Murray, Thomas, House
Also known as: DHR File No. 134-0022
Why it's listed
Begun in 1791 and finished in 1794, this brick house on King's Creek in Virginia Beach was built by Isaac Murray for his son Thomas. The Murray family farmed flax commercially on the surrounding land, and the house is one of three Isaac built for his sons. Only this one and Isaac's own house survive. The walls are solid handmade brick, 18 inches thick, laid in Flemish bond, under a gambrel roof with five dormers on each side. Inside, a center hall plan, heart pine floors, pegged mantels, a built-in cupboard and an English basement kitchen with its original fireplace remain. The property stayed in the Murray family until the early 1950s, when a developer subdivided the farmland. John and Katie Tucker then bought the house, saved it from demolition and restored it. The house was listed for its architecture, as a well-preserved example of an 18th-century plantation residence in the former Princess Anne County. It remains a private home.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant under Criterion C as an example of an 18th-century plantation residence in Princess Anne County. It retains much original fabric, including Flemish bond brickwork, heart pine floors, mantels and pegged construction. It is the only one of three houses Isaac Murray built for his sons that survives, along with Isaac's own house.
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 04000482, listed May 19, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3425 S. Crestline Dr., Virginia Beach (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Virginia Beach |
| Listed | May 19, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000482 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1791-1794 |
| Architect / builder | Murray, Isaac |
| Architectural style | COLONIAL: Dutch Colonial |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single-family dwelling. Restored over several decades, with the carriage house and smokehouse rebuilt in the late 1980s on original foundation sites. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 36.82800, -76.21316 (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 04000482.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7792638
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.