Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 04/17/1973
NRHP Listing Date 06/19/1973
NRHP Reference Number 73002297
One of Virginia’s rare vernacular manor houses, the Keeling house in Virginia Beach preserves the distinctive but rare decorative device of chevroning, a feature associated with pre-Georgian vernacular brick architecture. The chevrons are formed by parallel rows of glazed header bricks following the angle of the gables, made possible by the use of interior end chimneys. The house probably was erected ca. 1700 for Thomas Keeling on property originally acquired in 1635 by his immigrant grandfather, Thomas Keeling. The property remained in the Keeling family until 1881. Not unexpectedly for such vernacular dwellings, the entrance front has a regular five-bay façade while the rear has three irregularly spaced windows and a door. The closed-string stair and paneled parlor chimney wall appear to have been installed later in the 18th century. The Keeling House is at the head of a cove on the Lynnhaven River.
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 5, 2021
