Church Home for Aged, Infirm and Disabled Colored People
Also known as: Three Angels Inn; DHR No. 012-0126
Why it's listed
Built in 1891 on the brick foundation of an earlier hospital lost to fire, this three-story frame building in Brodnax, Virginia, once served needy Black residents of Brunswick County. The Church Home for Aged, Infirm and Disabled Colored People was incorporated by the General Assembly in 1882 and opened in 1883. Martha "Pattie" Hicks Buford founded it after years of teaching freed people, and she raised money from Episcopal congregations in the North. The 6,000-square-foot building has a slate clipped-gable roof, a wide center hall on each floor, high ceilings, and four rooms per level. An 1890s-era supervisor's residence and a smokehouse also survive, and a 1950s milking barn does not contribute. Hospital records show patient counts rising through the 1890s. The hospital operated until 1907, after which the property reverted to Buford's family and became a private residence. It now operates as a bed and breakfast inn. The property is recognized for its role in health care, African American history and social history after Reconstruction.
Significance in brief: The Church Home was an unusual institution for freedmen, a hospital for Black residents of Southside Virginia after Reconstruction, when medical facilities for them were lacking. It is also the property most closely associated with Martha "Pattie" Hicks Buford, who raised funds across the North to run the hospital and schools. A later amendment shortened the period of significance to start in 1891, when the oldest surviving building was constructed.
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 04000910, listed August 26, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 236 Pleasant Grove Rd., Broadnax |
|---|---|
| County | Brunswick County |
| Listed | August 26, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000910 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1891-1907 (amended from 1866-1907) |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Health/Medicine, Black, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The main house is now used as a bed and breakfast inn, and the remaining outbuildings are used for storage. |
| Acreage | 4.2 |
| Coordinates | 36.74620, -77.88075 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 04000910.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712172
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.