Snapp House
Also known as: Wildflower Farm
Why it's listed
Built into a slope beside Snapps Run in Shenandoah County, this two-story log house follows the building customs of the German-speaking settlers who populated the Shenandoah Valley in the late 18th century. It sits on a limestone basement and was laid out as a four-room Kreuzhaus, with a kitchen holding a massive stone fireplace, a heated parlor warmed by a five-plate iron stove, and a narrow chamber behind. A spring rises in the cellar, a feature the nomination calls very rare in Virginia, and a stream ran on to supply a springhouse trough in the yard. A stone ell, carrying the date 1824 on a fireplace but possibly built nearer 1837, was added behind the log block. Ownership passed from Lawrence Snapp, Sr., through his heirs, to John Copp by 1836. The house was listed as a rare, remarkably complete example of German-American life in the Valley.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a rare surviving example of the central-chimney houses built by German-speaking settlers in western Virginia. Its bank siting, original four-room Kreuzhaus plan, Continental-type roof trusses and partial basement all reflect Germanic building tradition. The basement spring is described as very rare in Virginia.
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 79003085, listed May 7, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Fishers Hill on VA 757, Fishers Hill |
|---|---|
| County | Shenandoah County |
| Listed | May 7, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003085 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | late 18th century |
| Architectural style | Continental (German) log Flurkuchenhaus, Kreuzhaus variant |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence; the property has been renovated by its recent owner and was known as Wildflower Farm. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 38.97242, -78.42464 (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 79003085.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15278291
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.