McVean, David, House
Also known as: McVean-Jones-Reeves House
Why it's listed
Built in 1832 for David McVean, a Scottish-born wheat farmer and community leader, this brick house on North Road in Scottsville, Monroe County, is a well-preserved example of Federal-period design. The five-by-three-bay main block is laid in Flemish bond on a cut-stone foundation and has a Palladian window above the entrance. Inside, a double-pile plan, reeded door and window surrounds, simple three-block mantels and seven fireplaces survive, including a large cooking fireplace in the basement kitchen. The roof was raised in the mid-nineteenth century, and modern kitchen and mechanical systems were added around 1934, but the house otherwise changed little. McVean served as Wheatland town supervisor and was the first in town to use a portable threshing machine. Architect Carl Schmidt featured the house in his publications, and a 2003 survey called it one of the most important Federal-style houses in the area. Its builders remain unidentified.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a highly intact example of Federal-period residential design in the Scottsville area. It combines a traditional five-bay Georgian form with Federal decoration and shows fine brickwork and woodwork. It is also tied to David McVean, a prominent local wheat farmer and town supervisor, and was praised by architect Carl Schmidt and a 2003 survey.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 05001531, listed January 18, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 805 North Rd., Scottsville |
|---|---|
| County | Monroe County |
| Listed | January 18, 2006 |
| Reference number | 05001531 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1832-1955 |
| Architectural style | Early Republic / Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; changes over time have not seriously compromised its integrity. |
| Acreage | 5.3 |
| Coordinates | 43.02808, -77.76036 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 05001531.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5237467
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.