Brick House
Also known as: Woodland
Why it's listed
Woodlands, historically called Brick House, is a brick plantation house set in a park of old trees in southern Brunswick County, Virginia. It began about 1831-34 as a two-story, single-pile "I" house built by John L. Wilkins on land assembled by William E. Brodnax, with an ell added for Wilkins's widowed sister and her children. In 1860 Alexander J. Brodnax, a doctor, remodeled it using a plan from Samuel Sloan's The Model Architect, a copy of which remains in the house. The work added a massive Italianate portico across the east front, a rebuilt roof, a rear parlor and bedroom, and a new stair. The remodeling is attributed to builder Jacob Holt, whose Shadow Lawn and Eureka in Mecklenburg County show similar features. Inside, Federal mantels and trim survive alongside Italianate details and family furnishings. The property is significant as an outstanding example of a Federal "I" house transformed into a temple-front residence. It has remained in the Brodnax family.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an outstanding example of a ca. 1831-33 "I" house remodeled into a highly stylized temple-front residence. The 1860 remodeling was influenced by Philadelphia taste and adapted from a plan in Samuel Sloan's The Model Architect. Its features resemble documented works of Southside builder Jacob Holt.
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 82004544, listed July 8, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | VA 659, White Plains |
|---|---|
| County | Brunswick County |
| Listed | July 8, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82004544 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Attributed (1860) Jacob Holt |
| Architectural style | Federal "I" house remodeled with Italianate temple-front portico (1860) |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, occupied as a private residence, and maintained in good condition; Brodnax descendants own and occupy it. |
| Acreage | 33 |
| Coordinates | 36.64827, -77.98800 (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 82004544.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712069
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.