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p. DESCRIPTION
I 7I (ch.sk On.) 1 1 CONDITION Excellent @ Good Foir Oet.,iop+.d Ruins Unexpos.d
(check one) I (check onel
Bremo Plantation contains nearly a dozen structures of a r c h i t e c t u r a l
i n t e r e s t and sighificance. Chief among these is t h e p r i n c i p a l residence,
Upper Bremo, a five-section b r i c k s t r u c t u r e i n the Palladian s t y l e
popularized in t h e a r e a by Thomas Jefferson. The c e n t r a l hlock of the
house'is two s t o r i e s on the enltrahcel ~ c a d ean d one story on an English
basement on the r i v e r front. The hbuse was originally cbvered by a f l a t
roof of ridge and valley construction used so frequently by Mr. Jefferson
As t h i s type of roof leaked badly, it was replaced with the present hippe
roof by General John Hartwell Cocke not many years a f t e r the house was
completed. Upper Bremo ~ o n t a i n sm any other a r c h i t e c t u r a l features so
often associated with J e f f e r s o n ' s work, especially with the use of the
Tuscan prder in t h e p o r t i c o , loggia, and side porches, the Chinese l a t t i c
r a i l i n g s on the esplanades, and the changes of ground level from one side
of the comlex t o the other. The i n t e r i o r of Bremo also exhibits many
Jeffersonian f e a t u r e s such as the very hish ceilings tn the principal
rooms, bed alcoves, narrow s t a i r c a s e s , u p s t a i r s rooms with low c e i l i n g s ,
and a generous use of f u l l entablatures and pedimented doorways in the
principal rooms. The oak graining kund on the woodwork of a l l the
principal rooms except t h e p a r l o r is thought t o be the o r i g i n a l f i n i s h .
Altered 1x1 Unalt.r.d
Upper Bremo has been with remarkably few changes and is
currently undergoing a long-term renovation. Even the o r i g i n a l benches
i n the schoolroom in one of the end pavilions remain. The outbuildings
j u s t t o the e a s t of the east end pavilion also survive in a good s t a t e of
r e p a i r .
O MOV.~ & Oripinol Sit.
Other structures located on the Upper Bremo t r a c t include the massive
and unusual stone barn with its %scan portiuo, brick dnessings, and
c e n t r a l cupola. Adjacent t o the barn is the stone and brick milk house
with its high hipped roof and central pediment, and the large stable
which also f e a t u r e s t h e stone and brick construction of the buildings
associated with General Cocke.
DESCRIBE T H E PRESENT AND ORIGINAL ( I I h o l u n ) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE
Southeast of the house a t the foot of the bluff is the Temperance
monument, a stone Greek Doric pevilion d i - s t y l e in a n t i s . Although the
monument has been moved from its o r i g i n a l location on the James River
and Kanawha Canal, the s e t t i n g has been carefully reproduced; the monument.
now overlooks a long basin near the opposite end of which i s the large
pitcher-shaped iron urn through which poured water from the spring.
Other buildings connected with Upper Bremo are the two rare pise s l a
quarters comstructed under the supervision of General Cocke and the board
and batten slave chapel. 1 'lho other groups of buildings, Bremeo Recess and Lower Bremo make up
the remainder of the Bremo Historic D i s t r i c t . Bremo Recess, originally
constructed in ca. 1803-1809 was enlarged and redesigned ca. 1844 in the
Jacobean s t y l e about the same time t h a t Lower Bmmo was being b u i l t . B r e 1 Recess, according to General Cocke was "copied from . . . The well remembgred
pld ~jik chimney bouse i n Williamsbuffg, once the property of the Custis
ami y and Bacon s Castle in Surry. Bremo Recess i s curpiform in plan
I. SIGNIF~CANCE
PEnroo (check One orMor. a. APProPrl.la1
IJ Pm-Celurnblon' 0 16th Century 18th Cenrwy 0 ?Oth C.ntury
15th Century 'J 17th Century gX 19th C ~ A , $ ~ ~ ~
r P r C l F, c DATEIS) (11 Applls.bl. endXnom) .
AREAS OF SIONIFICINCE fCh.skOn. 0rMor.a. Approp.1.1.)
Abor ipinol Educotlar Politico1 U Utbon Plennlne a Pr.hlntorlc Enqln..rlnq R.llqlon/Pha. 0th.r iSp*elb)
Hislorlc Industry Ionophy History
Aprlcultun 0 1nv.ntion [J Ssienc.
0 A~chlastur. 0 Lond*eep. 0 Ssulptur.
PB Art AvchIt.ctur. Soctol/Humon-
0 Commrrs. [J Lit.r.tur. ,torla" a Camunicotien, 0 Malttory Theotnr
n MUSNC Transportatmn
STATrHENT OF SI~NIFICANCE NATIONAL HI=- * 1 OR!C L p , N D ~ p l f
General John Hartwell Cocke (1780-1866), note P a n t e r , s o l d i e r and I
General Cocke f i r s t moved from his home in Surry County t o his property
in Fluvanna County about 1803. He named his property in Fluvanna in honor
of t h e o l d Cocke family home i n Henrico County. While Upper Bremo, the
main residence,was being b u i l t , General Cocke and his family made t h e i r
home a t Bremo Recess, a small frame house which Cocke s u b s t a n t i a l l y r e b u i l t
in i t s present Jacobean form c i r c a 1844.
1 reformer, was a man of great importance in.ante-belium Virginia. A graduat
m ( of the College of William and Mary (1794-99), Cocke spent his l i f e in the
1 various reform movements of the f i r s t half of the 19th century. During
Z I the War of 18i2 he entered the army as a captain and within 18 months had
0- 1I emerged as a brigadier general. After the war he s e t t l e d into his routine
1 of managing his extensive land holdings i n Fluvanna County and in f u r t h e r i
About the same time General Cocke enlarged Bremo Recess, he also subs
t a n t i a l l y r e b u i l t another small house on the property, Lower Bremo, adding
t o it Jacobean embellishments similar to those on Bremo Recess. Lower Bremc
was r e b u i l t for General ~ o c k e ' s son Cary, but Cocke made it his own
residence f o r t h e l a s t 12 years of his l i f e . In 1918-1919 the i n t e r i o r of
the house was completely remodeled.
IU
3
K
- I--
For the design of Upper Bremo, Cocke sought the advice of both friends
and professionals amon whom were Thomas Jefferson and a Richmond architect
named Conneley. h i l e t h e r e s u l t i n g mansion contains many of the architechis
reform goals. He advanced many revolutionary a g r i c u l t u r a l ideas and
vigorously attacked t h e p r a c t i c e of making tobacco the main crop of
He was equally outspoken o n t h e subject of slavery and served as senior
vice-president of the American Colonization Society from its creation in
1819 u n t i l h i s death. He was a leading temperance leader of the period,
aerving as president o f t h e American Temperance Union in 1836. A strong
believer in public education, Cocke not only supported Mr. Jefferson in the
1 t u r a l forms and devices found in Mr. Jefferson'w work, the f i n a l architect
z formation of the University of Virginia but was also a member of the Board - of V i s i t o r s f o r 33 yelars from 1819 u n t i l 1852. It has been s t a t e d t h a t
benevolence, and alertness t o civic responsibility. The causes which he
Cocke "without being e i t h e r a prig or a Puritan, . . .was a zealous
w I yet even those who impugned his principles admired his s i n c e r i t y , catholic
W
v, 1 supported indicate him to have been one of the most remarkable
8 of h i s generation in power of f o r e s i g h t , a pioneer of modern social
I I I
1 CODE I COUNTY: CODL
r9. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES
-
Kimball, Fiske, "The Building of Bremo," The Virginia Magazine of History
and Biography, vol. 57, no. 1 (January 1949), p. 13.
n I
111, Architect
Archeology and Historic Preservation, DATE 4
1971 - mS. Nat&n&Park_Ssrvi~e
0
b.
S T A T E m
Washington D.C.
12. STATE LIAISON OcFICER CERTIFICAIION 1 NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION
rn
Waterman, Thomas T., The Mansions of Virginia (New York, 1945), p. 45.
Gaines, William H., Jr., "A Home Dedicated to Service," Virginia Cavalcade,
vol. V I , no. 2 (Autumn 1956), pp. 20-29.
Bodine, A. Aubrey, The Face of Virginia (Baltimore, 1967), p. 140.
Deed Book 25. Fluvanna County Court House, pp. 181-182.
Deed Book 69, Fluvanna County Court House, p. 180.
Hamlin, Talbot, Greek Revival Architecture in America (London, 19447, 17-18.
Dictionary of American B i
As the designated State Liaison Officer far the National
Historic Prenervation Act of 1966 (Public Law
89.h65). 1 hereby nominate this property for inclusion
m
m
--G-EO GR~-PHICA L_DATA --- -
1 hereby certify that this proprty is included in the
Natimal Register.
in the National Register and cerlify that it has been
evaluated according to the criteria and procebres set
forth by the Nattonal Park Service. The recommended
level of signilicance of this nomination is:
National 0 State 0 Local
I Title I Keeper of Thc Nafimnl Register I
Chief, Office ol ~ ~ c h c o l o ganyd Hisloric Preservation
Name
1 m t e Gate
LATITUDE * N O LONGITUDE COORDINATES
DEFlCllNG RECTkNCLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY
Date
ATTEST:
APPHOXIMATE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERT-Y - -1 ,500 acres
\LIST ILL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OYERLI\~P,NG ~ T A T EO R COUNTY aOUNoAR'ES
0
R CORNER
NW
NE
SE
sw
LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES
DEF'N'NG CENTER ''INT OF A
OF LESS THAN TFN ACHED
LATITUDE
De re=$ Manutss Secmnds
37045 . 00 .
37- 45 . 00 "
37-42 * 37 - 37042 . 37 .
L l T l T U D E
Degrees Mlnutet Sacondr
D
LONGlTUDE
De ree. Mlnvtes seconds
7%. 20. 46.
78 o 17 32:'1
7 8 0 1 7 , 32.
780 2 0 . 46.
LONG1 TUDE
Degrees Munuts. Seconds
0 "
Form 10-3M)o UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STATE
(July 1969) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Virginia
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES soUNTY
Fluvanna
INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM
FOR NPS USE ONLY
ENTRY NUMBER (Continuation Sheet)
I I
(Numb*, .I1 .nl.l..)
7 . Description': (1') Bremo' Recess, and' lower Brel~io (Bremo Historic Dist.)
with curvilinear end gables, ad diagonally,set chimney @tacks. The central
section of the front elevation has an encmlosed entrance porch with three
pointed arch bays. Above, in the decorated gable is an enclosed room. The
interior of Bremo Recess, perhaps remaining from the f i r s t early-19th century
house i s neo-classical in style. The principal feature i s a t r i p l e arched
"screen" dividing the wid, central hall. The two side arches have solid,
paneled doors, the center arch has a removeable panel that can be taken
down in the summer. A l l three arches have semi-circular glazed transoms and
painted to resemble marble.
Bremo Recess has several notable outbuildings including-a brick and ston
guest house with a steep gable roof and parapet gable ends, also a long low
stone stable, barn, carriage house with three two-story pavilions.
Lower Brerno built ba. 1844 also in the Jacobsean style i s a long two-sto
house of brick and stone with a H-shaped plan. It i s believed that it i s an
enlargement of a much smaller "hunting lodge" erected in the mid-18th centur
In 1918-1919, the interior of Lower Bremo was completely remodeled and the
central section of the houne, originally two levels, was made into one large
space with a s t a i r and balcony along two sides. Lower Bremo also retains
a massive stone and timber barn erected ca. 1840.
Form 10.300. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
(July 1969) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM Fluvanna
FOR NPS USE ONLY
I ENTRY NUMBER DATE (Continuation Sheet) I
(Numbs, all sntrls.)
8. Significance: (1) Bremo Recess, and Lower Bremo (Bremo Historic D i s t
was actually John Neilson, a master carpenter who had worked for M r . J e f f e r s
a t Monticello. It was Neilson who interprested a l l of the ideas and sketche
received or drawn by Cocke and who gave the house i t s f i n a l appearance.
Completed in 1820, Upper Bremo has been described by Fiske Kimball as the
most nearly perfect "of a l l the houses in the Jeffersonian t r a d i t i o n . " I Bremo Historic D i s t r i c t I
Bremo Historic D i s t r i c t , Fluvanna County, Virginia consists of three
plantation house groupings and t h e i r outbuildings and dependencies a l l b u i l t
on Bremo Plantation by General John Hartwell Cocke (1780-1866) between 1803
and 1845. The f i r s t t o be constructed was Bremo Recess (1803-1809); the
second and most important of t h e t h r e e , Upper Bremo, was completed in 1820;
the l a s t was Lower Bremo b u i l t ca. 1844 a t the same time Bremo Recess was
extensively remodeled.
Upper Bremo i s designed i n the palladian Roman Revival Style made popular
by Thomas Jefferson. The man who designed Upper Bremo was John Nielson a
master carpenter who had worked at Monticello. Upper Bremo has been
described by Fiske Kimball as the most nearly perfect of a l l the houses in
t h e Jeffersonian Tradition. Also a t Upper Bremo is the large stone barn
which is undoubtedly the f i n e s t neo-classFcal barn in the United States.
Bremo Recess and Lower Bremo achieved t h e i r present exterior form ca.
1844 and on both r a r e examples of Jacobean Revival architecture.
The e n t i r e group of houses and farm buildings a t Bremo taken together
form one of the most remarkable collections of early-19th century struetrrre
i n the country. Not only do they possess outstanding a r c h i t e c t u r a l i n t e r e s
but having always remained i n the possession of the family that b u i l t them
they present an undisturbed and remarkably well preserved social document
of early-19th century America.
Bremo Historic D i s t r i c t property description: I
Southern Boundary: running along the north bank of the James River from
John H. Cocke Memorial Bridge to the mouth of Bremo Creek.
West Boundary: running approximately .65 miles along Bremo Creek (East For
from the James River.
East Boundary: running approximately .8 miles along U.S. Route 15 from
James River
North Boundary: begfinning approxinately .8 miles up U.S. Route 15 from
James River following northern boundary of Bremo Recess property, as
recorded, in a s t r a i g h t l i n e t o i n t e r s e c t i o n with Bremo Creek (east fork)
9. References: (1J
Hodson, Peter, "The Design and Building of Bremo, 1815-1820," (MA thesis
(University of Virginia, 1967.
Fwm 10.3000 UNITED ~ A T E DSE PARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR S T A T E
(July 19691 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Virginia
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
t ENTRY HVMllER D I T E
(Continuation Sheet) , I
] ( ~ m b e r .ntrl..)
hNVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY
”