Gray, Harry W., House
Also known as: 000-0515
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
Built in 1881 at 1005 South Quinn Street in Arlington, Virginia, this two-story brick house reflects the Italianate style, with a decorative bracketed entablature, a full-width front porch, and a freestanding rowhouse form unusual for rural Arlington at the time. Harry W. Gray, born into slavery at Arlington House, built it himself using masonry skills learned there and in local brickyards, along with architectural ideas he saw while working in Washington, D.C. Gray and his wife bought a nine-acre tract in Johnson's Hill, south of Freedman's Village. The house is valued as an example of the move from slavery to middle-class life after the Civil War and for its rarity as the only documented surviving example of its type in the county. It remained in the Gray family until 1979 and keeps its original side-hall plan and brick construction, with a small rear porch enclosed around 1960.
Significance in brief: It is recognized under Criterion A for its association with African American settlement and the rise from slavery to middle-class citizenship after the Civil War. Under Criterion C, it is a rare freestanding masonry rowhouse, described as the only surviving documented example of this building type in Arlington County, built by an amateur builder using skills learned at Arlington House and local brickyards.
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 04000051, listed February 11, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1005 S. Quinn St., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Arlington County |
| Listed | February 11, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000051 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1881-1913 |
| Architect / builder | GRAY, HARRY W. |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian / Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition with little exterior alteration since construction; still used as a single dwelling. Interior renovated circa 1979. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.86494, -77.07460 (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 04000051.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712503
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.