VA SJR173

Chester and Barbara Ehrenzeller are commended by the Virginia General Assembly for 50 years of ownership of Broad Bay Manor in Virginia Beach, one of the oldest European-built houses in the United States

Broad Bay Manor's original structure dates to 1640, when English trader Thomas Allen built a one-room Flemish bond brick house on 550 acres in Elizabeth City County

The property passed through several notable families including the Cornicks (late 17th century-1847), Doziers, Ferebees, and the Dey family, with John B. Dey conducting major renovations after purchasing it at auction in 1914

The Ehrenzellers purchased the home in 1975 from Furman Dey and have since added a 1980 addition, a brick wall, and a recent addition to house their antique collections

The celebration of their 50th anniversary of ownership on July 4, 2026, coincides with the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States