One of the oldest surviving brick houses in the United States, built c. 1719 — museum staff consistently report a woman in colonial dress appearing in the rooms and on the grounds
1636 Parish Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23455
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Admission is free. Tours depart every 45 minutes.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Garden paths and historic house interior; some narrow doorways typical of colonial construction
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1719 · National Historic Landmark (1960) · National Register of Historic Places (1966) · One of Oldest Surviving Brick Houses in the US
The house at 1636 Parish Road was built around 1719, almost 80 years after Adam Thoroughgood, the colonial leader for whom the structure is named, died in 1640. Archaeological and architectural analysis points to Argall Thorowgood II, the great-grandson of Adam, as the builder. Argall Thorowgood died during the construction, and his widow Susannah oversaw its completion. Their son John later added significant interior work including wainscoting and a turned staircase.
The house was constructed in the Flemish bond brick pattern typical of English colonial Virginia construction. Its small scale — four rooms across two floors — reflects both the modest means of the builder and the conventions of early eighteenth-century domestic architecture in the tidewater region. Despite its modest size, the brick construction was a significant investment for the period and reflects the family's status in Princess Anne County.
The house underwent major restorations in 1923, the 1950s, and from 2004 to 2011. The City of Virginia Beach acquired the property in 2003. It was designated a National Historic Landmark on October 9, 1960, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The house opened to the public as a museum on April 29, 1957. Today it operates as part of Virginia Beach History Museums, offering free admission and guided tours Thursday through Sunday.
Sources
The apparition most consistently reported at the Thoroughgood House is a woman in colonial clothing. One named witness, Catherine Van Elsaker, described the figure: 'There was a lady dressed in Colonial clothes... She smiled and kind of waved her hand and disappeared.' In 2008 a school group on a guided tour reported seeing a woman in a white gown walking near a window holding a candle.
A second figure appears in some accounts: a small man in colonial brown clothing, seen by visitors who reported finding the bed in one room with a deep indentation as though someone were sitting on it.
The most cited physical incident occurred in front of a docent and a group of thirty visitors, when four hurricane lamp globes lifted simultaneously from their candles and fell to the floor. The docent and tour group both witnessed the event; no explanation was found.
Staff also report footsteps in empty rooms, unexplained knocks, and a recurring sense of workers visible in the gardens who are not present when approached. Several accounts note the presence of colonial-costumed interpreters on staff, and at least some sightings may reflect misidentification — the house is candid about this possibility.
Neptune Ghosts, a Virginia Beach ghost tour operator, includes the Thoroughgood House on its list of the top ten most haunted places in Virginia Beach.
Notable Entities
Guided tours of the c. 1719 brick house and the restored English formal garden. Visitors begin at the Education Center to learn about Princess Anne County's history and the Thorowgood family before touring the house's period furnishings and original architectural details.
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