Chimney Rock Farm
Also known as: The Willows
Why it's listed
Chimney Rock Farm, also known as The Willows, is a brick house on the West Fork of Plum Creek in Tazewell County, Virginia. Built around 1843, it follows the three-part Palladian plan: a pedimented two-story center pavilion flanked by one-story wings, with Flemish bond brickwork on the front and sides and a lunette in the gable. Inside, the quarter-turn stair, recessed-panel wainscot and slender mantels are largely original. Local tradition credits a Bedford County builder who worked in Lynchburg. The house was built for Hervey George, a lawyer and farmer who served as deputy sheriff, sheriff, county justice and delegate to the General Assembly, including during the Civil War. The nomination describes it as the purest example of the Palladian form in Southwest Virginia, where such houses are rare. Rear additions have been integrated without damaging the facade, and the nominated area covers three acres around the house. The name comes from Chimney Rock, a landform on Knob Mountain visible from the house.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the purest example of the three-part Palladian-type house in Southwest Virginia, where the form is rare compared with Tidewater and Piedmont Virginia. It was built for Hervey George, a lawyer, farmer, sheriff and state delegate. The nomination also notes its refined detailing and its relation to earlier Palladian houses.
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 82004607, listed July 8, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | VA 91, Tazewell |
|---|---|
| County | Tazewell County |
| Listed | July 8, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82004607 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1843 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown; local tradition names a Bedford County builder who worked in Lynchburg |
| Architectural style | Palladian-type (three-part) house |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence, with a large recent rear addition; no original dependencies remain. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 37.07762, -81.60891 (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 82004607.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15209702
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.