The Geddy House, also known as the James Geddy House, was built by James Geddy Jr. ca. 1762. One of the oldest houses in Virginia and in

Williamsburg Williamsburg may refer to: Places *Colonial Williamsburg, a living-history museum and private foundation in Virginia *Williamsburg, Brooklyn, neighborhood in New York City *Williamsburg, former name of Kernville (former town), California *Williams ...

, it is located on the Palace Green across from

Bruton Parish Church Bruton Parish Church is located in the restored area of Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. It was established in 1674 by the consolidation of two previous parishes in the Virginia Colony, and remains an active Epi ...

. It is a two-story,

central-passage house The central-passage house, also known variously as central hall plan house, center-hall house, hall-passage-parlor house, Williamsburg cottage, and Tidewater-type cottage, was a vernacular, or folk form, house type from the colonial period onwar ...

History

James Geddy Jr. was a well-established silversmith in Williamsburg. Advertisements in the late 1760s indicate that Geddy's business sold imported silver and gold items, in addition to fine jewelry and cutlery. In 1762, Geddy built the house at the corner of Duke of Gloucester Street and Palace Green. 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. During restorations of

Colonial Williamsburg Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum and private foundation presenting a part of the historic district in Williamsburg, Virginia. Its historic area includes several hundred restored or recreated buildings from the 18th century, wh ...

in 1930 and 1967, the entrance porch was replaced, and the house's chimneys were rebuilt above the roof ridge. The house retains much of its original woodwork. Further preservation activities were undertaken in 2002.

Features

Many aspects of the house's design are not common in other sites in Williamsburg. 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. The details of the home include English architecture and Italian variations of Greek and Roman architecture. Archeological excavations of the shop site of the house have provided information about eighteenth-century clockmaking in

British America British America collectively refers to various British colonization of the Americas, colonies of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and its predecessors states in the Americas prior to the conclusion of the American Revolutionary War in 1 ...

Gallery

Geddy House, Colonial Williamsburg 02.jpg, Front view Geddy House, Colonial Williamsburg 03.jpg, Rear view Geddy House, Colonial Williamsburg 04.jpg, Outbuilding

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geddy House Colonial Williamsburg 18th-century architecture in the United States Museums in Williamsburg, Virginia Historic house museums in Virginia Houses in Williamsburg, Virginia 1762 establishments in the Colony of Virginia Residential buildings completed in 1762