Ware Neck Store and Post Office
Also known as: Vdhr #036-5016; Nuttall's Country Store
Why it's listed
Ware Neck Store and Post Office is a two-story frame building with a three-bay front and flanking 1½-story wings, located where State Routes 692 and 623 meet on Ware Neck in Gloucester County. Arthur W. Tabb built the central block in 1877, close to Hockley Wharf, where goods and steamboat passengers arrived. Over the following decades the store was enlarged twice, and residential sections were added to the north for the owners and their families. A post office has operated in the building since 1886. Inside, the store retains beaded-board walls, original curved counters, an open staircase and an early north door. The 1877 store, its additions and its continuing use led to its recognition for commerce and architecture. Few late nineteenth-century stores in the county survive, and many waterfront stores were lost or altered after steamboat service ended and automobiles took over. Its location at a road intersection helped it adapt to that change. Modern alterations include a garage and some vinyl siding.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of the most intact late nineteenth-century rural stores in the region and still performs its historic functions as a store and post office. It meets Criterion A for commerce, through its role for local residents and steamboat traffic from nearby Hockley Wharf, and Criterion C for architecture as a vernacular store building.
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 09000393, listed June 3, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6495 VA 629, Ware Neck |
|---|---|
| County | Gloucester County |
| Listed | June 3, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000393 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1877-1959 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (built for Arthur W. Tabb) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a community store and post office; the attached residence is used largely for office space and storage. |
| Acreage | 3.6 |
| Coordinates | 37.40305, -76.45911 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 09000393.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16902895
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.