Cromer House
Also known as: 60-121
Why it's listed
Set well back from the main road amid fields near Childress, this two-story log house faces south and follows the rectangular single-pen plan, with V-notched logs, a limestone foundation, a tin roof and a massive brick chimney of oversized bricks at the east end. A rear lean-to was added in the late nineteenth century and raised to two stories early in the twentieth. In the 1930s a frame west wing was added with a symmetrical three-bay facade and a fieldstone chimney. Inside, whitewashed logs, beaded boards and a Greek Revival mantel survive. Deed research suggests William Cromer built the house in the mid-nineteenth century, after which it passed to C.D. Cromer and then the Lucas family. It was listed for its architecture because it is an unusually intact example of a form common in the county, where as many as seventy-nine such log houses survive. The additions do not detract from the original building. A late nineteenth-century frame springhouse also contributes. The house has been used for storage.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an unusually well-preserved example of the rectangular single-pen log house, the most popular house form in the county in the mid-nineteenth century. Apart from enlarged first-floor south windows, the log section remains intact. The additions are either inconspicuous or sympathetic in form and materials, and the west wing extends the period of significance to 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 89001893, 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 787, 0.25 mi. E of VA 693, Childress |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | November 13, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001893 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1860 - ca. 1935 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Rectangular single-pen plan (log) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant/not in use; the house has been used only for storage for some years, but the owner has kept it in reasonably good condition and plans to use it for housing in the future. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.05201, -80.52608 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 89001893.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712215
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.