Explore the House & Garden
The House
The home of Edward and Anne Spencer at 1313 Pierce Street is a two-story residence designed and built by Edward in 1903. The beautiful Queen Anne-style house was the home of the Spencers for 72 years and welcomed many remarkable visitors during that time. The house is an outstanding preserved example of architecture, interior design, African American culture, and twentieth-century home life beautifully shaped by fascinating personalities and circumstances. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a Virginia Historic Landmark, and is located within the Pierce Street Renaissance Historic District in Lynchburg, Virginia.
The Garden
ASHGM is the home of renowned Harlem Renaissance poet Anne Spencer and includes the only known restored garden of an African American as well as her writing cottage, Edankraal. The garden served as a private space of reflection and inspiration for the poet as well as a social realm for family and friends. The garden also served as a gathering place for civic and social clubs. Leading African Americans such as W.E.B. Du Bois, James Weldon Johnson and George Washington Carver were plantsmen.
Pop’s Chicken House
In the late 1930s, Edward Spencer built a chicken house in the backyard of the Spencer’s home. While it no longer stands today, plans to construct a new multi-use building in the former chicken house’s place have been made. The building will be used by the Museum as a gallery space for exhibits, gathering places, and for educational and community-based programs.