More historic than 10% of U.S. towns · #185 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it
Most of Rose Hill was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1968. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1900 on, and the census since 1970.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Rose Hill is more historic than 10% of U.S. towns, #185 of 253 in Virginia. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Rose Hill’s overall grade.
Virginia towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Virginia town has 3.6 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Rose Hill’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (17% of Virginia towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share (±1.4 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: our sources. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Rose Hill’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The community of Rose Hill derives its name from an 18th-century plantation once located nearby; this was established by Daniel French, the first builder of Pohick Church, on land that had been part of the Gunston Hall estate. The house stood on high ground, and was described as having a fine view of the nearby valley and the Potomac River in the distance. The land had been purchased by Daniel French Sr., in 1723, passing to his son, Daniel French Jr., in 1736. At the latter's death, the property went first to his wife Penelope and then to Elizabeth Dulaney, their daughter. The Dulaneys sold the plantation early in the 1800s, and between 1810 and 1868 it passed through the hands of numerous owners.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Rose Hill is more historic than 10% of U.S. towns, #185 of 253 in Virginia. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in Rose Hill?
2% of Rose Hill’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.4 points), against a typical 1.9% for a Virginia town; the median home was built in 1968.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (31), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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