Bank Building
Also known as: Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce
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Why it's listed
Built around 1820 in what was then Drummondtown, this two-story brick building with a full basement is regarded as Accomack County's best preserved Federal-style commercial structure. Michael Higgins and Alexander McCollom erected it after buying the lot in 1819, and it housed one of the county's principal mercantile businesses. After Higgins died in 1825, McCollom bought out his heirs. In 1867 Dr. Edward Young acquired the building, then called the Brick Store, and it passed to his granddaughter and her husband, Thomas W. Blackstone, who ran a private bank there. That bank gave the building its name. Notable features include Flemish bond brickwork with king closers, a modillion cornice with a fretwork frieze, and a fine fanlight in the gable end. A second-floor door marks where goods were once hoisted into storage. Its refined detailing and survival despite minor alterations led to its listing. It now serves as offices for the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it Accomack County's best preserved Federal-style commercial building and one of Virginia's finest high-style Federal-period commercial buildings. It housed one of the county's principal mercantile enterprises and later took its name from Thomas W. Blackstone's private bank. It shows how practical mercantile needs were combined with early-nineteenth-century architectural style.
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 74002099, listed July 23, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | No. 1 Court House Ave., Accomac |
|---|---|
| County | Accomack County |
| Listed | July 23, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74002099 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Michael Higgins and Alexander McCollom |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned and maintained by the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce and used as offices; condition marked as altered, with minor alterations noted. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.71115, -75.70158 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 74002099.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14691874
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.