Hunting Quarter
Also known as: VDHR File No. 91-31
Why it's listed
Hunting Quarter is a farm in rural Sussex County, Virginia, centered on a modest eighteenth-century house. The single-pile, five-bay frame dwelling rises one and a half stories over a raised brick basement under a gambrel roof, with two end chimneys flanked by pent closets. A rear ell was added in 1887. Captain Henry Harrison, a relative of the prominent Harrisons of Berkeley, probably built it between 1745 and 1772, though he chose a small scale despite his wealth. The plain exterior contrasts with interior woodwork, including a mantel with fluted pilasters and a carved cornice, which are rural versions of classical details. The grounds include a smokehouse, sites of a kitchen, office and schoolhouse, a Harrison family cemetery, and a slave cemetery without markers. The Harrison family owned the property until 1887. It was listed because it survives as a rare, well-preserved vernacular farmhouse in its agricultural setting, and because estate inventories document long continuity in its household and farming life.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an increasingly rare example of a gambrel-roofed, vernacular eighteenth-century farmhouse with a high degree of integrity. Its plain exterior and non-academic interpretations of classical interior details reflect rural Virginia building practice, and its setting and records help in studying rural Virginia in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
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 95000396, listed April 7, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | VA 632, S of jct. with VA 608, Waverly |
|---|---|
| County | Sussex County |
| Listed | April 7, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000396 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1745-1887 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Colonial: Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still a single dwelling with a cemetery; the land is still farmed. The house stood vacant for about two decades before an interior restoration in the early 1980s. |
| Acreage | 49 |
| Coordinates | 36.86800, -77.22416 (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 95000396.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16845716
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.