Criss Cross, human settlement in Virginia, United States of America
Criss Cross is a brick dwelling in rural New Kent County, Virginia dating to around 1690 and built for George Poindexter. The structure features a story-and-a-half design with a distinctive two-story entrance projection, and a rear wing was added around 1790 that likely replaced an earlier staircase tower.
Built around 1690, the house exemplifies Stuart-period architecture from when Virginia was a British colony, featuring simple English-inspired designs without elaborate ornament. The brickwork irregularities and the rear wing added around 1790 document how the structure evolved through renovations across centuries.
The house takes its name from its distinctive cross-shaped floor plan, a design choice that shaped how it was understood and remembered. Visitors can recognize this unusual layout from the exterior and see how early settlers named their homes based on practical architectural features.
The house is a private residence not open for interior tours, but can be viewed from the road nearby. Visitors should respect the owners' privacy and observe the structure from a distance while appreciating its exterior features.
The interior preserves rare early-period features including exposed wooden beams and decorative details that reveal craftsmanship from centuries past. These elements allow visitors to glimpse the daily life of settlers who built and inhabited the structure, offering tangible connections to colonial construction methods.
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