The Sowell House Floor Plan
[The marker features floor plans of the house at different points of its history:]
1822 - This is how the house appeared when Pleasant and Sarah moved in towards the end of 1822. We do not know if at this time a staircase led to the second floor of if the family merely used a ladder to climb upstairs.
1822-1824 - These early changes provided extra privacy in the house. The rear addition may have been either a porch or an enclosed room. The interior wall helped support the staircase to the second floor. The front porch would have been in Pleasant's original design. However, it was not completed until after the family moved in.
1830's - Within ten years an interior staircase to the basement was built, making it easier to reach the Kitchen. The stairs to the second floor were moved and may have provided access to separate living quarters for three males who were living with the Sowells in 1833.
1870's - After the Civil War, the house was expanded to accommodate the growing family. We know that the Back Porch was initially left open, although it was closed in at a later date to create a third room. The Front Porch
this page online
1993 - When Michie Tavern began to study the Sowell House, but the Front Porch and the north addition had been already torn down.
These drawings were done by William R.B. McCullough of Hickok • Warner Architects, Washington, DC.
Erected by Michie Tavern.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1822.
Location. 38° 0.499′ N, 78° 27.852′ W. Marker is near Charlottesville, Virginia, in Albemarle County. It can be reached from Thomas Jefferson Parkway (Virginia Route 53) 0.1 miles east of Michie Tavern Lane ( Route 1102), on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 683 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy, Charlottesville VA 22902, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Piedmont and in Central Virginia. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Open Porch (here, next to this marker); The Sowell House ca. 1822 (a few steps from this marker); Piney River Cabin ca. 1790 (within shouting distance of this marker); Tobacco Barn ca. 1790 (within shouting distance of this marker); Michie Tavern (within shouting distance of this marker); Historic Michie Tavern (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Meadow Run Grist Mill ca. 1797 (about 400 feet away); The Monticello Graveyard (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Charlottesville.
Other markers no longer nearby. Piney River Cabin (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Tobacco Barn ca.1790 (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); The Meadow Run Grist Mill (was about 300 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 11, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 502 times since then and 41 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 11, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
