Gordon, Nealy, Farm
Also known as: 60-392
Why it's listed
Set in hilly, rough mountain land near Brush Harbor, this Montgomery County farm centers on a two-story saddlebag farmhouse built up over three campaigns, from the years after the Civil War to about 1920. The house began as a nearly square log dwelling of about 17 by 18 feet, set on stone piers with an exterior stone chimney. Around 1900 a frame wing was added to the west, enclosing the chimney, and about 1920 a semi-detached two-room kitchen ell was built, linked by a porch. Nearby stand a meathouse, privy, springhouse with lattice-enclosed forebay, hog shed, two large barns and a corncrib. A county survey in 1986 found few square log houses and only three saddlebag-plan houses, and this one is among the best preserved of more than 125 houses surveyed. The farm illustrates how traditional building forms persisted even as newer house types emerged. Local tradition credits Nealy Gordon with building the house. The buildings are largely unused but in good repair.
Significance in brief: The farm is significant under criterion C as an assemblage of buildings representing Appalachian farmhouse forms and their outbuildings. It shows how local vernacular house plans changed from the later nineteenth century into the early twentieth. Its square single-pen log house and saddlebag plan are rare in the county, and the semi-detached kitchen ell is very unusual.
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 89001805, 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, 0.5 mi. S of jct. with VA 603, Brush Harbor |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | November 13, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001805 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1875-1925 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Single-pen plan; saddlebag plan (Appalachian vernacular farmhouse) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Buildings are largely unused but in a good state of repair; house and outbuildings listed as vacant/not in use. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 37.19460, -80.30175 (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 89001805.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712945
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.