McVitty Home
Also known as: Inn at Burwell Place; Vdhr # 129-66
Why it's listed
Built in 1906 at 601 West Main Street in Salem, this large frame house was the first Roanoke Valley home of Samuel H. McVitty, a Philadelphia native who ran the Salem branch of the family's Leas and McVitty Tannery. It began as a two-story box with weatherboard siding, a wrap-around porch with Tuscan columns, three-part symmetrical windows, and dormers with semi-circular lunettes. A substantial 1925 addition turned the plan into an L shape. Colonial Revival in overall style, the house carries many Adam-inspired details, especially elliptical fanlight windows, a fanlight entrance with sidelights, and a sunporch with a sleeping porch above. Inside are 27 rooms, original brass hardware, wainscoting, and French doors. The house is considered notable for its architectural refinement and its link to the tannery that shaped Salem's economy. It is also the last of five mansions along Lake Spring Park, built after the old Lake Spring Hotel was gone. The architect is believed to be Charles Barton Keen.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an unusually refined example of Colonial Revival architecture with Adam-style elements, notably its elliptical fanlight windows and elaborate dormers, which it says are not found elsewhere in the area. It is also tied to Samuel H. McVitty and the Leas and McVitty Tannery, a business important to Salem. The house closes a group of five mansions bordering Lake Spring Park.
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 03001092, listed October 23, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 601 W. Main St., Salem |
|---|---|
| County | Roanoke (city and county) |
| Listed | October 23, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03001092 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1906-1953 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (the architect is believed to have been Charles Barton Keen) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as being in immaculate condition, with a pristine interior; the form lists its current function as a single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 37.29178, -80.06755 (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 03001092.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16894951
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.