The land on which Point of Honor stands was once part of a much larger tract that witnessed the passage of time from Monacan Indian campsites located along its ridges to the modern city of Lynchburg. Learn more about the many chapters of Point of Honor’s history through these links:

Timeline

Early Period—Lynch Family

  • 1745: John Bolling received land patent, holds land for 2 years

  • 1746: Charles Lynch purchased land

  • 1753: Christopher Lynch inherited and possibly built a house on the land

  • 1786: Samuel Mitchell married Nancy Ann Lynch

  • 1803: Lewellen Jones purchased the land—already owned 3 farms in Bedford

Cabell Period

  • 1805: Dr. George Cabell Sr. purchased land, built tobacco warehouse on lower end of property

  • 1806-1810: Cabell sought General Assembly approval for town and bridge, but was denied

  • 1815: Point of Honor was completed, and Cabell moved family from Lynchburg into house

  • 1823: George Cabell Sr. died and his son William Lewis Cabell inherited property

  • 1826: George’s wife Sarah died

  • 1828: William Lewis Cabell married Eliza Daniel and leased Point of Honor to Henry Langhorne for one year

  • 1829: Langhorne’s lease expired, house was updated and William and Eliza move in

  • 1830: Both William and Eliza Cabell died within months of each other

Daniel Period

  • 1830: Judge William Daniel Sr. inherited Point of Honor

  • 1831: Judge Daniel Sr. updated and redecorated the house

  • 1837: Daniel’s daughter Elvira married Charles Ellet Jr. at Point of Honor

  • 1839: Judge Daniel Sr. died and William Daniel Jr. inherited

  • 1841: William Daniel Jr. updated house including adding stucco to exterior. He also married Sarah Ann Warwick late in the year.

  • 1843: John Warwick Daniel was born at Point of Honor

  • 1845: William Daniel Jr.’s wife Sarah died, and he put the house up for sale

Payne/Owen Period

  • 1848: David Bryce Payne purchased Point of Honor and began remodeling the house in Italianate Style, likely adding the porch that stayed on the house until the renovations in the 1970s

  • 1857: Judge William Daniel Jr. bought the house back from Payne and leased it to John S. Langhorne

  • 1862: Robert Latham Owen purchased Point of Honor; he was President of the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad during the Civil War

Lichford Period

  • 1872: Woodroof and Spence purchased the house and rented it

  • 1875: T.V. Strange and L.E. Lichford purchased the house

  • 1876: L.E. Lichford became sole owner of Point of Honor and three generations of Lichfords lived at the house

Restoration Period

  • 1928: James R. Gilliam Jr. purchased Point of Honor and donated it to the City of Lynchburg as recreation center

  • 1967: Al Chambers wrote “Point of Honor: Its Past and Its Potential,” sparking interest in restoring the house

  • 1968: City of Lynchburg gave property to Lynchburg Historical Foundation for purpose of restoration

  • 1971: Katharine Garland Diggs died and left bequest to establish local history museum

  • 1976-1978: The house’s structure and architecture were restored, the Museum System was created, the Garden Club of Virginia provided the landscaping, and the house opened as public museum