In My Opinion

A curved wooden banister with broken spindles inside the historic Lehman House. Featured in a Suffolk News-Herald editorial, reprinted in the In My Opinion blog on Truitt House Living.com (January 14, 2025), it symbolizes the fading grandeur of this 1891 French Second Empire home.

The Lehman House: A Forgotten Dream or a Future Hope?

Some homes hold dreams that were never fully realized. They stand as silent witnesses to aspirations, efforts, and, eventually, abandonment. The Lehman House is one such place. Built in 1891, it has been a cornerstone of Suffolk’s history, a beacon of culture, and a symbol of progress. Once grand and full of purpose, it now sits in quiet despair—its legacy fading, its future uncertain. Yet, in its weathered walls and forgotten corners, there is still hope.

A Legacy Worth Preserving

The Lehman House is no ordinary structure. Built for Nathan and Minnie Lehman, it is a rare and exquisite example of French Second Empire architecture, a style distinguished by its mansard roof, ornate moldings, and intricate detailing. Its presence once spoke to Suffolk’s growing prominence, reflecting a time when the city thrived with cultural and economic ambition. The house was a testament to the Lehmans’ vision and to the vibrancy of the community that surrounded it.

The Second Empire style, popular in the affluent Northeast and Midwest, is a rare find in the South, making the Lehman House an architectural gem of unique significance. To lose it would mean erasing a rare piece of Suffolk’s built heritage—one that connects us to an era of grandeur and ambition.

But this home was never just about its beauty. It was a place of gathering, learning, and community service. In 1926, it was purchased by The Woman’s Club of Suffolk and quickly became a hub for civic and cultural life. The house’s legacy includes hosting influential figures, such as First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and serving as the city’s first public library—opened with just 500 donated books and staffed entirely by volunteers for its first 15 years.

During World War II, the Lehman House became a USO center, offering servicemen a place of comfort and camaraderie in a time of uncertainty. The home provided a warm, welcoming space filled with conversation, games, and moments of respite. It was more than a house; it was a refuge, a cornerstone of Suffolk’s social and cultural landscape.

The Tragic Decline

Time has not been kind to the Lehman House. By the 1980s, The Woman’s Club saw a decline in membership, and the house changed hands multiple times. Each new owner had dreams of restoration and revitalization, but life intervened, and the once-proud home gradually fell into neglect. Over the past two decades, it has suffered from abandonment, vandalism, and decay.

Inside, echoes of its past still linger—drawings remain on the table, left untouched by an owner who once imagined a new future for the home. Neatly folded clothes and shoes sit in the kitchen, evidence of those who found shelter within its walls during desperate times. The house became a refuge for the homeless, offering them a place of safety even as its grandeur faded.

Sadly, looters stripped the home of its historic integrity—fireplace mantles, intricate tile work, and other timeless elements were stolen, piece by piece. What once stood as a showcase of craftsmanship and elegance now bears scars of loss and neglect.

To prevent further damage, plywood has been nailed over the open sections of the exterior—closing up the house, but also closing out those who once sought refuge within. A fragile barrier, it offers temporary protection but cannot safeguard the Lehman House’s true essence—the stories, the memories, and the potential that still reside within.

Why Isn’t This Enough?

In a city that invests in Main Street properties, erects monuments, and builds recreational facilities to breathe life into downtown, the question remains: why not extend that same commitment to preserving and repurposing a unique and historically significant home like the Lehman House?

Despite its storied past and architectural distinction, the house is now condemned and facing demolition. But is demolition truly the answer? What does Suffolk lose if we allow such a treasure to disappear?

Preserving historic properties like the Lehman House isn’t just about saving bricks and mortar; it’s about honoring the soul of a community. It’s about remembering the soldiers who found comfort here, the women who built Suffolk’s first library, and the generations who gathered within these walls to shape the future of their city.

When people fall in love with a place, they see its potential, its significance, and its future. The Lehman House offers an opportunity to reconnect Suffolk to its roots, to inspire new possibilities, and to ensure that our history isn’t lost to neglect and indifference.

A Call to Action

There was a time when the Lehman House was seen as little more than an eyesore—an aging structure that no longer fit into a city striving for modernity. But those who take the time to learn its history, to look beyond the decay, can see its true value.

Repurposing the Lehman House offers an opportunity to breathe new life into a landmark that has already given so much. Imagine it as a vibrant community space, an event venue, an educational center, or even a boutique business. The possibilities are endless, but only if we act now.

Preserving the Lehman House is about more than saving a building; it’s about safeguarding the spirit of Suffolk. This home stands as a reminder of what our city once was and what it could be again. But time is running out. Restoration requires more than nostalgia—it requires collective action, vision, and investment.

Can the City of Suffolk not give the same attention to this building’s preservation as it has to the historic Phoenix Bank? Both landmarks tell important stories of our past, and both deserve to be preserved for future generations.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Nothing has ever been achieved by the person who says, ‘It can’t be done.’” Saving the Lehman House is not impossible. With determination, creativity, and community support, it can once again stand as a testament to Suffolk’s resilience and rich heritage.

Let’s work together to ensure this treasure doesn’t become a forgotten relic of unrealized dreams.

If you believe in saving the Lehman House, join Preserving Historic Suffolk by reaching out at info@suffolkhistory.org. Together, we can honor its past and secure its future.

Let’s not allow another chapter of our city’s story to be erased.

Kristy McCormally is on the board of The Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society, the board of Preserving Historic Suffolk, a member if The Historic Landmarks Commission, and resides in a 1909 home in Downtown Suffolk.