Grant, William H., House
Also known as: Sheltering Arms Hospital
Why it's listed
Built in 1857 for tobacco manufacturer William H. Grant, this three-story brick townhouse at 1008 E. Clay Street in Richmond is an Italianate design with a three-bay facade. A small, richly ornamented arched porch on coupled square columns marks the central entrance, and every facade window has an elaborate half-round lintel. The modillioned cornice is a replacement of the original. In 1892 the house was acquired by Sheltering Arms Hospital, a free hospital for white residents of Virginia. Conversion brought interior changes, extensive rear additions and a three-story wing on the west side linking it to the neighboring house, though the basic original floor plan survives. The hospital moved in 1965, and the Medical College of Virginia now uses the building as offices. The house was listed as a fine example of 1850s architectural romanticism and as one of few surviving houses of its type downtown, across from the Valentine Museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls the house a fine example of the architectural exuberance and romanticism of the 1850s. It is also one of the few houses of its period and type to survive in downtown Richmond. Its location across from the Valentine Museum enhances the historic character of E. Clay Street. It also housed the Sheltering Arms Hospital from 1892.
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 69000356, listed April 16, 1969. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1008 E. Clay St., Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | April 16, 1969 |
| Reference number | 69000356 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1857 (19th century) |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and used as offices by the Medical College of Virginia (Virginia Commonwealth University) after the hospital moved in 1965; condition listed as fair. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Within district | James River and Kanawha Canal Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.54184, -77.43072 (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 69000356.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8010430
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.