Solitude: identification of its furnishings from 1830 to 1880

Abstract

Solitude, one of the original buildings on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, is a possible site for restoration because of its significance to the University and to the community. This study attempted to determine the most likely amount, type, style, and quality of furnishings used at Solitude between 1830 and 1880, when it was the home of Robert and Mary Preston, the last private owners.

To help identify and interpret furnishings for this home, several areas were researched: the history of the building including the remodeling done by Robert Preston, the lifestyle of the Prestons, the availability of goods in the Blacksburg area before and after the coming of the railroad, and an examination of existing documents, such as appraisements, that listed furnishings used by the Prestons and by other residents of Montgomery County.

An analysis of the findings showed that the furniture may have been a combination of older, locally made pieces, and newer, factory-made ones, some of which may have been in the Rococo Revival style. Compared with the other appraisements studied, the furnishings of the Prestons were moderately to highly priced, indicating that theirs was one of the more comfortable homes in the area.