West Freemason in Norfolk, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Taylor-Whittle House, 1791
Photographed By Sandra Hughes, August 10, 2010
1. Taylor-Whittle House, 1791 Marker
Inscription.
Taylor-Whittle House, 1791. . This Federal style house is one of the oldest remaining buildings on Freemason Street, a fashionable address in the expanding Borough of Norfolk at the turn of the nineteenth century. It stands on property confiscated from the estate of Loyalist Thomas McKnight after the Revolutionary War and sold to George Purdie in 1788. Purdie built the house in 1791 but apparently never lived here. Merchant John Cowper occupied the house when he became Mayor of Norfolk in 1801 and sold it to Richard Taylor (1771-1827), an importer and English immigrant, in December 1802. Taylor's descendents lived here until 1972, passing the home down from generation to generation through the female line. Prominent nineteenth century Naval officers who resided in the house included Taylor's son-in-law Captain Richard Lucien Page, who accompanied Commodore Perry on his historic voyage to open up trade with Japan in 1854, and Page's son-in-law William Conway Whittle, the executive officer and an navigator of the Confederate blockade runner CSS Shenandoah. The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
This Federal style house is one of the oldest remaining buildings on Freemason Street, a fashionable address in the expanding Borough of Norfolk at the turn of the nineteenth century. It stands on property confiscated from the estate of Loyalist Thomas McKnight after the Revolutionary War and sold to George Purdie in 1788. Purdie built the house in 1791 but apparently never lived here. Merchant John Cowper occupied the house when he became Mayor of Norfolk in 1801 and sold it to Richard Taylor (1771-1827), an importer and English immigrant, in December 1802. Taylor's descendents lived here until 1972, passing the home down from generation to generation through the female line. Prominent nineteenth century Naval officers who resided in the house included Taylor's son-in-law Captain Richard Lucien Page, who accompanied Commodore Perry on his historic voyage to open up trade with Japan in 1854, and Page's son-in-law William Conway Whittle, the executive officer and an navigator of the Confederate blockade runner CSS Shenandoah. The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
Erected by City of Norfolk.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1802.
Location. 36° 51.115′
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N, 76° 17.532′ W. Marker is in Norfolk, Virginia. It is in West Freemason. Marker is at the intersection of West Freemason Street and Duke Street, on the right when traveling east on West Freemason Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 227 W Freemason St, Norfolk VA 23510, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . Whittle House (pdf file). National Register of Historic Places (Submitted on October 13, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.)
Photographed By Sandra Hughes, August 10, 2010
2. Taylor-Whittle House, 1791 Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on March 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 13, 2011, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 1,021 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on October 13, 2011, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.