Greenville
Why it's listed
Greenville is a large brick residence on a farm near Raccoon's Ford in Culpeper County, Virginia. Built in 1854 for Philip Pendleton Nalle, it rises three stories above an English basement and is dominated by a three-story Tuscan portico of stuccoed brick columns carrying a deep bracketed entablature. That cornice hides a rare M-shaped roof. Inside, a central hall holds an open-well stair, and original pine floors, plaster walls, paneled doors and simple Doric mantels survive. A brick outbuilding stands behind the house. The nomination values the house for its grandiose, freely interpreted Classical Revival design, which resembles buildings of the deep South more than those of Virginia, and for its late date, since few great country houses were built in central Virginia just before the Civil War. The builder was never identified. During 1863-1864 the property lay between Union and Confederate lines. The house left the Nalle family in 1918, was occupied only sporadically afterward, and is described as abandoned.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an unusually large and showy Piedmont rural residence, freely interpreted from the Classical Revival, with massive three-story Tuscan columns, a tall Italianate bracketed entablature and a rare M roof. Its late construction is notable because few great country houses were built in central Virginia just before the Civil War. It also stood between Union and Confederate lines in 1863-1864.
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 80004184, listed March 17, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NE of Raccoon's Ford, Raccoon's Ford |
|---|---|
| County | Culpeper County |
| Listed | March 17, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80004184 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival with Italianate bracketed entablature |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as sporadically occupied since the house was sold out of the builder's family in 1918, and presently abandoned; condition is rated good. |
| Acreage | 3.5 |
| Coordinates | 38.37357, -77.91944 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 80004184.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712398
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.