Yeatts, John and Nancy, House
Why it's listed
Built probably in 1808, this log house near Chatham in Pittsylvania County began as a single-room dwelling with v-notched logs, a stone gable-end chimney, front and back doors, and a boxed winder stair. A second log pen with its own stone chimney was added to the north, possibly in the 1820s and probably before 1860. Both sections sit under a metal gable roof and were once covered with weatherboards and later asbestos shingles, which have since been removed along with frame additions to the front and rear. Inside, whitewashed logs, wrought and cut nails, carved initials and scraps of newspaper wallpaper record the building's use over time. The house was probably built for John and Nancy Yeatts around the time of their marriage in 1808. It was listed for its architecture, as a well-preserved example of the modest log homes of the area's antebellum small farmers, with a period of significance from about 1808 to about 1860.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a finely crafted, well-preserved example of the log homes of Pittsylvania County's antebellum small farmers. It is significant under Criterion C in architecture at the local level, for its construction, form, finishes and detail.
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 09000173, listed March 25, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | VA 795, Chatham |
|---|---|
| County | Pittsylvania County |
| Listed | March 25, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000173 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Ca. 1808-ca. 1860 |
| Architectural style | No Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still a single dwelling; later frame additions and asbestos shingles have been removed, and a tax credit rehabilitation for use as a weekend home had begun. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.89446, -79.42755 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 09000173.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15229692
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.