Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 03/18/2009
NRHP Listing Date 06/03/2009
NRHP Reference Number 09000393
The Ware Neck Store and Post Office, built for Arthur W. Tabb in 1877, with later additions, typifies the simplified classical architectural style commonly employed in rural vernacular commercial buildings; it also represents the vital economic, social, and governmental roles played by stores and post offices in rural communities. Operated for over 130 years, the historically intact store is part of a quickly disappearing class of rural commercial buildings. From Tabb forward, all of the store’s owners helped create a sense of community and continuity with the store. Its proximity to Hockley Wharf attracted steamboat passengers traveling along the eastern seaboard from the time it was built until the 1930s. And its location at the intersection of State Routes 692 and 623 on Ware Neck in Gloucester County made it a convenient place for generations of local residents to shop and socialize, as it still does today. Starting in 1886, and continuing with few interruptions to the present time, the building harbored the Ware Neck Post Office.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: July 21, 2021
