Preston House (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: John Cole House; Johns(t)on House; DHR file# 129-5018
Why it's listed
This two-story brick house at 1936 West Main Street in Salem, Virginia, is a five-bay, single-pile I-house with a central passage and a rear ell. Evidence such as power-sawn timbers, tax records and the style of the interior woodwork points to construction in 1821-1822, rather than the eighteenth-century date given by local tradition. The Federal-style features include Flemish bond brickwork, gauged brick jack arches, a corbelled brick cornice and carved mantels with paneled wainscoting. Its exterior end chimneys, plan and rear ell are typical of western Valley of Virginia houses. The house may be the earliest known surviving brick building in Roanoke County. It is listed for its architecture, with a period of significance from about 1821 to 1955. The boundary was revised to 3.305 acres. It adds portions of the flanking lots, which buffer the house from commercial development along the old Wilderness Road, and drops a wooded rear section.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an early example of Federal-style architecture and may be the earliest known surviving brick building in Roanoke County. It combines Federal high-style features such as Flemish bond brickwork, gauged jack arches and fine woodwork with a plan and details typical of western Valley of Virginia houses. It is nominated under Criterion C in the area of Architecture.
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 06000357, listed May 3, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1936 W. Main St., Salem (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Salem |
| Listed | May 3, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06000357 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1821-1955 |
| Architectural style | Federal Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in good condition as a single dwelling; flanking vacant lots act as buffers against commercial development. Original secondary buildings are lost. |
| Acreage | 3.3 |
| Coordinates | 37.28950, -80.09062 (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 06000357.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16898831
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.