Davis-Beard House
Also known as: Glee Hall; Davis House; 76-245
Why it's listed
Beside the railroad tracks in the village of Bristow, this rambling frame house grew in stages after the Civil War. It began as a center-hall I-house, rebuilt by the Davis family after their earlier building was damaged in the 1863 Battle of Bristoe, and they named it Glee Hall. Later additions brought a parlor wing, dining room, general store and a post office building moved across the tracks around 1920. The property also served as a railroad hotel and tavern, and Robert Davis ran a hardware and lumber business here. A brick carriage house and a lattice-walled privy complete the half-acre lot. The nomination values the complex for its unusually intact storefront with projecting display windows, pressed tin ceiling, original shelving, decorated gables and wraparound porch. It is described as the finest late Victorian general store and merchant's residence surviving in Prince William County, and as a reminder of the rural commercial centers that once served local communities.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the finest and most elaborately detailed late Victorian general store and merchant's quarters remaining in Prince William County. It keeps a high share of original fabric, including the storefront, pressed tin ceiling and shelving. It combined a store, family residence, railroad tavern and post office, and is presented as a symbol of the county's rural heritage.
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 89001794, listed November 9, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 10726 Bristow Rd., Bristow |
|---|---|
| County | Prince William County |
| Listed | November 9, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001794 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1865-1920 |
| Architectural style | Folk Victorian I-house |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in remarkably original condition; used as a home and antique shop at the time of the nomination. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 38.72341, -77.53720 (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 89001794.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15213160
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.