Leathers-Snyder House 

History

Leathers-Snyder House stands on the site of the old Methodist Presiding Elder's house, which was constructed in 1844. James A. Leathers built the current home in 1891. The house is described by the Historic Society as "one of three Second Empire buildings in Charlottesville and is one of the most important buildings in the Ridge Street Historic District. The rarity of the style in Charlottesville and the fact that this is the only residence makes the Leathers-Synder House a very important part of the architectural fabric of Charlottesville. The mansard-roofed entrance tower, the low gables on either side of the façade, and the veranda with its floor-length windows make this building noteworthy."

In 1915 the Leathers house was sold to W.H. Snyder who resided there for 30 years. For several decades it was used as boarding house for University of Virginia students and local townspeople. The property changed owners only twice since the Snyder family resided there.
 

Restoration began in the spring of 2004. All interior walls were removed and new plumbing, electric, heating and cooling systems were installed throughout the house. A new bathroom was created in what was the "sewing room" located between bedrooms, and two additional bathrooms were rebuilt in Victorian decor. See "before and after" pictures in the side bar.

An interior wall to the upper tower was removed to allow access from the stairwell and a set of windows were installed providing views of Monticello Mountain. A library will be created in the tower loft space.

 

Ridge Street

In 1981, the Ridge Street Historic District was placed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places because of its role as one of Charlottesville's architecturally significant late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century residential areas. The Leathers-Snyder B&B was registered as a historic home at that time.