Trevor Dickerson provided this history about Henley House:
There are not many sites left that reflect the once rural character of Short Pump in western Henrico County. Henley House was an example of rural architecture built in the late 1800s or early 1900s. It was located on West Broad Street just west of Short Pump Town Center, is the second of these buildings. Due to ever expanding development, the house was unfortunately demolished.
According to Trevor Dickerson, who has recorded much of the history of Short Pump:
"The Henley house was a really amazing example of a late 19th century house of its type. It had many huge windows to allow light into the house before electricity came about, and just had a lot of character. The inside was filled with old papers and such, which I sorted through when I went inside, but didn't find anything of historical value other than some 1950's newspapers and other things.
There was a big shed in the back yard with a deep basement, also filled with interesting things. It was very dark and damp down there though and I didn't have a good enough flashlight to really check everything out. I contacted someone with the County about it and they said they were looking into the historic value of the house. In my opinion it was almost beyond repair after someone must have come and heavily damaged the interior and broken through walls, ceilings, etc. But it was still a remarkable structurally-sound house.
I also had remembered talking to the last owner out at Field Day of the Past a couple years ago and I called her up after going through the place to ask her about it. She said the unusual shed out back was used as an antique shop run by her family in the 1970's and that they had gone back through the house and taken a window for each of their children and grandchildren for sentimental value."
The loss of this home is also a loss to our local history.
Rebecca Massey provided additional information. She is the great-granddaughter of the Henleys who built the house:
The house was built and owned by Courtney Willis Henley and his wife, Gertrude Ann Proffitt Henley. They were married March 27, 1912. Courtney was one of 8 boys. His brother Edward Harry Henley lived in a house just down from him behind the old parsonage (where Fink's Jewelers is today).Courtney and Gertrude raised 8 children in that house: Katherine Deed (Ellis) , Etta Gertrude (Bethel), Wilma Lucille (Westbrook), Mason Jesse Henley, Woodrow Wilson Henley, Ellen Ruth (Hockaday), Martha Byrd (Kirkland), and Eleanor Montgomery (Hockaday).
Courtney's father was James Leonard Henley and his mother was Louisa Ellen Henderson.
Gertrude's father was Jesse Proffitt, Sr., and her mother was Porter Pleasants.
Courtney worked as a carpenter and later as a poultry farmer. Gertrude ran her own retail business called, "The Crochet Bag" on the family property where she sold her own hand-crafted crochet items, antiques and gifts. Sales were advertised in the Richmond Times Dispatch. One of her crocheted doilies is on display at a museum in Richmond.
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