Beatie, A.C., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1891 in Chilhowie, Virginia, this two-story frame house was made for Alonzo C. Beatie and his bride by his parents. Carpenter J. William Pendleton built it for $1,500, modeled on his own home. It has a T-plan, an intersecting gable roof, scroll-sawn brackets and a three-bay porch with intricate ornament. Inside, rooms surround a central stair hall and show walnut, chestnut and other native woods in patterned wainscoting, with original graining and marbelizing on trim and mantels. The farm still has a dairy, smokehouse over a root cellar, sheds, garages and a machinery shed. About 600 feet southwest, three stone chimneys and brick kitchen walls mark Town House, an earlier dwelling and meeting place the Beatie family owned from 1837. Beatie served in the General Assembly, on the town council and as mayor until his death in 1950, and was a respected crop reporter and promoter of scientific farming. The house is also valued as a well-preserved example of Pendleton's Queen Anne craftsmanship.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to A.C. Beatie, a two-term state delegate, Chilhowie town councilman and mayor until 1950, who was also a scientific farmer and long-serving crop reporter. It is also a well-preserved example of Pendleton's Queen Anne detailing, ornamental use of native woods, and graining. The Town House ruins add a regionally important earlier dwelling owned by the Beatie family since 1837.
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 01000697, listed July 5, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 249 W. Lee Hwy., Chilhowie |
|---|---|
| County | Smyth County |
| Listed | July 5, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000697 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1891-1950 |
| Architect / builder | Pendleton, J. William |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian (Queen Anne) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently a single dwelling/residence with outbuildings used as storage shesheds; Town House survives only as ruins. The house is described as remarkably intact, though a second story was added over the rear kitchen wing in the 1970s. |
| Acreage | 18 |
| Coordinates | 36.79702, -81.68566 (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 01000697.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15177506
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.