Monte Vista
Also known as: Cedar Grove Farm; Heater House
Why it's listed
Monte Vista is a large red-brick house of three stories and five bays, built in 1883 for Charles W. Heater on part of the family's Cedar Grove farm south of Middletown, Virginia. A date stone beside the front door reads "C.W.H. 1883." The design mixes Eastlake and Queen Anne details, including a hipped slate roof with iron cresting, pedimented dormers with Diocletian windows, and a tall five-sided bay. A two-story portico was added around 1942. The five-acre lot retains a bank barn with cupola, a scale house from about 1907, a summer kitchen, smoke house, stone ice house and brick bake oven, some of which may predate the house. The nomination presents the house as having no rival in the countryside between Winchester and Woodstock. It also links the property to the Heater family, whose farm lay on both sides of the Valley Turnpike and was affected by the Battle of Cedar Creek in 1864. The house and its dependencies are in excellent condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a rare, high-style late-19th-century country residence in the lower Shenandoah Valley, combining Eastlake and Queen Anne features. It is described as the major domestic building of its period between Winchester and Woodstock. It was built for Charles W. Heater, a prominent farmer, and its intact farm dependencies and Heater family history add to its significance.
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 87002018, listed November 16, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 8100 US 11, Middletown |
|---|---|
| County | Frederick County |
| Listed | November 16, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87002018 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1843-1919; 1883 |
| Architectural style | Eastlake and Queen Anne elements (stylistically eclectic) |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition and occupied; used as a private residence and agriculture. The ice house has been converted to a rental residence. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 39.02025, -78.28905 (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 87002018.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712877
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.