Barnett, William, House
Also known as: 60-472
Why it's listed
Near Alleghany Springs in Montgomery County, Virginia, the William Barnett House is a long two-story dwelling that grew in stages over roughly a century. Its earliest part is a log section, with later frame and log additions made in the mid and late nineteenth century and an early twentieth-century extension that incorporates a springhouse. A two-story porch with chamfered posts and sawn balusters runs the full front, and a standing-seam metal roof covers the whole. Log walls remain exposed inside. Outbuildings include a two-story log kitchen, a stone greenhouse and a drive-through corncrib. Local tradition dates the oldest part to 1813, and an 1827 canal survey shows two structures on the site. Erastus H. Taylor bought the property in 1877 and made additions between 1885 and 1890. The house was listed because it shows how a vernacular building was adapted over time to changing needs, and few county buildings show such continuity from log interior to late nineteenth-century porch.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion C as a remarkable amalgamation of additions around an early nineteenth-century house under one long gabled roof. It shows how early buildings grew and adapted to new needs, in the manner of long buildings in regional towns such as Newbern and Christiansburg. It also holds considerable information about the evolution of regional vernacular homes.
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 89001806, listed November 13, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Off VA 637, 0.1 mi. N of VA 638, Alleghany Springs |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | November 13, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001806 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1827 - 1937 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is described as well maintained and is still used as a single dwelling with secondary structures. The log kitchen was moved to its present spot before 1937. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 37.14310, -80.26664 (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 89001806.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14713533
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.