Tallwood, Green Mountain Road (State Road 627), Keene, Albemarle County, Virginia

1987 Charles E. Peterson Prize, Honorable Mention
Significance: Tallwood is one of the finest examples of a frame Federal building in Albemarle County. It contains over 25 rooms plus baths and stairwells. The original, central section - five bays wide and two stories high on a raised stone foundation - was possibly built by John Coles II (1745-1808) of Enniscorthy on his "Upper Quarter" for his son, Tucker Coles (1782-1861) between 1803 (when Tucker reached the age of majority) and 1810 (when he married Miss Helen Skipwith). Tucker Coles was representative of Albemarle County in the State Legislature and close friend of Jefferson and Monroe. The estate is one of three family estates carved from the original Coles tract. Two frame wings - the nearest is two bays wide; the farthest is one bay wide - telescope on either side of the original portion culminating in a total of 134 feet in length. The symmetrical house is sheathed with beaded weatherboards with a two story pedimented portico supported by Tuscan columns and featuring semi-circular fan windows and Chinese lattice railings to the south, and a Tuscan-columned verandah or piazza with balustrade to the north. The account book of John Coles II mentions that he insured Tallwood against fire in 1805. It is said that on 7 November of each year the ghost of Salina Coles, who died from a gunshot wound in the house, appears in one of the upper bedrooms.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: FN-331
Survey number: HABS VA-1244
Building/structure dates: ca. 1810 Initial Construction