Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park
Why it's listed
Belle Grove is a one-and-one-half story manor house of locally cut limestone with a hipped roof, located south of Middletown in Virginia's northern Shenandoah Valley. The front wall is laid in hand-cut ashlar blocks, while the sides and rear use random coursing, and a one-story Roman portico anchors both main facades. Inside, the rooms are arranged symmetrically around a long central hall, with carved paneling, mantels and woodwork, an especially fine parlor, and a concealed stairway rising from a hall closet. Major Isaac Hite, grandson of early Valley pioneer and major landholder Jost Hite, built the house, which was completed in 1797. Its ties to the Hite family connect it to the settlement of this part of Virginia. On October 19, 1864, the property was at the center of the Battle of Cedar Creek, the decisive Civil War battle in the Valley, and Union General Philip Sheridan used the house as his headquarters. It now forms part of a national historical park.
Significance in brief: The house was built by Major Isaac Hite, grandson of Jost Hite, one of the largest landholders and earliest pioneers in the Shenandoah Valley, linking it to the region's settlement. On October 19, 1864, it was the scene of the Battle of Cedar Creek, the decisive Civil War battle in the Valley, and served as Union General Philip Sheridan's headquarters.
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 04000273, listed December 19, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Address restricted by the NPS (common for archaeological sites and some private homes) |
|---|---|
| County | Frederick County |
| Listed | December 19, 2002 |
| Reference number | 04000273 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Major Isaac Hite (builder); Thomas Jefferson is said in a press release to have assisted with the design |
| Areas of significance | Military, Agriculture, Architecture, Ethnic Heritage-Black, Archeology-Historic Non-Aboriginal, Archeology-Prehistoric, Other |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated as a historic house museum; the 1969 form rates its condition as fair and notes it is occupied and open to the public. |
| Acreage | 3137 |
| Within district | Cedar Creek Battlefield and Belle Grove |
| Coordinates | 39.02228, -78.29968 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 04000273.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.