Stacy Kelly

40164 Bond Street

Open on Friday: 10am to 5pm

Surprising to many who see it, Tanyard Hill is a relatively new house, built in 1995. This Greek Revival-style farm house and its bank barn were designed by architect Russell Versaci to look as if they have always belonged among Waterford’s historic homes. The summer 1997 edition of Veranda magazine described it as “a new house that blends unnoticed with its 200-year-old neighbors.”

The owners chose the name of their home, Tanyard Hill, to honor the 18^th and 19^th century tanyard it overlooks. The house sits on nearly two acres of land on Bond Street, named for Quaker Asa Moore Bond, who owned the tannery from 1830 until his death in 1877.

The Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architecture selected the house for its Distinctive Residential Architecture award in 2000. Tanyard Hill was featured in the Jan. 25, 2014 issue of the Wall Street Journal in an article entitled, “This New Old House.” Tanyard Hill clearly demonstrates that thoughtful new build­ings have a place in historic communities.

Tanyard Hill is open through the courtesy of owners Stephanie Kenyon and Bill Mayer.

Enter at 40231 Fairfax Street

Open on Friday: 10am to 5pm

Robert Walker built this lovely Victorian home for his spinster sister, Edith, in 1897. He located the house on a portion of his property, Huntley Farm, and designed it to face his house next door instead of the street. A brick walk connected the two homes and remains to this day.

The Edith Walker House is a blend of Victorian and Colonial Revival architectural features such as the wraparound porch that serves as a spacious summer living area. There are two pedimented dormers, three gables and a sleeping porch over the front entrance, each clad with a different style shingle. The main body of the house boasts German siding. The original cedar shingle roof was replaced with raised-seam metal, as was the fashion in the area after the turn of the century. The windows further unite the two styles with six or eight small panes at the top, recalling colonial sash patterns, while the single large pane at the bottom incorporates the modern glass technology of the Victorian era.

Inside the home is a fine paneled Queen Anne staircase, beautiful Colonial Revival molding with bull’s eyes in the top corners, and pocket doors from the foyer into the parlor. Of special note are the five fireplaces, each of a different design. The three on the first floor have mirrored overmantles.

Over the years, there have been few changes to the floor plan, which speaks highly of the home’s comfort and adaptability to changing life styles. The major changes to the house were the addition of first and second floor bathrooms, and an enlargement of the kitchen accomplished by removing the wall to the butler’s pantry.

The historic exterior of the house is protected from alteration in perpetuity by  an easement given to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

The Edith Walker property is open through the courtesy of its current owners, The Wood Family.