The historic Lynnhaven House in Virginia Beach is a survivor.
For nearly 300 years, the brick edifice at Scully’s Neck on the Lynnhaven River has been battered by the elements. It has endured countless thunderstorms and survived brutal hurricanes.
It has survived the centuries because it was built of durable brick. It has endured because it has been occupied as a residence until fairly recently. It has continued to exist because a few influential people cared enough to preserve the ancient dwelling.
Today, the Lynnhaven House, a prime example of early Virginia vernacular architecture, is owned and operated by the city of Virginia Beach as part of its Virginia Beach History Museums undertaking.
The brick home built by Francis Thelaball circa 1725 has been closed to visitors for some time. Currently, the former residence is undergoing an extensive preservation-restoration process to ensure that it continues to exist well into the future.
Even long-lived brick is not indestructible over years, decades and centuries. Bricks absorb moisture. Rain and humidity are the relentless enemies of brick. Stabilizing the brickwork by allowing the moisture in the structure to dry out is an integral element in the conservation process.
Excessive moisture in the brick causes the brick to crumble from the inside out, gradually degrading the masonry. Digital meters positioned in the interior of the house monitor the humidity levels to measure the progress in reducing moisture levels.
Preservation tours have been scheduled on days when contractors are not actively engaged in the implementation of the ongoing conservancy process. Visitors are offered an opportunity for a cursory inspection of the interior and a general explanation of the developing plan to conserve the aging structure.
“I like that the preservation process is happening. I like that the city is willing to put the money into preserving a historic structure like this. It is an expensive process,” said John Lodge, an educator with the Virginia Beach History Museums. “People are not always willing to spend money on old things. I like that this is happening.”
According to Lodge, brick buildings in Virginia during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, such as the Lynnhaven House, were upscale structures. They were relatively rare. Building with brick was expensive. The material was costly. Few Virginians had the means to build with brick. When most Virginians lived in wood framed, clapboard homes with dirt floors, foundations and chimneys built of brick and wooden floors were subtle indicators of economic affluence.
“In addition to being a nice sturdy structure, a brick dwelling was also kind of a conspicuous display of wealth,” Lodge said. “It showed off the kind of wealth you had.”
Lodge enjoys conducting preservation tours at the Lynnhaven House. They last about 30 minutes with visitors encouraged to ask questions. Museum educators are also available after the tours to respond to visitors’ queries about the historic site.
“I definitely like having visitors. It is going to be a long time until the Lynnhaven House is fully restored,” Lodge said. “It’s nice that we’re able to give at least little glimpses of what it’s like and to reassure people that we are taking care of it and will be restoring it.”
Joanne Singh was among the local visitors who took advantage of a scheduled opportunity to participate in the preservation-restoration history tour. Singh has fond memories of the Lynnhaven House and the programs it hosted that brought history to life.
“We’re enjoying the mystery of history. I’m impressed that it still stands after all the trials it has had to withstand over the years,” Singh said. “It’s here for future generations to see that history is real. We’ve been waiting so long for it to get rolling again so the kids can relive history like our kids used to.”
