Burke's Tavern
Why it's listed
Burke's Tavern is a one-story frame building on a ground-level basement at a rural crossroads in Nottoway County, Virginia. Built in the 1820s, probably by Samuel D. Burke, it replaced earlier taverns on the same site, where a license was first issued in 1750 to Richard Burke. The building has brick end chimneys laid in American bond, weatherboard siding, a Greek Revival frontispiece, and late Federal mantels inside. Burke, a militia colonel and Whig politician, hosted party meetings here in the 1830s and 1840s, and a school's boarders lived at the tavern around 1840. The business declined when railroads drew trade to the newer Burkeville. In 1864 Union generals Wilson and Kautz used the building as headquarters during a raid. In April 1865 Brigadier General Thomas A. Smythe, wounded at High Bridge, died here, the last Union general killed in the war. The building is now a private residence.
Significance in brief: It is the principal building of a small settlement and recalls a prosperous period in the area's history, when a tavern had stood on the site since the mid-eighteenth century. It was a venue for Whig meetings in the 1830s and 1840s. During the Civil War it served as headquarters for Union generals Wilson and Kautz and was where Brigadier General Thomas A. Smythe died in 1865.
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 75002027, listed July 17, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1.5 mi. W of Burkeville at jct. of VA 621 and VA 607, Burkeville |
|---|---|
| County | Nottoway County |
| Listed | July 17, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75002027 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Probably built by Samuel D. Burke |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Federal, with a Greek Revival frontispiece |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition, occupied, and used as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 37.19539, -78.23799 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 75002027.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15205969
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.