John Marshall House
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Location
Richmond, Virginia
Address
818 East Marshall Street
Built
1790
Operated by
Preservation Virginia
In Richmond’s Court End neighborhood, the John Marshall House offers a close-up view of life in the early republic. John Marshall built the brick home in 1790 and lived there with his family until his death in 1835. Guided tours connect the rooms and furnishings to Marshall’s work as chief justice, including decisions that shaped the Supreme Court and the interpretation of the Constitution.[1][2]
The house is also a place to consider the people whose labor sustained the household. The Marshalls enslaved people, and the site’s interpretation addresses the lives and resistance of those held in bondage. Today, visitors can take a guided interior tour and explore free outdoor panels about the workyard and Marshall’s law office.[3][4]
Plan a trip to John Marshall House
Why visit the John Marshall House?
The house makes national constitutional history tangible in a personal setting: Marshall’s home was where he lived with his family, worked, and received visitors. Its rooms and surviving family objects help connect his public role to ordinary domestic life. The visit also makes space for a fuller account of the household, including enslaved people whose work and experiences are part of the site’s history.[5][6]
Start here
Start with a guided tour of the house, then take time to read the outdoor interpretive panels about the workyard and law office. If you are planning to go inside, check the site’s current tour schedule and ticket information before setting out; hours and availability can change.[7]
What to see and do
Tour the historic house
Join a ticketed, guided interior tour to see the home’s rooms and furnishings and learn about Marshall’s life and judicial career. Tours are listed as 45 minutes; confirm current schedule and availability before visiting.
Explore the outdoor panels
The free, self-guided outdoor exhibit interprets the house’s workyard and Marshall’s law office. It offers a useful way to understand the larger household complex beyond the surviving residence.
Look for the lives behind the household
Bring the stories of enslaved people into your visit. Preservation Virginia’s Voices Remembered project presents research on people connected to the house, including accounts of resistance and self-emancipation.
Notice the house as a workplace
Marshall’s home was more than a private residence: he worked on legal and public matters there and hosted political and professional guests. The rooms help reveal how domestic and civic life overlapped in the early republic.
Continue through Court End
The house is within walking distance of other historic attractions in Richmond’s Court End neighborhood, including the Virginia State Capitol and Virginia Museum of History and Culture.
History and significance
John Marshall built the house in 1790 in Richmond’s Court End neighborhood. He served as chief justice of the United States from 1801 until his death in 1835, spending much of his time at home when not engaged in judicial duties. His tenure helped establish the Supreme Court as a central institution in the federal government, and the house connects that national story to his family life in Richmond.[8][9]
Enslaved people lived and labored in the Marshall household. Their stories, including documented acts of resistance, are part of the site’s interpretation and should be considered alongside the history of the chief justice and his family.[10][11]
After the Marshall family sold the property to the City of Richmond in 1907, the house faced demolition. In 1911, it was placed in the care of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, now Preservation Virginia, and preserved as a museum. The house is listed as a National Historic Landmark and appears on Virginia’s historic registers.[12]
Planning a visit
The address is 818 East Marshall Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. Preservation Virginia lists interior tours from March through December on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with ticket prices and tour details subject to change. Check the official site or contact the house before your visit for current hours, admission, and availability. Group and private tours may also be arranged.[13]
The grounds include a free outdoor exhibit. Preservation Virginia reports that metered street parking is available nearby and that paid garages are within walking distance; availability and parking rules may vary. The organization lists 804-648-7998 and johnmarshallhouse@preservationvirginia.org for visitor inquiries.[14]
Nearby attractions
Virginia State Capitol
Visit Virginia’s capitol building, a prominent historic site in the Court End area.
Virginia Museum of History and Culture
Explore Virginia history through the museum’s collections and exhibitions.
Richmond
Use the city guide to find more museums, historic sites, neighborhoods, and places to eat.
Travel books and maps: Browse related Virginia travel books and maps on Amazon
References
- ↑ John Marshall House, Preservation Virginia. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ “The Great Chief Justice” at Home, National Park Service. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ John Marshall House, Preservation Virginia. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ Stories: John Marshall House, Voices Remembered. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ “The Great Chief Justice” at Home, National Park Service. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ Stories: John Marshall House, Voices Remembered. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ John Marshall House, Preservation Virginia. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ John Marshall House, Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ “The Great Chief Justice” at Home, National Park Service. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ John Marshall House, Visit Richmond. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ Stories: John Marshall House, Voices Remembered. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ John Marshall House, Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ John Marshall House, Preservation Virginia. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ John Marshall House, Preservation Virginia. Retrieved 2026-10-24.