Wickham-Valentine House - Richmond

The Wickham-Valentine House is located on East Clay Street in the Court End District of Richmond, Virginia.  The Federal style structure, designed by architect Alexander Parris, was built in 1812 for Richmond attorney John Wickham and sits on land that he had occupied since 1790.  Wickham's most famous trial was the 1807 treason case against Vice-President Aaron Burr.  Wickham and his wife, Elizabeth, lived here with their 19 children and 15 slaves until his death in 1839.  After Elizabeth died in 1853 the house changed hands several times until it wound up in the possession of Mann Valentine II in 1882.  Valentine was an entrepreneur who made a fortune selling his noted Valentine's Meat Juice.  He was also a collector of historic artifacts.  At the time of his death in 1893 he bequeathed the house, along with his impressive collection, to the city of Richmond.  In 1898 the Valentine Museum opened with Valentine's brother, Edward, the noted sculptor, as president of the museum until his death in 1930.  Edward left his collection of art and letters to the museum, as well.  The Wickham House now serves as a house museum, while the homes next door now house all of the artifacts, along with Edward's art studio.  Recent restorations have returned the house to its John Wickham days look.  The Wickham-Valentine House was added to the Virginia Landmarks Register in 1968, the National Register of Historic Places in 1969, and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971.

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