Rivermont Avenue

Images of scenes and buildings on Rivermont Avenue in downtown Lynchburg, VA.

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Villa Maria Gardens (09767)

Photo of one of the gardens at the Villa Maria built in 1911 and located at 3004 Rivermont Avenue. The mansion is a 15,000-square-foot Georgian Revival-style house. The home was originally named Kriselea for its owner, Phillip A. Krise, a banker and businessman. For all of his efforts, Krise only lived in the home briefly. He died within a few years of its completion, and it was his widow, Minnie Johnson Krise, and her second husband, Floyd L. Knight, who shaped much of the estate. They renamed it Oaklawn and lived there for 30 years. One of Minnie’s additions was a garden designed by Charles Gillette, one of the most noted landscape architects in Virginia. It later was Villa Maria Academy, a private Catholic girls school. It is now a private residence.

Floyd Knight Minnie Krise Oaklawn Villa Maria Academy Charles Gillette private school Lynchburg VA 1911 Kriselea Georgian Revival Phillip A. Krise

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Rivermont Avenue