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Dr. Robert Walter Johnson House and Tennis Court
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Virginia Landmarks Register
Dr. Robert Walter Johnson House, Lynchburg VA, November 2008
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Location	1422 Pierce St., Lynchburg, Virginia
Coordinates	37°24′43″N 79°9′2″W / 37.41194°N 79.15056°W / 37.41194; -79.15056
Area	less than one acre
Built	1933 (1933)
Architect	McLaughlin, James T.
Architectural style	Late 19th And Early 20th Century American Movements, American Foursquare
Part of	Pierce Street Historic District (ID14000527)
NRHP reference No.	01001519
VLR No.	118-0225-0077
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	January 24, 2002
Designated CP	August 25, 2014
Designated VLR	June 13, 2001

Dr. Robert Walter Johnson House and Tennis Court is a historic home and tennis court in Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S., that was built in 1911 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. It is located in the Pierce Street Historic District.

History

Frank Trigg (c. 1850–1933), a black educator and college president, lived in the house until his death.

Robert Walter Johnson (1899–1971) was a Lynchburg physician, and the first minority doctor in the entire city to be granted practice rights at the Lynchburg General Hospital. In addition to his work, Johnson was a successful trainer for promising African-American tennis players. His American Foursquare style home, built in 1911, includes an adjacent tennis court on the lot next door.

A successful college athlete, Johnson used his athletic skill and personal funds to found the Junior Development Program of the American Tennis Association during the 1950s. Stressing sportsmanship and discipline, Johnson trained stars such as Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe, the first African-Americans to ever win at Wimbledon.

The house was also offered as lodging to distinguished African-Americans passing through the city, as blacks were usually denied occupancy from hotels. Guests included the famed Duke Ellington, Jackie Robinson, Lionel Hampton, and Roy Campanella.

The red clay tennis court where Ashe and Gibson mastered their art was last used in 1971, after which it became buried under grass with the net posts protruding to show where the court was. In May 2018, a new green clay court was installed and dedicated on the site.

Despite being on the National Register of Historic Places, the house has fallen into disrepair.

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
2. "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
3. Sarafin, Justin (December 23, 2014). Preservation Virginia's Most Endangered Historic Sites List:: Updates on Past Listings 2000 through 2014. Preservation Virginia – via Google Books.
4. Alison Blanton (March 2001). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Dr. Robert Walter Johnson House and Tennis Court" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources. and Accompanying photo
5. "Virginia African American Heritage Program". Dr. Robert Walter Johnson Home and Tennis Court. Virginia African American Heritage Program. November 21, 2008.
6. Ben Rothenberg (August 26, 2017). "Restoring a Landmark for African-American Tennis Stars". The New York Times. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
7. Magdala Louissaint (May 25, 2018). "Historic tennis court reopens in Lynchburg". WSLS 10. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
8. Carrie Dungan (May 23, 2018). "Court at home of Lynchburg tennis pioneer on cusp of opening after being restored". The News & Advance. Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S. Retrieved February 6, 2019.

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• History of tennis
• African-American history of Virginia
• American Foursquare architecture in Virginia
• Houses completed in 1911
• Houses in Lynchburg, Virginia
• Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia
• National Register of Historic Places in Lynchburg, Virginia
• Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Virginia
• 1911 establishments in Virginia
• Tennis in Virginia