Weston Manor
Why it's listed
Weston Manor is a plantation house standing in a grove of trees on the south bank of the Appomattox River in western Hopewell, Virginia. It is a two-story rectangular block with a hipped roof, five-bay river and land fronts, center doors, and a central hall with a semi-circular arch. The Gilliam family, William and Christine Eppes Gilliam, probably built it in the 1780s, on land first patented in 1637 by John Baker. During the Civil War the house was shelled by a Union gunboat and later housed Northern officers, including General Philip Sheridan, while City Point supplied the siege of Petersburg. Its significance rests on architecture: it is an excellent example of Late-Georgian plantation building and one of the few such houses left on the lower Appomattox. Nearly all original fabric survives, including sash, beaded clapboarding and most mantels, though the surrounding farmland has been lost to development.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an excellent example of Late-Georgian plantation architecture and one of the few plantation houses left on the lower Appomattox River. Its rectangular hipped-roof form shows the architectural conservatism of rural southside Virginia after the Revolution. Nearly all of its original fabric survives, and it was also occupied by Union officers, including General Sheridan, during the Civil War.
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 72001505, listed April 13, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Off VA 10 on S bank of Appomattox River, Hopewell (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Hopewell |
| Listed | April 13, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001505 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century |
| Architectural style | Late Georgian (Virginia Georgian plantation house) |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition fair; at the time of nomination it was occupied and used by its owners as inexpensive rental property, and a movement to preserve it was underway. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 37.30890, -77.30405 (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 72001505.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7989449
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.