About this property
Dr. Robert Walter Johnson House and Tennis Court is a historic home and tennis court in Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S., that was built in 1911 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. It is located in the Pierce Street Historic District. Frank Trigg (c. 1850–1933), a black educator and college president, lived in the house until his death. Robert Walter Johnson (1899–1971) was a Lynchburg physician, and the first minority doctor in the entire city to be granted practice rights at the Lynchburg General Hospital. In addition to his work, Johnson was a successful trainer for promising African-American tennis players. His American Foursquare style home, built in 1911, includes an adjacent tennis court on the lot next door. A successful college athlete, Johnson used his athletic skill and personal funds to found the Junior Development Program of the American Tennis Association during the 1950s. Stressing sportsmanship and discipline, Johnson trained stars such as Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe, the first African-Americans to ever win at Wimbledon. The house was also offered as lodging to distinguished African-Americans passing through the city, as blacks were usually denied occupancy from hotels. Guests included the famed Duke Ellington, Jackie Robinson, Lionel Hampton, and Roy Campanella. The red clay tennis court where Ashe and Gibson mastered their art was last used in 1971, after which it became buried under grass with the net posts protruding to show where the court was. In May 2018, a new green clay court was installed and dedicated on the site. Despite being on the National Register of Historic Places, the house has fallen into disrepair.
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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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Questions about this property
When was Johnson, Dr. Robert Walker, House and Tennis Court listed on the National Register?
Johnson, Dr. Robert Walker, House and Tennis Court was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 24, 2002.
What type of historic resource is Johnson, Dr. Robert Walker, House and Tennis Court?
Johnson, Dr. Robert Walker, House and Tennis Court is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Johnson, Dr. Robert Walker, House and Tennis Court?
The period of significance for Johnson, Dr. Robert Walker, House and Tennis Court is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1911.
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