Long Grass
Why it's listed
Long Grass is a farm of about forty acres on the shore of the John H. Kerr Reservoir in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, farmed by generations of the Tarry family since the early 1800s. Its two-story frame house began as a small hall-parlor dwelling around 1800. A formal north wing was added about 1840, and a full second story was added to the older wing in the 1850s. Both changes are attributed to the regional builder Jacob W. Holt, and the porches show the shift in his style between the two decades. Around the house stand a log schoolhouse, a kitchen and laundry, a smokehouse and an ice house. Farther out are a livestock barn and carriage house, a log tenant house, a pack house with an ordering pit, and two tobacco barns. George P. Tarry ran the 3,000-acre farm around 1900. The property was recognized for its agricultural and architectural importance between about 1800 and 1945.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | ca. 1800-1945 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Acreage | 40 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Long Grass (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.