B. Williams & Co. Store
Also known as: Vdhr #057-0035
Why it's listed
Built in 1869-70 beside the East River at Williams Wharf in Mathews County, Virginia, this two-story frame building served as a general store, ships chandlery, ladies' hat shop and post office. Its builder was Josiah Williams, and Heron Murray of Baltimore, an in-law of the Williams family, supplied funds, materials and advice. Sarah Elizabeth 'Bettie' Williams ran the millinery business, and a post office operated inside from 1879. The building has Classical Greek Revival details, including a dentilled cornice with curved brackets, and it is more formal than most country stores in the region. Steamboat traffic at the wharf ended in 1935, after which the building became solely a residence. Hurricanes in 1933 and 2003 caused damage and led to repairs, including replacement window sashes, but the frame, footprint and much of the original fabric survive. The store was listed for its commercial history, its association with women in business, and its architecture.
Significance in brief: The store is nominated under Criteria A and C for its role in the long commercial history of Williams Wharf and for the part played by Williams family members, especially women, in running it. It is also a rare, formal Classical Revival commercial building in an area of plainer country stores. It served as a store, millinery shop and post office until steamboat traffic ended in 1935.
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 09000394, listed June 3, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1030 Williams Wharf Rd., Mathews |
|---|---|
| County | Mathews County |
| Listed | June 3, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000394 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1869/70 - 1935 |
| Architect / builder | Williams, Josiah (builder) |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single-family residence since the mid-1930s; the current owners are preserving it and hope to restore it as a community heritage center. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 37.40417, -76.34520 (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 09000394.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14711993
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.