About

Cedar Hill is one of a group of prosperous farms established during the 18th century in the Rockbridge County countryside east of the city of Lexington. The present house, a formal five-bay brick dwelling, was completed in 1821 for James Templeton. Situated on a ridge adjacent to the "Great Road," a historic trail paralleling the Maury River, the house commands panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In 1827 the property was purchased by Galbreath Hamilton, whose son, A. J. Hamilton, gained the dubious distinction of being the first cadet to desert the Virginia Military Institute. Cedar Hill is significant for its well-finished and little-altered condition. The interior retains original six-paneled doors and paneled wainscoting. The mantels are embellished with Shenandoah Valley-style gouge-work decoration. On the Cedar Hill property are two early log outbuildings and a stone springhouse.