Idlewild
National Register of Historic Places

Idlewild

Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg County, Virginia
Listed
June 7, 2009
Type
Site
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
09000415

About this property

Idlewild, also known as the Downman House, was a historic home located at Fredericksburg, Virginia. It was built in 1859; a fire in April 2003 destroyed most of the interior and collapsed the roof. It was a 2+1⁄2-story, Gothic Revival-style brick dwelling with an English basement and an irregular "T" shape with a center passage plan. The house was topped by a steep slate gable roof. Also on the property at present are three contributing brick dependencies and a contributing pet cemetery. During the American Civil War, Idlewild became a prominent landmark on 4 May 1863, during battle action related to the Chancellorsville campaign. On that evening Confederate General Robert E. Lee used the house as his headquarters, after being initially occupied that day by Federal troops of the Union Sixth Corps. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.

Location

1501 Gateway Blvd.
Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg County, Virginia
38.29080, -77.50536

Categories

MILITARY
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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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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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
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Nearby Historic Sites

Braehead
Industrial
1.9 mi
Brompton
Industrial
2 mi
Fall Hill
Colonial
2.1 mi
Fredericksburg Historic District
Listed
2.1 mi
Rowe House
Early Republic
2.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Second Battle of Fredericksburg (Salem Church)
1863Civil War
0.5 mi
Deep Run Crossing Fight (April 29-30, 1863)
1863Civil War
0.5 mi
Battle of Fredericksburg — Franklin's Crossing (Left Grand Division)
1862Civil War
0.8 mi
Fredericksburg — Pelham's Artillery Stand (December 13, 1862)
1862Civil War
0.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Idlewild listed on the National Register?

Idlewild was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 7, 2009.

What type of historic resource is Idlewild?

Idlewild is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Idlewild?

The period of significance for Idlewild is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1859.

Can I research the history near Idlewild?

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