Egglestetton
Why it's listed
Egglestetton is a colonial plantation house near Chula in Amelia County, Virginia, built for Joseph Eggleston, Jr. The exact date of construction is unknown, but architectural evidence points to a date no later than the 1770s. The frame house is about 28 by 60 feet, one and a half stories tall, with a gambrel roof, shed dormers and five bays across each front. Inside, a center passage with a closed-string stair is flanked by rooms with paneled end walls and fluted pilasters. One fireplace has a bolection molding, a rare feature in the South. Eggleston served as a major under "Light Horse Harry" Lee in the Continental Army and later as a Virginia congressman from 1798 to 1801. A restoration in 1972-73 added a rear bedroom wing designed to match the original. The nominated 16 acres also include an early nineteenth-century kitchen and several twentieth-century outbuildings.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is distinguished by its picturesque exterior and exceptionally fine, well-preserved interior woodwork, including paneled end walls and a rare bolection-molded fireplace for the South. It was built for Joseph Eggleston, Jr. (1754-1811), a major under "Light Horse Harry" Lee in the Continental Army and a Virginia congressman from 1798 to 1801.
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 80004167, listed March 28, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NW of Chula, Chula |
|---|---|
| County | Amelia County |
| Listed | March 28, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80004167 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century |
| Architectural style | Colonial plantation house with gambrel roof |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Good state of preservation after an extensive restoration in 1972-73; occupied as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 16 |
| Coordinates | 37.39804, -77.98508 (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 80004167.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712276
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.