Architecturally Speaking

Belle Grove is an excellent example of the quality craftsmanship and elegant style available to the prosperous residents of Rockingham County in the early nineteenth century. Supported by a bustling agricultural economy, affluent families in the Valley had the option of designing their homes with entertainment and status in mind.

The style of house blends elements of two architectural styles - Federal and Georgian - and adds a bit of local flavor. The floor plan of the main house is essentially Federal and was based on a central passage with a grand stairway, flanked by the main living spaces. The room to the east was likely the dining room, and the west room, with built-in cherry shelves surrounding the fireplace, was probably the parlor. Above, three bedrooms provided living space. The two smaller rooms sat atop the dining room and utilized corner fireplaces, a hallmark of German construction in the Valley. The ell wing, not typical of the Federal or Georgian styles, separated the kitchen from the formal living space, provided room for an additional bedroom on the second floor and housed a cellar below. Exterior details tell of the influence of the much earlier Georgian style: a symmetrical facade, transom lights, and double-hung sash windows. Elaborate mantles, hand-cut scrollwork on the stairway, wood paneling, faux woodgraining and fashionable wallpaper attest to the many luxuries available to those who could afford it.

Federal Style - popular from 1780 - 1820.
Georgian Style - popular from 1700 - 1800.
transom light - window above door, usually divided into several panes.

Definitions are from:
Lounsbury, Carl R. An Illustrated Glossary of Early Southern Architecture and Landscape. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994.