Greenway Court
The pin is a point inside the NPS boundary polygon, not a surveyed location.
Why it's listed
Greenway Court, about 1.2 miles south of White Post in Clarke County, Virginia, was the frontier manor of Thomas, Lord Fairfax, proprietor of the five million acre Northern Neck grant. Fairfax laid out his residence here in 1747 and lived on the estate until his death in 1781, the only peer to make his chief residence in America. His story-and-a-half manor house is gone; it was torn down after its roof collapsed in 1834. What remains is a thick-walled limestone Land Office, probably built in 1762, where quit rents were received and land records kept, and where George Washington, hired as a surveyor from 1749 to 1751, probably stored his instruments. A log smokehouse with a conical roof stands nearby, and a brick farmhouse from about 1828 is still used as a residence. The Land Office was restored in 1930 but has since deteriorated. The nominated area covers about five acres.
Significance in brief: It was the wilderness manor of Lord Fairfax, proprietor of the five million acre Northern Neck of Virginia. Fairfax collected quit rents and kept land records at the Land Office. The young George Washington worked for him as a surveyor from 1749 to 1751 and probably kept his instruments there.
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 66000829, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1 mi. S of White Post on VA 277, White Post |
|---|---|
| County | Clarke County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000829 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century (specific dates 1748, 1781) |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated October 9, 1960 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The original manor house was torn down after its roof collapsed in 1834. The Land Office, restored in 1930, and the smokehouse have deteriorated from disuse, and the 1828 brick farmhouse is a private residence. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 39.04624, -78.11901 (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 66000829.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5604784
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.