Arrowhead
Also known as: DHR File No. 02-195
Why it's listed
Arrowhead is a 21-acre farm at the foot of Dudley Mountain, south of Charlottesville in Albemarle County. Its centerpiece is a two-story frame farmhouse built around 1859-1860 by local farmer Henry Carter Moore in a vernacular Greek Revival style. The house has an unusual four-room plan with the stair rising from the corner of the front hall, and the nomination describes it as a rare unaltered example in the county. Two wings were added about 1900 and 1907 by Samuel B. Woods to house his large family. The farm also keeps a log kitchen, a brick smokehouse, a combined icehouse and carriage house, and a board-and-batten tenant cottage with scalloped trim. Earlier owners included Governor Thomas W. Gilmer. The Woods family bought the farm in 1890. Reverend Edgar Woods founded Pantops Academy and wrote a county history, and his son Samuel B. Woods became Charlottesville's first mayor and an orchardist.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents Arrowhead as a well-preserved mid-nineteenth-century farmstead in its agricultural setting. Its vernacular Greek Revival house has a rare, unaltered four-room plan, and it keeps a good group of service buildings and a board-and-batten tenant house. It was also owned by notable figures, including Governor Thomas W. Gilmer and the Woods family, whose members founded Pantops Academy and served as Charlottesville's first mayor.
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 91000885, listed July 9, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E side US 29, 1.5 mi. NE of jct. with VA 608, Charlottesville |
|---|---|
| County | Albemarle County |
| Listed | July 9, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000885 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1859-1907 |
| Architect / builder | Henry Carter Moore (built the oldest section of the house); Samuel B. Woods (added the two early 1900s wings) |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival; Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Single dwelling in current use; buildings range from fair to good condition, and the owner was renovating and restoring the house at the time of the form. |
| Acreage | 21.1 |
| Coordinates | 37.98045, -78.59487 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 91000885.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14711977
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.