Needham
Why it's listed
Needham is a two-story frame house of central-hall, single-pile plan with beaded clapboard siding, standing north of Farmville in Cumberland County. It was probably built in 1802 for Creed Taylor, a judge of the Superior Court of Chancery, state senator and legal educator. In 1821 Taylor founded a law school at the house, the first proprietary law school in Virginia. Students practiced in a moot court that met in his office or in an upstairs room. Known students include John Minor Botts, Sterling Price and William Yates Gholson, along with several congressmen and delegates. Taylor died in 1836 and was buried in the family cemetery on the property. The house keeps much of its original fabric, including four Federal-style mantels with fluted pilasters, six-panel doors, brass hardware, wide pine flooring and an unusually detailed stair. A rear ell was added in 1929. The property was listed for its link to legal education, to Taylor, and for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to Creed Taylor, a judge, legislator and legal educator who ran Virginia's first proprietary law school here from 1821 to about 1830. Several of his students went on to national political careers. It is also a well-preserved example of rural Federal-style domestic architecture, notable for its original woodwork, mantels, brass hardware and stair.
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 88002059, listed November 10, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | VA 45, 1.4 mi. N of jct. with US 460, Farmville |
|---|---|
| County | Cumberland County |
| Listed | November 10, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002059 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1802-36 |
| Architect / builder | Creed Taylor |
| Architectural style | Early Republic - Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently in use as a single-family residence; asbestos siding on the rear portions was being removed at the time of the form. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 37.32245, -78.38487 (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 88002059.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6986539
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.