Howard's Neck Plantation
Why it's listed
Howard's Neck is a James River plantation in Goochland County, Virginia, set on one of the highest points of a bend in the upper James. Charles Fleming patented the land in 1714, and Allen Howard renamed it in the 1740s. Edward Cunningham, a Richmond industrialist, bought it in 1807 and later built the present two-story Federal house of Flemish bond brick. It has a shallow deck-on-hip roof, a Doric cornice and a small tetrastyle Roman Doric portico. Inside are marble mantels, plaster cornices and a spiral stair. Tradition links the design to Robert Mills, and the house resembles Richmond buildings that have since been demolished. The grounds keep an older farm dwelling, a brick kitchen, an orangery, boxwood gardens, carriage houses, a tobacco barn and three log slave quarters along a plantation street. The Hobson family owned the property from 1850 to 1945. It remains a working farm and was recognized for its architecture and its nearly complete set of ante-bellum outbuildings.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls the house an outstanding example of the later, classical revival phase of Federal architecture, with ties to Richmond architecture of the period and to the style of Robert Mills. It also notes that the plantation has one of the most complete sets of ante-bellum outbuildings in Virginia, including three rare log slave quarters on a plantation street.
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 72001398, listed February 23, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1 mi. NW of Pemberton, Pemberton |
|---|---|
| County | Goochland County |
| Listed | February 23, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001398 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th and 19th centuries (boxes checked; no specific years given) |
| Architect / builder | Built by Edward Cunningham; tradition holds that plans were provided by Robert Mills, but the form says his formal engagement is uncertain |
| Architectural style | Federal (later or classical revival phase) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still a productive farm and private residence; condition marked good and unaltered. |
| Acreage | 1450 |
| Coordinates | 37.67940, -78.09112 (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 72001398.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712584
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.