Montrose
Also known as: VDHR file # 026-0031
Why it's listed
Montrose is a frame farmhouse near McKenney in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, begun around 1825 as a three-bay, story-and-a-half dwelling with a center hall, pedimented dormers and stone end chimneys with brick stacks. Over time it grew into an L-shaped house. After the Civil War a former law office was moved to the rear to serve as an attached kitchen, and porches were enlarged in the 1890s and 1920s. Inside are an Adam-style dining room mantel with sunburst detail, late Georgian bedroom mantels and false-grained doors. A board-and-batten smokehouse stands to the west. Montrose was the birthplace in 1828 of Roger Atkinson Pryor, a lawyer, newspaperman, Confederate general and later New York judge, and it is the only surviving house his family owned. The Baskerville family lived there for generations. A 1970 county survey suggests at least half of the earlier buildings it recorded are gone, which makes Montrose a rare survivor. It was restored in the 1990s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that Montrose is a typical small Virginia farmhouse that evolved over time, with changes reflecting post-Civil War social and economic shifts and the arrival of electricity and running water. It is also the birthplace of Confederate General Roger Atkinson Pryor in 1828. It is described as a rare survivor, since at least half of the pre-Greek Revival buildings surveyed in the county in 1970 have been lost.
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 04000855, listed August 11, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 19216 Old White Oak Rd., McKenney |
|---|---|
| County | Dinwiddie County |
| Listed | August 11, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000855 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1825-1950 |
| Architectural style | Early Republic; Federal I-house |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house was restored in the 1990s after sitting long vacant and is now used as a weekend home; the smokehouse survives and the cattle shed is used as a woodshed and storage. |
| Acreage | 16.5 |
| Coordinates | 37.00762, -77.77720 (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 04000855.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712886
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.