Willson House
Also known as: Tuckaway; Wee Dornoch
Why it's listed
Built in 1812 for Robert and Elizabeth Willson, this two-story brick plantation house sits partway up a low ridge southeast of Lexington, in a landscape of pasture, woods and rock outcroppings. Its Flemish-bond walls rest on a limestone foundation, and a pedimented porch reached by carefully shaped sandstone steps marks the five-bay front. Molded brick cornices and scored stucco window lintels add refinement, while inside, a center passage, paneled wainscots and Georgian/Federal mantels survive. A brick smoke house, an early twentieth-century garage and later farm structures stand nearby. The property is valued both as a well-preserved example of a local Georgian/Federal plantation house and for its link to Ruth Anderson McCulloch, who lived there from 1922 to 1939 and called it Wee Dornoch. In July 1939 she gathered local residents at the house, a meeting that led to the founding of the Rockbridge Historical Society.
Significance in brief: The house is considered a refined and well-preserved example of a Georgian/Federal Rockbridge County plantation house, with a pedimented portico, shaped stone steps, scored stucco lintels, molded brick cornices and Federal mantels. It is also associated with Ruth Anderson McCulloch, a principal founder of the Rockbridge Historical Society, which grew out of a meeting held at the house in 1939.
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 09001049, listed December 3, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 367 VA 673, Lexington |
|---|---|
| County | Rockbridge County |
| Listed | December 3, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09001049 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1812-1939 |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Conservation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single dwelling, with a stable and other outbuildings on the property. |
| Acreage | 14.4 |
| Coordinates | 37.79869, -79.50645 (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 09001049.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16903502
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.