White Hall
Why it's listed
White Hall is a brick dwelling on the Ware River in Gloucester County, Virginia, built about 1836 by Dr. Samuel Powell Byrd. It rises two and a half stories above a high basement, with a gable roof and pediments holding lunette windows. Porches on the river and land fronts are modern, and a brick wing extends to the south. Inside, a stair passage crosses the land front and opens into large rooms facing the river. The house replaced an earlier stuccoed brick dwelling on land long held by the Willis family and later by Richard Corbin. It is significant as a fine example of the temple-form house common in the region in the early 1800s, with side chimneys that leave the rear wall clear. Its classical form is tied to the neo-classical ideals of the young nation. John G. Hayes carried out a restoration around 1938. The 6.8-acre property includes a cedar-lined drive and several early outbuildings.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents White Hall as an excellent example of the temple-form house popular in the region in the early 19th century. Its classical, pedimented mass is described as expressing the neo-classical spirit of the new nation. Its side-passage plan, with a transverse stair passage and side chimneys that leave the rear elevation clear, is described as the ultimate development of this plan type. It also succeeded an earlier brick house associated with the Willis family.
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 84003540, listed August 16, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | VA 668, Zanoni |
|---|---|
| County | Gloucester County |
| Listed | August 16, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003540 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1836 |
| Architectural style | Temple-form dwelling with neo-classical character |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as maintained in excellent condition, altered somewhat but largely original; used as a private residence and occupied. |
| Acreage | 6.8 |
| Coordinates | 37.36987, -76.47107 (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 84003540.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7994764
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.