Danville, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Lawson-Overbey House
Built 1881
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, October 2, 2025
1. The Lawson-Overbey House Marker
This red brick house, built for the tobacconist R.W. Lawson by T.B. Fitzgerald, noted architect/contractor, reflects its Italianate roots in a semi-circular arched first floor entry and window openings and similar elliptical forms on the second floor.
After Lawson's death in 1884, the house was sold to a widow, Mrs. Sallie E. Shepherd, one of the founders of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in 1840. In 1904, 782 Main Street became the home of her grandson, Danville Lumber Company President W.D. Overbey, and his wife, the former May Hutchinson, surviving her husband. Mrs. Overbey lived here more than seventy years.
The Overbeys gave the house a facelift in the Georgian revival style by grafting onto the Victorian original a two-story, semi-circular ionic portico and roofline.
Erected by Danville Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Architecture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1881.
Location. 36° 35.069′ N, 79° 23.827′ W. Marker is in Danville, Virginia. It is at the intersection of Main Street (Virginia Route 293) and Jefferson Avenue, on the right when traveling south on Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 782 Main Street, Danville VA 24541, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southside Virginia and specifically 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. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At
this page online
Another marker is no longer nearby. Biscuitville # 112 (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been permanently removed).
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, October 19, 2024
2. The Lawson-Overbey House Marker
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, October 19, 2024
3. The Lawson-Overbey House Marker
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, October 19, 2024
4. The Lawson-Overbey House
Built 1881
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, January 23, 2025
5. Lawson-Overbey House
Credits. This page was last revised on October 4, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 9, 2025, by C. Ryan Dodson of Danville, Virginia. This page has been viewed 322 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on October 3, 2025, by C. Ryan Dodson of Danville, Virginia. 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 9, 2025, by C. Ryan Dodson of Danville, Virginia. 5. submitted on February 22, 2025, by C. Ryan Dodson of Danville, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
