Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 12/10/1998
NRHP Listing Date 01/27/1999
DHR's Virginia Board of Historic Resources easement
NRHP Reference Number 99000075
The P. D. Gwaltney, Jr., House was built in 1900-1901 for Pembroke Decatur Gwaltney, Jr., who took his family meat business to national prominence with the Smithfield ham before his death in 1936. The elaborately detailed, Queen Anne-style home, located in the Smithfield Historic District in Isle of Wight County, is based on style no. 45 of George F. Barber’s Modern Dwellings: A Book of Practical Designs and Plans for Those Who Wish to Build or Beautify Their Homes. The exterior is clad in wood clapboard and shingles and stands on a granite foundation. It features a corner turret, a wraparound porch, a tile roof, and copper finials on the turret and gazebo. The equally grand interior contains an imposing stair in the front hall, elaborate paneling, and impressive mantels. The P. D. Gwaltney, Jr., House has an exceptionally high degree of integrity, with most of its original fixtures and finishes. Much of the construction was carefully documented in notes kept by Gwaltney that were used by his family to rehabilitate and restore the dwelling.
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: March 10, 2022
