Geddy House

The Geddy House, also known as the James Geddy House,[1] was built by James Geddy Jr. ca. 1762.[2] One of the oldest houses in Virginia and in Williamsburg,[3] it is located on the Palace Green across from Bruton Parish Church. It is a two-story, central-passage house.[4][5]

Geddy House
Alternative namesJames Geddy House
General information
StatusMuseum
Town or cityWilliamsburg, Virginia
CountryUnited States
Coordinates37°16′17″N 76°42′06″W
Named forJames Geddy, Jr.
Construction started1762
Renovated1930
OwnerColonial Williamsburg
Technical details
Floor countTwo
Website
Colonial Williamsburg Geddy House

History

James Geddy Jr. was a well-established silversmith in Williamsburg.[6] Advertisements in the late 1760s indicate that Geddy's business sold imported silver and gold items, in addition to fine jewelry and cutlery.[7][8]

In 1762, Geddy built the house at the corner of Duke of Gloucester Street and Palace Green.[9] In addition to serving as the family home, the structure also housed the various business ventures of the Geddy family utilizing a rear entrance as a retail shop.[6][10]

During restorations of Colonial Williamsburg in 1930 and 1967, the entrance porch was replaced, and the house's chimneys were rebuilt above the roof ridge.[4] The house retains much of its original woodwork.[11] Further preservation activities were undertaken in 2002.[12]

Features

Many aspects of the house's design are not common in other sites in Williamsburg.[13] The house's low-pitched roof and lack of dormers are unusual features, as are the door and balcony above the front porch. The L-shape may have also been adapted to fit the location.[4]

The details of the home include English architecture and Italian variations of Greek and Roman architecture.[4][13] Archeological excavations of the shop site of the house have provided information about eighteenth-century clockmaking in British America.[14]

References
  1. "Historic Site: James Geddy House". www.colonialwilliamsburg.org. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  2. Foundation, The Colonial Williamsburg (2011-01-01). Colonial Williamsburg: A Pocket Guide. Colonial Williamsburg. ISBN 978-0-87935-248-6.
  3. Beney, Peter (1997-11-30). The Majesty of Colonial Williamsburg. Pelican Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4556-0814-0.
  4. "James Geddy House". www.slaveryandremembrance.org. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  5. "James Geddy House Historical Report Block 19 Building 11 Lots 161 & 162 | Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library". research.colonialwilliamsburg.org. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  6. "James Geddy Jr.: Silversmithing and Retail Business". www.slaveryandremembrance.org. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  7. Stephenson, Mary A. (1953). James Geddy House.
  8. Morgan, Timothy E. (2004). Williamsburg: A City that History Made. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-2473-3.
  9. pls4e (2019-03-27). "James Geddy House". SAH ARCHIPEDIA. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  10. "Geddy House and Foundry - site description". www.slaveryandremembrance.org. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  11. Foundation, The Colonial Williamsburg (2014-12-08). Colonial Williamsburg: The Official Guide. Colonial Williamsburg. ISBN 978-0-87935-265-3.
  12. Taylor, Thomas H. (2002). Planned Preservation Project Completion Report James Geddy House.
  13. Yetter, George Humphrey (1988). Williamsburg Before and After: The Rebirth of Virginia's Colonial Capital. Colonial Williamsburg. ISBN 978-0-87935-077-2.
  14. Hume, Ivor Noël (2001-06-15). A Guide to the Artifacts of Colonial America. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 978-0-8122-1771-1.
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