Simon Reid Curtis House
Also known as: Boxwood Inn; 121-5031
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Why it's listed
Built around 1897 in the village of Lee Hall, now the northern tip of Newport News, this large frame building was the first dwelling in the village and is the only 19th-century residence still standing there. Businessman and political leader Simon Reid Curtis hired architect and engineer Adolph Wagner to design a single complex housing a dry goods store, post office, boarding rooms, the county treasurer's office and the family home. Wagner joined two structures into a T-shaped plan with shared porches, windows, shutters and siding, and separate entrances divided public and private space. Original store counters, shelves, post office mailboxes, flooring and door hardware survive. Curtis served as Warwick County treasurer for forty-five years and was widely called the county's boss. The house was listed for his association with politics and commerce and for its Colonial Revival architecture. The Curtis family kept it until 1996, when it became a bed and breakfast.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is tied to Simon Reid Curtis, the dominant political and business figure in Warwick County in the first half of the 20th century (Criterion B). It also holds that the building is a distinctive example of Colonial Revival design by Adolph Wagner that combined residential, commercial and government uses under one roof (Criterion C).
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 09000641, listed August 20, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 10 Elmhurst St., Newport News |
|---|---|
| County | Newport News |
| Listed | August 20, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000641 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1897-1949 |
| Architect / builder | Adolph Wagner, Architect/Engineer |
| Architectural style | Late 19th Century Revival/Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Sold by the Curtis family in 1996, renovated and converted to a bed and breakfast; current functions are hotel and restaurant. |
| Acreage | 1.6 |
| Coordinates | 37.19588, -76.57191 (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 09000641.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16890759
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.