Sycamore Tavern
Why it's listed
Sycamore Tavern is a modest one-and-a-half-story frame building on Route 33, the old Mountain Road, in Montpelier, Hanover County. Built in the late eighteenth century, it operated as an ordinary or tavern, with its use recorded by 1804. It was the fourth stagecoach stop on the route from Charlottesville to Richmond, and horses were changed there at the start of the journey. Around 1850 Reverend Silas Shelburn acquired it and ran it as an inn, and it was later owned by the Wickham and Braugh families. In the early twentieth century, author Thomas Nelson Page established a library in the building in memory of his wife, Florence Lathrop Page. The library continues to serve much of the county. The building has a three-bay facade, a shed porch, weatherboard siding, and a hall-and-parlor plan typical of early Federal vernacular architecture in Virginia.
Significance in brief: The building served as an ordinary or tavern, recorded by 1804, and was the fourth stagecoach stop on the road from Charlottesville to Richmond. In the early twentieth century author Thomas Nelson Page founded a library there in memory of his wife. It is also a typical vernacular building of the early Federal period in Tidewater and Piedmont 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 74002124, listed July 24, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | W of U.S. 33, Montpelier |
|---|---|
| County | Hanover County |
| Listed | July 24, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74002124 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Piedmont Virginia hall-and-parlor house, early Federal period |
| Areas of significance | Literature, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Structurally sound but in need of a few minor repairs; occupied and used as the Florence L. Page Memorial Library. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Montpelier Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.82282, -77.68733 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 74002124.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14713280
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.