Clark, Reuben, House
Also known as: Willow Dell
Why it's listed
Built in 1854 at 125 South Willard Avenue in Hampton, Virginia, Willow Dell was the home of Reuben Clark, a New York-born steamboat captain who became a merchant, ran a store and owned a tavern. The two-story wood-frame house follows the Picturesque style, with lattice-post porches, ornamental roof brackets and a shallow hip roof. The form suggests Clark drew on pattern books such as A.J. Downing's Cottage Residences. It is described as Hampton's only Picturesque example and one of its oldest surviving houses. A kitchen wing and an enlarged dining room were added between 1901 and 1904, with further additions in the 1920s, yet the original hall, stair and parlor mantels survive. The house occupies its original 1.8-acre lot, unusually large for Hampton. During the Civil War, Union forces used the well on the property to supply water to the steamship Minnesota. The covered well may hold archaeological evidence.
Significance in brief: It is one of Hampton's oldest surviving residences and its only example of the Picturesque style, with details likely drawn from A.J. Downing's Cottage Residences. The property also drew attention during the Civil War, when the Union Navy drew water from its large well for the boilers of the steamship Minnesota. The now-covered well has archaeological potential.
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 84003542, listed August 16, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 125 S. Willard Ave., Hampton (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Hampton |
| Listed | August 16, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003542 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1854 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Picturesque |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence; the form reports additions of 1901-04 and the 1920s, and says none of the original outbuildings survive. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 37.01463, -76.31964 (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 84003542.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15272380
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.