Cline, Patsy, House
No coordinates published for this listing.
Why it's listed
Located at 608 South Kent Street in Winchester, Virginia, this modest two-story frame house with a stone foundation and standing-seam metal roof was probably built in the mid-nineteenth century in the Greek Revival style. It is now covered in vinyl siding and has an early twentieth-century rear addition. The house matters because of its connection to country music singer Patsy Cline, who lived here with her mother and siblings from 1948 to 1953 and on and off until 1957. During those years she began singing on local radio, rehearsed in the house, and received an offer from Wally Fowler in the living room to audition in Nashville. Her mother sewed her signature cowgirl outfits in the dining room, and the first-floor plan and a basement apartment from 1957 survive. Other Winchester sites tied to her early career have been demolished or heavily altered, leaving this house as the best-preserved link to her formative years. It remains a private residence.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is nationally significant under Criterion B for its association with Patsy Cline, who lived there continuously from 1948 to 1953 and intermittently until 1957. Key events in her early career took place there, including a Grand Ole Opry audition offer in the living room and her mother sewing her stage costumes in the dining room. It is the house where she lived longest and the one that best retains its character.
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). NRHP reference 100006248. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 608 S. Kent St., Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Winchester |
| Listed | — |
| Reference number | 100006248 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1948-1957 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Performing Arts |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated January 13, 2021 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remains a private single-dwelling residence in a working-class neighborhood, with some interior and exterior alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
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 100006248.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives)
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.