Baker-St. John House (Additional Documentation)
Why it's listed
Built around 1866 for local physician Dr. John Alexander Preston Baker, this two-and-a-half-story frame farmhouse sits on a 2.5-acre parcel southwest of Abingdon in Washington County, Virginia. Its front-gable-and-side-wing form blends Greek Revival and Italianate features. Greek Revival touches include molded surrounds with crossettes, elongated windows and slender stair balusters, while paired cornice brackets, sawn porch brackets and an extended bay window reflect Italianate influence. Inside, a center-hall plan holds a walnut staircase, paneled wainscoting, decorative mantels and tall baseboards, much of it vernacular in character. A rear wing is believed to have served as the doctor's clinic. The Baker family sold the farm in 1890, beginning a hundred-year association with the St. John family. After standing vacant for 14 years following 1984, the house was restored and given a late twentieth-century rear addition. Its local architectural importance and high integrity supported its listing under Criterion C.
Significance in brief: It is significant under Criterion C in the area of Architecture at the local level. The house combines Greek Revival and Italianate elements in a front-gable-and-side-wing form. It retains a high degree of exterior and interior integrity, including highly detailed woodwork. It is also linked to the Baker and St. John families.
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 11000033, listed February 22, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 18254 Providence Rd., Abingdon |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | February 22, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000033 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1866 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Mid 19th Century: Greek Revival; Late Victorian: Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored and renovated by recent owners and in use as a single dwelling; the house sat vacant for 14 years after 1984. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 36.68273, -82.04134 (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 11000033.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16163831
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.