Maiden Spring
Also known as: VDHR File No. 92-02
Why it's listed
Maiden Spring is a working farm of about 600 acres in Bowen's Cove, a valley in rugged Tazewell County, Virginia. A large spring flows from a cave mouth there and forms a creek. On a hill near the valley's center stands a two-story, five-bay frame house with a pedimented two-story portico and a limestone foundation. Family tradition dates the main block to 1838, added by Rees Tate Bowen to an older section that became the rear ell. Around it are a meat house, summer kitchen, a building identified as a slave house, horse and stock barns, a granary, a cemetery and a schoolhouse. The Bowens were among the county's wealthiest landowners in 1850, with large cattle and sheep herds. Rees Tate Bowen served in the state legislature and in Congress. In 1862 Confederate troops camped on the farm, and in 1864 Union troops camped nearby, leaving marks that remain in the house.
Significance in brief: The farm is tied to the Bowen family, prominent landowners and officeholders, including Rees Tate Bowen, who served in the Virginia House of Delegates and the U.S. House of Representatives. The Bowen holdings were among the most valuable in the county in 1850. Confederate and Union troops camped on the property during the Civil War. The house and its farm buildings illustrate an antebellum Southwest Virginia farmstead.
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 94000987, listed August 16, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of VA 609 and VA 91, Pounding Mill |
|---|---|
| County | Tazewell County |
| Listed | August 16, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000987 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Rees Tate Bowen (built the main house, per family tradition) |
| Architectural style | Other: Central-passage-plan |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current functions include single dwelling, agricultural use and vacant/not in use; the house was restored in the 1980s. |
| Acreage | 600 |
| Coordinates | 37.04217, -81.68828 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 94000987.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15243845
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.