Miller, Henry, House
Why it's listed
Set on a knoll in the rolling farmland of northern Augusta County, this large house combines a late 18th-century stone core with a mid-19th-century brick ell. Ironmaster Henry Miller, who died in 1796, built the stone section, probably in the mid-1780s. It is two stories of coursed rubble with an ashlar facade, a seven-bay front, stone end chimneys, and a long porch with Tuscan columns. Its side-passage, three-room plan reflects English Georgian ideas adapted from the German Continental house. Other German-influenced features include several exterior entrances on different levels, an attic stair to storage above the collar beams, and a subterranean dairy in the brick ell. Miller founded the Mossy Creek iron furnace, which made stoves, kettles, tools and Revolutionary War cannon. Later owners continued the ironworks into the Civil War era. A stone kitchen, a springhouse and a bank barn complex remain on the property.
Significance in brief: The house is a rare, carefully crafted example of a large late 18th-century Shenandoah Valley residence. It shows how German building practices were adapted to the predominantly English culture of Virginia. It is also tied to Henry Miller, an important figure in early industrial western Virginia who founded the Mossy Creek iron furnace.
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 79003029, listed May 23, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E of Mossy Creek on VA 42, Mossy Creek |
|---|---|
| County | Augusta County |
| Listed | May 23, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003029 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Henry Miller |
| Architectural style | Side-passage plan blending English Georgian and German (Continental) traditions |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition, occupied as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Coordinates | 38.35740, -79.02781 (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 79003029.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712521
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.