Land, Francis, House (Additional Documentation)
Also known as: Rose Hall; Dhr Id 134-0031
Why it's listed
Rose Hall, also called the Francis Land House, is a gambrel-roofed brick dwelling on an open tract south of Virginia Beach Boulevard, one of the few such tracts left along a heavily commercial stretch. It is five bays wide and one and a half stories tall, set on a high basement, with Flemish bond brick walls, gauged jack arches and corbeled end chimneys. Inside are a central passage, a double-pile plan and a Neo-classical parlor mantel. A later restoration added the modillion cornice, door hood and stoop balustrade, and rear additions came after 1900. The house is considered a good example of a substantial mid-eighteenth-century rural dwelling and one of few surviving colonial buildings in the city. It was probably built by Francis Thoroughgood Land, a vestryman, County Court member and large landowner whose family were early settlers along the Lynnhaven River. Later used as a dress shop, it was sold to a developer in 1975.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a good example of a substantial rural mid-eighteenth-century dwelling and one of a small, rapidly diminishing group of colonial buildings in the city. It is also tied to the Land family, early settlers of the Lynnhaven River section of Princess Anne County. The gambrel roof was a form much favored in the area's eighteenth-century farmhouses.
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 75002118, listed May 12, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3133 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Virginia Beach |
| Listed | May 12, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75002118 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Probably built by Francis Thoroughgood Land |
| Architectural style | Vernacular with Georgian (Revival) elements |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most recently used as a dress shop; purchased by a developer in February 1975 and its fate was uncertain. A data sheet lists current function as not in use. Minor arson damage occurred in March 1975. |
| Acreage | 7.7 |
| Coordinates | 36.84126, -76.07960 (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 75002118.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5481674
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.