ednam history
“Perched like a baronial castle overlooking the majestic hills of Albemarle, stands Ednam Hall, the home of Edwin 0. Meyer. . . .It is an expression of the home life of Mr. Meyer, showing his love for nature, for hills, woods and flowers, for green fields and the pure free air of heaven . . . .me surroundings are with things ancient, that always have a charm, with things modern, that are comforting to practical mankind. One appeals to the sentiment, the other to the side of human nature that loves luxury and ease . . . Here are majestic dining halls, library, princely papers, etc., all made possible by . . .the possession of the means to acquire them. . . .the worthy home of a worthy man.”
Daily Progress in June 1906
Completed circa 1905 for Edwin O. Meyer, a New York importer, Ednam is an assertive example of the turn-of-the-20th-century Colonial Revival style, a style that made free use of a variety of classical forms for inventive compositions. The architect was D. Wiley Anderson, a native of Albemarle County who operated one of Richmond’s most productive firms, producing many impressive residences. With its stately portico, classical detailing, and elaborate interiors, the house presents a grandiose “Southern” image which was considered appropriate for its location. From the standpoint of social history, Ednam represents the influx of well-to-do northerners into Piedmont Virginia beginning in the late 19th century. Attracted by the scenic countryside and sociable lifestyle, they purchased old estates or established new ones, often building pretentious houses in what they regarded to be the local gentry idiom.