Walnut Grove
Why it's listed
Walnut Grove is a two-story timber frame house with weatherboard siding, built around 1815 beside Lee Highway on the edge of Bristol, Virginia. Colonel Robert Preston, an Irish-born surveyor who laid out Abingdon and became Washington County's first surveyor, built it as the manor house of a large plantation. Inside, a center hall with a carved staircase is flanked by paneled parlors with raised-panel mantels and imported box locks. Heavy timber roof trusses survive in the attic. Limestone chimneys rise at both gable ends, and a log meathouse and hay barn remain on the site. Members of the Preston and Sheffey families owned and occupied the house until 2000. The house is considered significant for its link to the settlement of the western Virginia and east Tennessee region and for its refined colonial architecture. The house was left vacant in 2000 and has deteriorated, but it retains much of its integrity. The Bristol Historical Association plans to move and restore it as a museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues for Criterion A through the house's link to the settlement of the western Virginia and east Tennessee region. It argues for Criterion C as a sophisticated example of colonial architecture, with craftsmanship rarely found in southwestern Virginia. It is judged significant at the local level.
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 04000840, listed August 11, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 14081 Lee Highway, Bristol |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | August 11, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000840 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1815-1954 |
| Architect / builder | Preston, Robert |
| Architectural style | Colonial/Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house was left vacant in 2000 and is described as in a state of decay. It was donated to the Bristol Historical Association, which proposes to relocate and restore it in Sugar Hollow Park. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.63951, -82.11827 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 04000840.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16902870
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.