordonsville, Orange County, Virginia
38.13542, -78.18615

Categories

OTHERCOMMERCEMILITARYTRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
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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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Nearby Historic Sites

Gordonsville Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Baker-Strickler House
Industrial
1 mi
Rocklands
Industrial
3.1 mi
Black Meadow
Civil War
3.3 mi
Frascati
Industrial
4.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Exchange Hotel listed on the National Register?

Exchange Hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 13, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Exchange Hotel?

Exchange Hotel is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Exchange Hotel?

The period of significance for Exchange Hotel is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Exchange Hotel?

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 Exchange Hotel will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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