Bourne, Stephen G., House
Also known as: Bourne-Hale House; VDHR file# 038-0018
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Why it's listed
Set among meadows, hills and mountains in Spring Valley, near Fries in Grayson County, Virginia, this two-story log house was built around 1829-1830 for Stephen Gray Bourne. It has weatherboarded walls, a fieldstone foundation, a gable roof of pressed metal shingles and brick end chimneys. Inside are two rooms of unequal size, each with its own enclosed winder stair, flush-board wainscot, molded trim and Federal-style mantels. A kitchen and dining room were added at the back in the 1800s, and more rooms were added in 1947. The farm also retains a dovetail-notched log smokehouse, a frame barn, a corncrib and a Bourne family cemetery. The Bourne family kept the house until a public auction in 1908, when June Piper Hale bought it. It was listed for its architecture, as a rare, well-preserved example of a regionally popular log house type with early decorative details, protected over time by two families.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an important and rare survival of a substantial, well-preserved log house type that was popular in the region. It has early decorative details, including Federal-style mantels, wainscot and molded trim. It has been preserved by two families, the Bournes and the Hales, and reflects the way of life of early settlers in mountainous southwestern Virginia.
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 04000483, listed August 26, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6707 Spring Valley Rd., Fries |
|---|---|
| County | Grayson County |
| Listed | August 26, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000483 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1829-1953 |
| Architect / builder | Stephen Gray Bourne |
| Architectural style | Other: Log House |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, with the only alteration being added modern conveniences; still used as a single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 98.1 |
| Coordinates | 36.73652, -81.07952 (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 04000483.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14713259
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.