Wheatland
Also known as: DHL File No. 66-13
Why it's listed
Wheatland is a 94-foot weatherboard frame house on Cherry Point Neck in Northumberland County, Virginia, built around 1848-50 for Dr. John H. Harding, a young physician, planter and delegate to the General Assembly. It was once the centerpiece of a 1300-acre plantation and now occupies sixteen acres. A two-and-a-half-story main block is flanked by matching one-and-a-half-story wings, and two-tier Doric porticos face both the land and river sides. The interior has a T-shaped passage that reaches every main-floor room independently, which suggests the original owner valued privacy. Federal and Greek Revival details include plaster ceiling medallions and a curving main stair. A kitchen, an office and two small yard buildings stand in symmetrical positions around the house, linked by brick walkways and a tree-lined lane. The house has changed little, and the intact dependencies and planned landscape give it standing as an example of late antebellum Northern Neck architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the more sophisticated of its period on the Northern Neck. It cites the refined Federal and Greek Revival detailing, the two-tier Doric porticos and an unusual T-plan passage that gives independent access to every main-floor room. It also stresses the intact group of four symmetrically placed original dependencies and the geometric landscaped setting, which together show conservative and progressive design ideas mixing in late antebellum Virginia.
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 87000015, listed November 15, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | VA 624, Callao |
|---|---|
| County | Northumberland County |
| Listed | November 15, 1988 |
| Reference number | 87000015 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1848-50 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown builder; built for Dr. John H. Harding |
| Architectural style | Federal, with Greek Revival detailing |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; described as in excellent condition and largely unaltered, with one small rear kitchen addition. |
| Acreage | 12 |
| Coordinates | 37.99994, -76.51244 (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 87000015.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16903180
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.