John Marshall House, Richmond

The John Marshall House, located on East Marshall Street in Richmond, serves as a historic house museum and is recognized as a National Historic Landmark. This notable residence was the home of Chief Justice John Marshall, a key figure in early American history and a Founding Father, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1801 by President John Adams. John Marshall is renowned for his role in landmark cases such as Marbury versus Madison and McCulloch versus Maryland. He lived in this house until he died in 1835.

Constructed in 1790, the Federal-style brick building was the family home for Marshall, his wife Mary Willis Ambler Marshall, affectionately known as Polly, and their six children. The design and layout of the house are reflective of the era, featuring a dining room, parlor, and a combined parlor/dining room on the first floor, with three chambers on the second floor. Originally, the property included several outbuildings like a law office, kitchen, laundry, and stables, and occupied a full city block in the fashionable Court End area of Richmond.

The house's exterior is modest and straightforward, while the interior showcases the period's typical hand-carved woodwork. Notable interior features include wood panels, small cupboards next to the chimneys in the parlor and library, and ornate cornices and mantles in the dining room. Despite some criticism of the room layout as being somewhat haphazard, the overall character of the rooms has been praised for their brightness and pleasing proportions.

Today, the John Marshall House is open to the public for drop-in tours during certain seasons and available throughout the year by appointment for special events, allowing visitors to explore the life and legacy of one of America's influential judicial figures in his authentic historical setting.