Site 44GL103-Quest End
Also known as: Site 44GL103; DHR File #036-5047
Why it's listed
Site 44GL103, known as Quest End, occupies seven acres on a narrow peninsula along Wilson Creek in Gloucester County, Virginia. Its earliest historic occupation was a late 17th-century tobacco farmstead, followed in the early 18th century by a large brick house with a partially plastered cellar measuring 36 by 20 feet. Artifacts such as colonoware and modified pewter spoons point to enslaved Africans living on the plantation, which appears to have been abandoned by about 1800. Archaeological work in the 1970s, 1990s and 2000s found intact, stratified deposits, including a filled inlet. The standing two-story frame house, barn and smokehouse date from about 1900 and were built by local carpenter James William Davis Collier. The house was enlarged in 1912 and again around 1935, using plans by Richmond architect Marion Dimmock, Jr., and it incorporates doors and mantels salvaged from other local historic buildings. Together the resources document early colonial settlement and rural life in the early twentieth century.
Significance in brief: The site holds intact, stratified deposits from a late 17th-century farmstead and an early 18th-century brick house, one of the earliest brick foundations in Gloucester County, with evidence of enslaved Africans living there. The c. 1900 house, barn and smokehouse, built by a local carpenter, represent a vanishing type of rural farm architecture and include salvaged elements and 1930s plans by a Richmond architect.
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 08000387, listed May 9, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5488 & 5476 Roanes Wharf Rd., Selden |
|---|---|
| County | Gloucester County |
| Listed | May 9, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000387 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Architect / builder | James William Davis Collier (local carpenter, built the c. 1900 house, barn and smokehouse); Marion Dimmock, Jr. (Richmond architect, c. 1935 expansion plans) |
| Architectural style | Other |
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Contributing resources are described as in excellent condition; the house is a residence and the surrounding land is used as gardens, pasture and fields. |
| Acreage | 7 |
| Coordinates | 37.36269, -76.46995 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
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 08000387.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14713209
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.