Grayson-Gravely House
Also known as: 60-117
Why it's listed
Overlooking the Little River from a high bank beside Virginia Route 613 near Graysontown, this frame house looks like a conventional two-story, three-bay, center-passage dwelling until its decoration is noticed. A three-bay porch with Doric columns carries an enclosed second-floor room, and a three-stage tower rises at the south gable end. Sawn balusters, brackets, dentils, fishscale shingles, keystoned window panels and spool-work gables cover the front. Inside, beaded board partitions suggest the older section dates to the mid-nineteenth century or earlier, and local sources say the house was moved to the site in 1881. The ornament is said to have been added by Mrs. Gravely in the 1890s, and may have come from the Grayson family sawmill nearby. The house was recognized for its architecture as the most elaborately decorated house in Montgomery County, and for its vernacular plan, which grew from two rooms to a center passage with an ell. It remains a carefully maintained single dwelling.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the house is an unusual late nineteenth-century dwelling with a great profusion of exterior ornamentation, and says it is the most elaborately decorated house from any period in the county. It also embodies vernacular forms, including an original hall-parlor plan later expanded to a center-passage plan with an ell.
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 89001813, listed November 13, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | VA 613 at Little River Bridge, Graysontown |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | November 13, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001813 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1880-1900 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling and described as carefully maintained. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.04350, -80.56246 (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 89001813.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712385
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.