Federal Hill

Federal Hill is a wooden-frame house with a weatherboard exterior, topped with a gable roof and dormers, centered by a prominent pavilion along Hanover Street. The structure displays architectural characteristics typical of the late colonial period in Virginia.

The house was built around 1794 by Robert Brooke, who served as governor of Virginia from 1794 to 1796. His tenure as governor coincided with the construction of this residence, which he used as his home during that period.

Inside, the rooms reveal how prosperous families lived in the late 1700s, with details showing what they valued in their homes and how they spent their time. The grand spaces hint at the social gatherings and daily routines of people from that era.

The building sits between Jackson and Prince Edward Streets, where you can view its exterior from the sidewalks at any time of day. The outside architecture is accessible to see freely without needing to enter the property.

The garden holds an early summerhouse with louvered sides and an ogee-domed roof that dates to the late 1700s, rarely seen intact from that era. This small building is a surviving example of garden structures people built for leisure during that period.