Woodward House
Why it's listed
Standing at 3017 Williamsburg Avenue at the foot of Libby Hill, this frame dwelling in Richmond's east end grew in stages from a small one-story house with a cellar and end chimney. A room and cellar were added possibly in 1784, and in 1828-29 the house was raised to two and one-half stories under a dormered gable roof, with new front rooms, an attic floor and two chimneys. Later changes added second-story rooms on the river side, a front porch and enlarged windows. Inside, Federal-period mantels and woodwork survive, along with three eighteenth-century six-panel doors. Captain John Woodward, who sailed sloops out of Rocketts, lived here in the early nineteenth century. The house was listed as one of the city's oldest surviving structures and the last significant reminder of the Rocketts port neighborhood, where sailors, harbor masters, tobacco inspectors and craftsmen lived and worked. Its early trim is unmatched among Richmond frame buildings of similar age.
Significance in brief: The house is one of Richmond's oldest surviving structures and may include the 'old house' named in an August 1784 lease. It is the last significant structure recalling the maritime and mercantile community of Rocketts. No other frame building in Richmond of similar age keeps as much early trim.
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 74002243, listed June 19, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3017 Williamsburg Ave., Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | June 19, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74002243 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th and 19th centuries |
| Architectural style | Federal period woodwork; early frame dwelling |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Community Planning and Development, Commerce, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and altered; preservation work in progress when nominated in 1974; owned by the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.52474, -77.41659 (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 74002243.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16903675
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.