Black Meadow
Also known as: Wold Trap Farm; 068-0156
Why it's listed
Black Meadow, also known as Wolf Trap Farm, is a 584-acre farm near Gordonsville in Orange County, Virginia. Its centerpiece is a one-and-a-half-story weatherboard house that John Wickliffe Scott built in 1856. The front-gable form has two small gables inset beneath the main gable, which gives the impression of a larger temple front. Paired Tuscan posts, a transom, sidelights and fluted window surrounds add detail. A two-story ell was added in 1916, when the interior changed from a seven-room vestibule plan to a central-passage plan, though most original Greek Revival woodwork survived. The farm also has a milk house, tenant quarters, barns and tenant houses. The nomination presents the house as a rare high-style Greek Revival dwelling in Orange County. Its modest scale and carved ornament differ from the larger, more typical Greek Revival houses nearby. The comparison to those houses and to mid-19th-century design theory forms the basis for its listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that Black Meadow is a rare, high-style Greek Revival house in Orange County. It is modest in scale and has carved detailing, a front-gable form and an original vestibule plan, unlike the larger, more typical Greek Revival houses of the area. It is also tied to mid-19th-century national design theory and to Virginia's rural cultural context.
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 05001262, listed November 16, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 17379 Wolf Trap Dr., Gordonsville |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | November 16, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05001262 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | John Wickliffe Scott (builder/original owner of the 1856 dwelling) |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century/Greek Revival; Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals/Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a hotel (domestic function), with agricultural outbuildings still in use; the main house was renovated in 2004. |
| Acreage | 584.1 |
| Coordinates | 38.16756, -78.14100 (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 05001262.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15199570
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.