Edom Store and Post Office
Also known as: John Chrisman Store; Myres & Co.; VDHR File No. 082-0112
Why it's listed
Standing in the village of Edom in Rockingham County, Virginia, this two-story brick building served for generations as a general store, post office and family home. Believed to date from 1835, it has a five-bay front, a metal gable roof, and a long rear ell. A storefront and entry porch were added in the late nineteenth century. Flemish bond brickwork, a molded brick cornice, and Greek Revival door surrounds mark the exterior, while the interior features a carved stair, elaborate mantels and a wide range of painted finishes and wallpapers. A ca. 1900 barn stands behind. The property is associated with the Swank family and, from 1902, with merchant John W. Myers, who sold general goods, bought country produce, and ran a huckster wagon. The post office remained until it moved to Burruss Mill by 1938. The building was later converted partly to an apartment and is now in need of work.
Significance in brief: The building is described as a long-serving country store and post office that was also a residence, with notable brickwork and interior finishes in transitional Federal-Greek Revival style. It is tied to merchants such as the Swank family and John W. Myers, whose business served Edom into the 1930s. Its surviving decorative finishes and store features reflect local commerce and domestic life over a century.
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 07000768, listed July 24, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5375 Jesse Bennett Way, Edom |
|---|---|
| County | Rockingham County |
| Listed | July 24, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000768 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal; Greek Revival; Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function listed as work in progress; parts of the building show deterioration, such as fallen plaster, plywood-covered windows and a sagging wall. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 38.52546, -78.85920 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 07000768.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15216114
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.