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Bassett Hall Chronology
- Year
- Owner or Occupants
- Late 17th century to 1753:
- Bray family
- ca. 1749 – 1753:
- Col. Thomas Bray
- 1753 – 1789:
- Col. Philip Johnson and wife, Elizabeth Bray Johnson
- 1771 – 1773:
- Richard Hunt Singleton, renter
- ca. 1793 – 1796:
- Richard Corbin
- 1796 – ca. 1840:
- Burwell Bassett
- 1840 – 1843:
- Abel Parker Upshur
- 1843 – 1845:
- John Coke
- 1845 – 1869:
- Col. Goodrich Durfey
- 1869 – 1879:
- Israel Smith
- 1879 – 1927:
- Smith heirs
- 10/22/27:
- Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin acquired the property for Colonial Williamsburg, granting Edith and Alice Smith life tenancy.
- 5/16/30:
- Fire destroys most of the roof and part of the second floor interiors; most earlier portions remain intact.
- 8/17/31:
- Life tenancy in the main house is released in exchange for a monthly stipend and a life right in Bassett Hall cottage for Edith Smith and a stipend for Alice Smith.
- 12/27/33:
- Colonial Williamsburg deeds all of Bassett Hall property, except nine and one-half acres on which the house is located, to John D. Rockefeller Jr.
- 11/36:
- The Rockefellers move into Bassett Hall.
- 4/25/36:
- Colonial Williamsburg transfers nine and one-half acres with the house to Bassett Hall Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Colonial Williamsburg, Inc.
- 1/30/42:
- Bassett Hall Inc. transfers nine and one-half acres with the house to John D. Rockefeller Jr.
- 10/21/43:
- Edith Smith dies, ending all Smith life rights to Bassett Hall.
- 11/18/48:
- John D. Rockefeller Jr. gives Bassett hall to John D. Rockefeller 3rd, reserving a life interest for himself.
- 5/11/60:
- John D. Rockefeller Jr. dies. John D. Rockefeller 3rd assumes responsibility for Bassett Hall.
- 7/10/78:
- John D. Rockefeller 3rd dies leaving Bassett Hall property to family members who present it to Colonial Williamsburg.
- 5/9/79:
- John D. Rockefeller 3rd Fund Inc. gives furnishings of Bassett Hall to Colonial Williamsburg.
- 6/15/80:
- Bassett Hall opens to the public as a house museum.
- 2000 – 2002:
- Bassett Hall undergoes renovation
- 12/9/02:
- Bassett Hall reopens to the public
For further reading:
Ed Chappell discusses the value of preserving and restoring buildings in understanding how people lived their lives in the past. November 14, 2005
Audio podcast: Listen (mp3) | Transcript
William Graves Perry Recollections of Dismantling the Most Beautiful Rooms in America Places Apart Largest Buildings in the Eighteenth Century Backyard
Multimedia and related links
Podcasts
Architectural Research
Image enhanced: View (m4a) | Transcript
Audio | Image enhanced | Video
Journal articles
The Architect of Colonial Williamsburg
Palace Days
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