Allmand-Archer House
Why it's listed
Located at 327 Duke Street in Norfolk, this two-story, three-bay brick town house measures roughly thirty feet square and is covered by a gable roof with a modillion cornice. It is believed to have been built in the 1790s by Matthew Hervey, a merchant with warehouses on Southgate and Dixon's Wharf. Harrison Allmand bought it in 1802, and during the War of 1812 it housed American officers stationed in the city. It then passed through the Allmand family and, by inheritance, to the Archer family. Several decades after construction the facade was remodelled in Classical Revival style, with stucco, quoins, heavy lintels and a recessed entrance framed by fluted Roman Doric columns. Inside, a side-hall plan serves two equal reception rooms. The house is valued as one of the city's oldest dwellings and as a well-preserved medium-size Norfolk townhouse, a type once common but now rare.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of the oldest dwellings in Norfolk and a well-preserved example of a medium-size Norfolk townhouse with a side-hall plan, gable roof and paired interior end chimneys. It and the Willoughby-Baylor House are described as about the only remaining examples of this once-common type.
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 71001056, listed September 22, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 327 Duke St., Norfolk (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk |
| Listed | September 22, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71001056 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century |
| Architect / builder | Matthew Hervey (believed builder, merchant) |
| Architectural style | Side-hall plan Norfolk townhouse, with a later Classical Revival facade remodelling |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and altered, on its original site. At nomination it was a private residence and occupied; a later note records a change of ownership to Historic Norfolk Foundation. |
| Acreage | 9.9 |
| Within district | West Freemason Street Area Historic District (Additional Documentation) |
| Coordinates | 36.85123, -76.29282 (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 71001056.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16159606
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.