Wyndhurst
Why it's listed
Wyndhurst, at 605 Preston Place in Charlottesville, is a two-story, three-bay, double-pile house built in 1857 and finished in white weatherboard. It sits on a high brick foundation and has a low hip roof of standing-seam metal. Greek Revival details include a four-panel entrance door with sidelights and a transom, a one-story porch with square paneled pillars, and an extremely wide central hall with an open stair. Sally Ann McCoy and others bought the tract in 1857, and Thomas and Anna Preston acquired the farm in 1863. Union soldiers raided the house during the occupation of Charlottesville in March 1865. The farm was later subdivided, and the house became the manor house associated with the Preston Heights area. Charity Pitts ran a boarding house there for university students from 1930 until 1970. The building was then divided into four apartments, keeping most of its original fabric. Additions at the east side and rear reflect later changes.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as the manor house of the farm that now makes up the Preston Heights section of the city. It was raided by Union soldiers during the brief occupation of Charlottesville in March 1865. It is also a large vernacular building with Greek Revival details.
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 82001816, listed October 21, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 605 Preston Pl., Charlottesville (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Charlottesville |
| Listed | October 21, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001816 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular with Greek Revival details |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good; in use as a rental property with four apartments. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Rugby Road-University Corner Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.04194, -78.49866 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 82001816.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16903793
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.