Lowland Cottage, Historic residence in Ware Neck, Virginia.
Lowland Cottage is a colonial-era residence in Ware Neck, Virginia's Tidewater region, featuring a central structure with a gambrel roof and two adjoining wings. The wings were added at different times, expanding the original home as the household needed more space.
Robert Bristow established the house around 1670 as part of his plantation on the western side of Ware Neck. Between 1783 and 1831, major additions were built including a new gambrel-roofed section and a two-story wing that enlarged the residence.
The house reflects how colonial families in Virginia's Tidewater built their homes with practical methods and simple forms. The construction shows the everyday needs of a plantation household during that era.
The property sits roughly half a mile south of Virginia Route 623 on 40 acres that hold archaeological sites from early colonial times. Visitors interested in colonial history can explore the grounds to see evidence of early settlement and trade activities.
The alterations made between 1783 and 1831 reveal how a household adapted its home during one of America's most turbulent periods. These expansions show the changing fortunes and roles of the family living there across two generations.
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