Pear Valley
Why it's listed
Pear Valley is a small, one-bay frame house near Eastville in Northampton County, Virginia, on the Eastern Shore. Its brick gable end is laid in Flemish bond and decorated with diagonally placed glazed header bricks. A pyramidal chimney with tiled splays rises above two small upstairs windows. Inside, a chamfered plate, chamfered floor joists and a post survive. The framing is mostly original, though weatherboard has been replaced on two of the three frame walls, and one of the two original sidewall doors no longer exists. Historians date construction anywhere from the 1640s to the 1680s. The nomination treats the exact date as unimportant. Its case for listing is that the house is a rare surviving example of a small medieval yeoman's cottage, virtually unchanged from its original appearance. The high-pitched roof, glazed-header pattern, pyramidal chimney and remaining interior elements all add to that value. At the time of nomination the building was unoccupied and used for storage.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a rare surviving example of a small medieval yeoman's cottage, virtually unchanged from its original appearance. Its significance rests on its value as the surviving example of its type rather than on an exact construction date. The high-pitched roof, glazed-header brickwork, pyramidal chimney and surviving interior features contribute to its value.
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 69000266, listed November 12, 1969. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Off (South) of VA 628, Eastville |
|---|---|
| County | Northampton County |
| Listed | November 12, 1969 |
| Reference number | 69000266 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Medieval yeoman's cottage |
| Areas of significance | Art |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated February 27, 2013 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as unoccupied, in fair condition and altered, with a present use as a storage house. |
| Coordinates | 37.39679, -75.92249 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 69000266.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7157972
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.