13 Homes from the Original Colonies that Still Stand Today

The Nelson House in Yorktown, Virginia, built in 1730, was once occupied by Thomas Nelson, Jr., a soldier in the Revolutionary War who became quite the statesman. He was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, he represented Virginia in the Continental Congress, and also served as the governor of the state. Now a National Historic Landmark, the house is a classic example of Georgian architecture, with a stately brick exterior, symmetrical appearance, and decorative molding under the eaves of the roof.

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The Richard Jackson House in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is the oldest surviving wooden house in the state and has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Richard Jackson, a woodworker, farmer, and mariner, built the home in an English post-Medieval style in 1664, but with lavish use of wood that included vertical planks that frame the structure.

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Built in 1760, the London Town Publik House in Edgewater, Maryland—also known as the William Brown House—was a colonial-era inn conveniently located on the main road that connected Williamsburg, Virginia, to Philadelphia. Travelers rested their weary heads (and likely enjoyed many an ale by candlelight) under the roof of this striking two-story brick Georgian.

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George Washington once attended a wedding in the parlor of the Georgian-style Amstel House. The oldest of the large townhouses in New Castle, the home was built in 1730 by the wealthy landowner Dr. John Finney and features the first central hallway and fanlight in town as well as other notable architectural features, including a five-bay, gable-end facade.

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During the Revolutionary War, the Alston House was the site of a dramatic encounter between British loyalists and the family of Philip Alston, which ended with Alston surrendering and his wife negotiating the terms. The traditional plantation home, which was built in 1769, now hosts spirited historical reenactments.

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Nestled in the Hudson Valley, the Cornelis Kool house was constructed sometime around 1710 and incorporates features of Dutch vernacular architecture like fieldstone walls, large beams, and wide-plank floors. If you'd like a closer look at these elements, you're in luck! The house is the oldest in the state that's open to the public for overnight stays, and it's even listed on Airbnb!

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The Henry Antes House was built in the traditional Moravian style in 1736 by local political and religious leader Henry Antes. The rubble-stone home has a storied past: It served as George Washington's headquarters when the British were trying to gain control of Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War.

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