Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 10/18/1995
NRHP Listing Date 04/26/1996
NRHP Reference Number 96000495
Brandon Plantation was originally the Halifax County homestead of the Brandon family, who settled here in the mid-18th century. The present house, a two-part vernacular dwelling, was built in 1800 and enlarged ca. 1842. The plain but forthright country Greek Revival mantels and stair in the later section are attributed to Thomas Day, a well-known black cabinetmaker of nearby Milton, North Carolina. Day, whose shop produced a wealth of furniture and architectural trim, has achieved national attention as a symbol of successful black entrepreneurship in a time and region where the majority of African Americans were enslaved. An equally important feature at Brandon Plantation is the rare, carefully restored ca. 1800 kitchen/slave house with its unusual extended cornice. The building is an example of the fast-disappearing service structures that once were a ubiquitous feature of the Southern agrarian landscape.
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: August 25, 2021
