Ball-Sellers House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Set on an open lot in the Glencarlyn section of Arlington County, this modest house combines a one-story log section from the mid- to late eighteenth century with a two-story frame wing built in 1885. A frame lean-to was added soon after the log house went up. Its loft holds a rare clapboard roof of riven oak, about four feet long, protected by a later roof built around it. Whitewashed rafters, lathing and clay daubing also survive. The land was part of a 1742 grant to John Ball, who is believed to have built the original house. It later passed to William Carlin and his sons, and in 1887 the farm was developed as an early commuter suburb, named Glencarlyn in 1896. The house is probably the oldest in Arlington County. It was given to the Arlington Historical Society in 1975, which plans a residence in the newer wing and a museum in the log section.
Significance in brief: The nomination points to the rare surviving clapboard roof in the loft, preserved under a later outer roof. It is probably the oldest house in Arlington County. It is also tied to the Ball and Carlin families and to the farm that became the Glencarlyn suburb.
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 75002014, listed July 17, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5620 S. 3rd St., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Arlington County |
| Listed | July 17, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75002014 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th and 19th centuries (specific date c. 1750) |
| Architect / builder | John Ball is believed to have built the original log section and lean-to |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and altered, on its original site. Recently given to the Arlington Historical Society, which is renovating the later wing as a residence and plans to use the log section and lean-to as a museum. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Glencarlyn Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.86363, -77.12500 (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 75002014.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4851170
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.