Elm Grove
Also known as: Williams-Rick House
Why it's listed
Elm Grove is a farm complex northeast of Courtland in Southampton County, Virginia. The main house began in the late 18th century as a one-room, one-story building with a lean-to, probably built for the Williams family. Around 1820 a two-story north wing created the present six-bay, central-passage plan, and a second story was added over the original room in the mid-19th century. An office wing was added about 1884. Interior woodwork is high in quality but restrained, with recessed-panel wainscoting, Doric mantels and surviving graining. Several early outbuildings remain, including a frame office later used as a school, a dairy, and a round-log smokehouse with four smokepits, the only known early multiple-pit example in Virginia. The property also records its use as a girls' school at mid-century under Dr. Robert Murray. Together, the house and outbuildings document changing rural domestic life in the area over two centuries.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that Elm Grove is an important vernacular domestic complex, representing small dwellings of the early Republic in southern Virginia. Its 19th-century additions and outbuildings, especially the rare multi-pit log smokehouse, illustrate two hundred years of rural life in Southampton County.
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 79003089, listed July 24, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NE of Courtland on VA 646, Courtland |
|---|---|
| County | Southampton County |
| Listed | July 24, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003089 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular domestic architecture (early Republic) |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence with agricultural use at the time of nomination. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 36.74425, -77.02767 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 79003089.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15216480
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.