Oak Spring Farm
Also known as: Fultz House; VDHR File No. 81-48
Why it's listed
Oak Spring Farm lies at the corner of US 11 and State Route 706 near Fairfield in Rockbridge County, Virginia, on the old Valley Pike between Lexington and Staunton. The farm is arranged around a spring that Native American hunting parties used for thousands of years, and points and scrapers from several periods have been found there. The main house began as a two-story brick I-house built in 1826 for or by William Moore Jr. A frame rear ell followed around 1858 to 1860 under Isaac Fultz. Its walls are built of oak planks stacked horizontally, nailed, and then plastered and clapboarded, an unusual and rare method. Inside, the original poplar woodwork survives, and it was once grained to imitate finer wood. Outbuildings include a large 1878 bank barn, a granary, a smokehouse, a springhouse and an in-ground icehouse. The house has changed little and now operates as a bed and breakfast with a vineyard.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the property meets Criterion C because the rear ell uses a rare horizontal-plank construction method, in which oak planks are stacked flat and then plastered and clapboarded. The house has also had few changes and keeps a high degree of integrity. The grounds around the spring have also yielded Native American artifacts, and the form says excavation would likely produce further information.
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 94000780, listed October 19, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | VA 706 at jct. with US 11, Fairfield |
|---|---|
| County | Rockbridge County |
| Listed | October 19, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000780 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1826-1878 |
| Architect / builder | Fultz, Isaac |
| Architectural style | Early Republic: Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Prehistoric |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is in near-mint condition and is in use as a bed and breakfast inn, with a five-acre vineyard on the farm. |
| Acreage | 14 |
| Coordinates | 37.90536, -79.23331 (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 94000780.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q17040564
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.