Kendall Grove

Eastville, Northampton County, Virginia Listed June 21, 1982 Ref. 82004576 Building

Why it's listed

Kendall Grove is a Federal-style plantation house on a peninsula along Mattawoman Creek, northwest of Eastville in Northampton County, Virginia. Judge George Parker, a member of the Virginia Convention of 1788, built it around 1813 on land that had belonged to George Kendall. The cross-shaped, two-story frame house received end wings, new interior detailing and a long passage to the kitchen around 1840. Its interior has plaster moldings, King of Prussia marble mantel surrounds, Wellford ornamentation and Greek Revival mantels. These features show how Eastern Shore families adopted fashions from Boston, Baltimore and Philadelphia. The covered passage and the linear row of dairy, storage shed and smokehouse reflect local building traditions. The property was also home to Parker's son, General Severn E. Parker, who served in the Virginia legislature and in Congress from 1819 to 1821. The 34 acres include the house, original outbuildings, a garden and the family cemetery. The property has stayed with descendants of the Costin family since the 1850s.

Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of a group of prominent Federal-style houses on Virginia's Eastern Shore, with a notable interior showing how the local gentry adapted Boston, Baltimore and Philadelphia fashions. Its long passage to the kitchen and its outbuilding layout are cited as indigenous Eastern Shore features. It is also significant as the home of builder Judge George Parker and his son, General Severn E. Parker, a state legislator and U.S. congressman.

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 82004576, listed June 21, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).

Key facts

Address	VA 674, Eastville
County	Northampton County
Listed	June 21, 1982
Reference number	82004576
Resource type	Building
Period of significance	1800-1899
Architect / builder	Builder/architect listed as unknown; the narrative says it was built ca. 1813 by George Parker
Architectural style	Federal, with Greek Revival detailing added ca. 1840
Criteria	B — associated with the lives of significant people C — distinctive architecture, design or construction
Areas of significance	Politics/Government, Architecture
Level of significance	State
Status (as stated in the nomination)	Listed as occupied, in excellent condition, unaltered and on its original site; used as a private residence.
Acreage	34
Coordinates	37.38229, -75.94274 (NPS GIS)

What listing means for this property

National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.

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 82004576.
Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
Wikidata Q14692091
This listing as JSON

Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.