Woman's Club of Norfolk, 1925
Source: SMC-NPL; smc-vp-fn0000179-003
Street Address: 228 Fairfax Avenue (1910); 222 Fairfax Avenue (1910-1912/1913); and 524 Fairfax Ave (1912/1913 to Present)
Name (Original): Alvah H. Martin Residence (1910-1920)
Name (Also Known As): Virginia Club (1920-1925); Woman’s Club of Norfolk (1925 – Present); and The Historic Martin Mansion
Architect: Lee (James W.) and Diehl (H. Robert) of Norfolk, Virginia
Contractor: N/A
Architectural Style: Classical Revival
Cost (Original): $30,000
Construction Date: 1909
Completion Date: 1910
Demolition Date: N/A
GPS: 36.858751, -76.297842
GPIN: 1427791645
Legal Description (2020): Lot Y, Blk 9, 13212 Sq Ft
Legal Description (1910): Lots 12-15, parts of lot 11 and lot 16, Blk 9 of The Ghent Company
Sources:
1. Books and Pamphlets:
Chandler, Fay. Martin Family History. [Place of publication not identified]: [publisher not identified], 2001.
Parker, John A. Thirteen Blocks: A Social History of Early Ghent in Norfolk, Virginia. Norfolk, Va: Money Pit Press, 2011.
Shank, Joseph E. Shank's Raw Materials on the History of Norfolk-Portsmouth Newspapers and of the Tidewater Area. [Norfolk, Va.]: [Shanks], 1965. Vol 6. 2132.
Wells, John E., and Robert E. Dalton. The Virginia Architects, 1835-1955: A Biographical Dictionary. Richmond, VA: New South Architectural Press, 1997. 249.
Yarsinske, Amy Waters. Ghent, Virginia: John Graham's Dream, Norfolk, Virginia's Treasure. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2006.
City Directories:
1910 Norfolk City Directory – Alvah H Martin, 228 Fairfax Avenue, pages 368, 730.
1912 Norfolk City Directory – Alvah H Martin, 222 Fairfax Avenue, pages 385, 748.
1913 Norfolk City Directory – Alvah H Martin, 524 Fairfax Avenue, pages 461, 892.
1920-1921 Norfolk City Directory – Virginia Club, 524 Fairfax Avenue, pages 883, 1000.
1927 Norfolk City Directory – Woman’s Club of Norfolk and Bristow Hardin Studio of Music, pages 696, 766.
2. Documents/Collections:
Packet 478, Guaranty Title and Trust Corporation Records, MSS 0000-052
Norfolk City, Virginia. “Deed from The Ghent Company, Corp. to Alvah H. Martin, 18 December 1906,” Deed Book 154B, 40.
Norfolk City, Virginia. “Permit – From City of Norfolk to Alvah H. Martin, 30 March 1910,” Deed Book 174A, 35.
Norfolk City, Virginia. “Deed from Alvah H. Martin, exor’s of to Virginia Club, 1 July 1920,” Deed Book 255A, 131.
3. Maps/Plats/Surveys:
Plat sheet 186, Guaranty Title and Trust Corporation Records, MSS 0000-052
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Norfolk, VA; 1910 edition, volume 1, sheet 54. (not shown)
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Norfolk, VA; 1928 edition, volume 1, sheet 70.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Norfolk, VA; 1950 edition, volume 1, sheet 70.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Norfolk, VA; 1970 edition, volume 1, sheet 70.
4. Newspaper/Magazines/Journals:
Manufacturers record : A weekly southern industrial railroad and financial newspaper (Baltimore, MD: Conway Publications), vol 56, # , 22 July 1909, 60.
“Woman’s Club Buys Alvah Martin House,” The Tidewater Trail, Vol 1, no. 12, 7.
Articles about the structure or shows parts of the house.
1920s:
“New Home of Woman’s Club,” Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), 1 January 1926.
--- Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), 5 October 1925.
1950s-1960s:
---- Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), 5 November 1950.
“Clubwomen to Sell Fairfax Property,” Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), 4 December 1963, 10.
“Clubwomen’s Landmark,” Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), 6 December 1963.
“Norfolk Clubwomen Plan Victorian Yule,” Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), 1 December 1968, G-2.
1970s-1980s:
Hawkins, Ruth. “Never a Dull Moment Around This House,” Ledger-Star (Norfolk, VA), 25 October 1972, C1.
Smith, Anne. “Their Mansion’s…a Ball,” Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), 30 October 1975, D1.
Lewis, Vicki. “By Invitation Only,” ?, unknown date (abt 1980).
2000s:
Stanus, Joan C. “History at the Hague,” Norfolk Compass from Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), 21 December 2000, 6-7.
Ruegsegger, Gary. “Book Relates 102 Years of Woman’s Club History,” Norfolk Compass from Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), 23 March 2008, 1, 8-9.
5. Photographs and Other Visual Images:
Scrapbook “Ghent Houses,” Volume 1, 1989 from Wyatt Hibbs Papers, MSS 0000-410
Film negative packets FN 19-323 TO 325, Photo Craftsmen Photograph Collection, MSS 2016-033
SMC Main Photograph Collection, MSS 0000-MPC
smc-main-ph-fairfax-ave-017
smc-main-ph-fairfax-ave-018
smc-main-ph-fairfax-ave-020
smc-main-ph-fairfax-ave-022
smc-main-ph-fairfax-ave-023
smc-main-ph-fairfax-ave-028
smc-main-ph-fairfax-ave-029
Box 1, “Norfolk–Buildings–Clubs and Organizations,” SMC Postcard Collection, MSS 0000-PCC
Virginian-Pilot Photograph Collection, MSS 0000-187
Film Negative Packet 17
Film Negative Packet 2126a
Film Negative Packet MY107 - What's Cooking with Mrs. Ezra T Summers and Paintings at Woman's Club (date: April 27, 1955)
Film Negative Packet MY658 - Garden Club of America president at Mrs. Grandy's - Turkish exhibit at Woman's Club (date: April 17, 1950)
Film Negative Packet MY1133 - Horace Edwards speaks at Woman's Club (date: April 25, 1949)
6. Vertical Files:
Folder: “Norfolk – Charities, Clubs and Organizations – Woman’s Club of Norfolk”, Sargeant Memorial Collection Norfolk Clippings Files, MSS 0000-NCF
7. Websites:
Norfolk AIR - https://air.norfolk.gov/ Account Number 00939930
Sources at Other Institutions and Archives
Library of Virginia
Harry C. Mann Photograph Collection - "524 Fairfax Ave., home of Alvah H. Martin, pres. Merchants & Planters Bank". Mann negative number: MA 1668.