History
La Riviere, the Castle by the River
“Captain Billy” Ingles designed a house with 10 large rooms and countless smaller cubicles, and a massive tower illustrating the classic proverb of “my home is my castle”. The second La Riviere was completed in 1892 and featured solid cherry woodwork with silver doorknobs and ornaments, a winding cherry staircase, and many more expensive furnishings. However, it is not this extravagant interior that you will see if you attend the reception.
The night before the young couple were to move in, their new home burned down along with all the silver, china and furniture. "Brokenhearted and discouraged, Capt. Billy presented the plans of the first house to a contractor and told him to duplicate the home,” writes Paul Simpkins in an 1968 article on the house. From the ashes of the original mansion arose the third La Riviere, finished in 1893 but with less of the original splendor. It is this structure and its furnishings that we can still see today.
But even though the fire destroyed the intricate woodwork and furnishings, the third La Riviere still has all the small conveniences that sprung from Captain Billy’s engineering mind. The window shutters slide into the wall when not in use. A small push-button bell for paging servants is in the parlor. A specially designed curved radiator, installed in the stairwell, heats the main hall. And a Dutch door (or stable door), divided horizontally so that the bottom can stay closed while the top is open, leads out to the large wraparound porch overlooking the New River.
Over the years, La Riviere has lost some of its original shine. The once large estate is now reduced to 13 acres. An electrical substation all but cuts it off from Main Street (La Riviere is on Ingles Street). But with its 22 feet tower, its well-preserved interior and long history, it remains a true historical treasure right here in Radford.
La Riviere Reception
The fundraising reception at La Riviere will be held on May 3rd, 2008, 5pm. Tickets are $75 per person and include hors d’oeuvre and wine. All proceeds will benefit the Radford Heritage Foundation. If you are interested in attending the reception, please contact us at Glencoe Museum (540-731-5031 or info@glencoemuseum.org). For more information, please check here.
