Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 04/18/1989
NRHP Listing Date 11/14/1989
NRHP Reference Number 89001920
Miles B. Carpenter, one of America’s foremost folk artists, purchased this 1890 frame house in 1912 and lived here until his death in 1985. Through his ownership of a local sawmill and planing mill, Carpenter acquired a familiarity with wood. This appreciation for the material, together with an artist’s eye for figures suggested by the shapes of branches and stumps, led him to carving folk sculpture as his lumber business declined. Using his backyard and kitchen for his studio, Carpenter fashioned figures that ranged from the whimsical to the frightful. His carved and painted watermelons, monkeys, monsters, and humans attracted widespread attention and earned him the respect of museums. Following his death, the Miles B. Carpenter House in the Sussex County town of Waverly became a museum displaying his sculptures and tools. In addition to celebrating Carpenter’s unique art, the museum exhibits the work of young area artists.
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 1, 2021
