1940
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library Research Report Series - 1021
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library
Williamsburg, Virginia
1990
HOUSE: GRAVES
LOCATION: BLOCK 2, BLDG. 25
RECORD BY: ARCHITECTURAL DEPARTMENT
WRITTEN BY: F. F. FERGUSON
DATE OF RECORD: OCTOBER 1, 1940
It would appear from the records available that the Graves House and the three outbuildings were erected sometime prior to 1843.
In 1842 the Williamsburg Land Tax Records state that "Richard H. Graves buildings have been throughly repaired". The Frenchman's map shows on this site a long narrow building with its north wall projecting beyond the building line of Francis Street. In the archaeological work on this lot, the only evidence found of a possible earlier building was a trench of crushed brick fill approximately 10 feet to the north of the present Graves House.
No connection has been found between this foundation and the present walls of the house.
In the rear of the main house, to the southwest, was uncovered a foundation which appears to have been a kitchen, with a later brick well on top of this. To the east were uncovered foundations of two small outbuildings. These seem to be contemporary with the Graves House. A brick walk led from these outbuildings to the kitchen, which crossed the remains of a brick walk leading from the main house.
The brickwork in this house consists of both flemish and common bond. In the common bond the header course occurs every fourth course.
The north elevation (front) of the house is laid in regular flemish bond with carefully tooled joints; the joints are slightly V'd with a trowel and seem typical of early nineteenth century work.
On the south and west elevations the bond is common, and not so carefully laid, the joints being irregular and not well tooled.
In the west wall on the second floor on the north side of the chimney a window existed, which has been bricked up. On the east elevation were found foundations of what probably was a chimney.
The joists and flooring seem original, but the old joists have been braced up and set on the later brick piers and a center girder.
The joists are wooden and are at a higher level than the original floor was laid. This is born out by the fact that the windows on the north and south elevations have been raised, and the original holes for the joists show up in the brick wall.
The roof and roof rafters appear to be entirely modern.
Across the rear (south) elevation was found a wall parallel with the south wall and a chimney foundation on the west, which may have been a lean-to. This foundation does not bond into the main wall, and appears to have been added later.
On the north elevation, foundations of what would appear to have been two stoops, or porches, were found. The earlier of these foundations may have been the "small platform entrance" which Mrs. Victoria Lee described in her recollections, Williamsburg in 1861.
On this side also is a "basement" window opening, now bricked up. The house has no real basement, so this window may simply have been an air vent at one time.
The stairway, windows, doorways, etc. are, of course, late nineteenth century work.