Finney-Lee House
Also known as: VDHR File No. 33-179
Why it's listed
Completed in 1839 near Snow Creek in southern Franklin County, Virginia, this two-story Flemish-bond brick house was built for Peter and Ann Finney, who farmed a large tobacco and livestock plantation. Peter Finney died as the house was being finished. It later passed to his daughter Louisa and her husband Charles C. Lee, and the farm remained in Lee family hands for decades. The house has a symmetrical three-bay front and a center-passage plan. Inside, it keeps carved Federal-Greek Revival mantels, paneled wainscots, a scrolled stair and a second-floor "travelers room" once reached by its own stair, along with ceiling hooks for a quilt frame. A 1970s kitchen ell was added at the rear. The property also includes a fenced family cemetery with monuments to Peter Finney and the Lees, a ca. 1930 pack house, log tobacco barns and a 1950s dairy barn. Its architectural quality, especially the transitional detailing, is the basis for its listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an outstanding example of a transitional Federal-Greek Revival plantation house, primarily for the quality of its mantels, stair detailing and other interior features. Secondarily, it cites the outbuildings and landscape features. It is judged significant at the local level under Criterion C in architecture.
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 97000484, listed May 23, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 0.75 mi. N of jct. of VA 717 and VA 890, Snow Creek |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin (city and county) |
| Listed | May 23, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000484 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1839-1945 |
| Architect / builder | Mountjoy & Ligon (monument carvers) |
| Architectural style | Federal; Greek Revival (transitional Federal-Greek Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Retains good architectural integrity; modernizations are mostly in the basement and a 1970s rear ell. Historic domestic outbuildings such as the detached kitchen, meathouse and ice house are gone. The house is still used as a single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 114 |
| Coordinates | 36.83610, -79.79845 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 97000484.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712320
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.