Surface House
Also known as: 154-43
Why it's listed
This one-story frame house sits on High Street at the crest of Zion Hill in Christiansburg, near the Old Christiansburg Institute. Built around 1870, it follows a double-pile center-passage plan with chimneys placed between the pair of rooms on each side of the passage, a relatively unusual arrangement. Weatherboard walls rest on a limestone foundation under a hipped roof trimmed with paired ornamental brackets, which also decorate the pedimented four-bay porch with chamfered columns. Windows hold four-over-four sash beneath carved label molds. Inside, plastered walls, molded trim and Italianate mantels survive, and the passage has no stairway. A recent south wing faces away from the street and does not disturb the original design. The house is significant for its architecture: of thirteen nineteenth-century double-pile center-passage houses identified in the county from 1865 to 1900, it is the only one-story example, and it is the only frame one-story example predating 1880. Its architect or builder is unknown.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under criterion C as an important, well preserved example of the nineteenth-century double-pile center-passage house. It is the only one-story example among thirteen such houses identified in the county from 1865-1900. It also has the relatively unusual chimney placement between the front and rear rooms, and it is one of the best preserved heavily ornamented examples.
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 89001883, listed November 13, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | High St., E of Depot St., Christiansburg |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | November 13, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001883 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1870 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Double-pile center passage plan |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Well preserved and recently restored by its owners; a one-story wing was added on the south side, and the house remains a single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.13902, -80.40810 (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 89001883.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14713276
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.