15 South 5th Street
Richmond, VA, USA

National Register of Historic Places - Barrett House

Statement of Significant:

The title of the land on which the Barrett House now stands goes back to the Crown of England and subsequently to Nathaniel Bacon and the Byrd’s, becoming lot number 564 in Byrd's famous Lottery. By 1804, it had come into the possession of Dr. James Currie, a Richmond physician. From him, it passed to David Meade Randolph as part of the garden to his estate, "Moldavia", and hence to Joseph Gallego of "Gallego Mills", and John Allan, subsequent owners of "Moldavia". James Scott eventually bought the lot and built a home on one-half of it and sold "an exact moiety" to William Barrett in 1842. Two years later, Barrett constructed the beautiful Greek Revival house and two outbuildings on the site. The work was supervised by the owner's cousin, Anderson Barrett, a builder.

William Barrett was the son of John Barrett, thrice mayor of Richmond during the 1790's. Both father and son were tobacconists, William being the original manufacturer of "Lucky Strike" chewing tobacco. A successful businessman, he travelled often in Europe, bringing back works of art and plants for his house and garden. He was a lover of music and books and kept an extensive library in the basement of his home. It was there that Mr. Barrett died at the age of 81 after accidently setting fire to himself.

After his death in 1871, the house was sold by his executor, Jacquelin Taylor, to Captain David N. Walker, former commander of Otey's Battery during the seige of Petersburg. In 1876, the Walkers moved to Laurel and Park and rented the house to the Franch consul, the Vicomte de Sibour, who was engaged in buying tobacco for his government. With his wife and three children, the Vicomte added a great deal of color to Fifth Street. His parties were well-known in Richmond, and his of the infamous "Fifth Street Gang" children were part in 1882, the Barrett House was sold, and, after two changes of hands, it was bought by the Reverend Robert Willingham in 1895. Dr. Willingham was executive secretary of the Baptist Board of Missions and was passionately devoted to his work. On a world-wide mission tour in 1907, he crossed the Pacific with then Secretary of War, William H. Taft. Both men being very portly, the reporters photographing them had great fun in calling them "The Secretary of War and the Secretary of Peace." Mrs. Willingham sold the house in 1929 to a company This was avoided as a granite block from the which planned to replace it with a large garage. result of the Depression. In 1936, however, the retaining wall on Cary Street collapsed and the sale of the house for building materials was precipitated. After considerable negotiation, during which in the outdoor kitchen was torn down, the house was bought by Mary Wingfield Scott and Elizabeth Bocock, the present owners, and restored in 1937. 1944, they loaned the house to the Woman's Council for the Navy League as a club for visiting sailors, but due to a war-time shortage of office space, the house was converted to office use in 1945. It fulfills that same function today, housing the offices of Fitzgerald and Co.

Fifth Street was not only the first of Richmond's riverside neighborhoods to be developed, but one which enjoyed popularity with the city's most distinguished citizenry from 1790 to 1880. As tastes changed over the years, the architectural character of the street evolved. Out of four Greek Revival houses constructed in the 1840's, the Barrett House is said to be the best, due to its excellence of both interior and exterior pro- portions. Its preservation through adaptation to business use, has assured the house a permanent place in the life of Richmond.