Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 06/01/1971
NRHP Listing Date 09/28/1971
DHR's Virginia Board of Historic Resources easement
NRHP Reference Number 71000976
The diminutive proportions of this colonial plantation house, in Essex County’s Occupacia-Rappahannock Rural Historic District, may result from the fact that it was built for a woman, Sarah Taliaferro Brooke, who supervised its construction. Brooke’s Bank was completed in 1751, and the rectangular house with its formal lines, fine brickwork, and spreading hipped roof, is a fine example of Georgian architecture. An unusual note is the diamond pattern formed by glazed headers in the two massive chimneys. The highlight of the interior is the broad center-passage arch framing and original curved stair. Delicate late-Georgian trim was added to the woodwork in the principal rooms. The house was shelled by the Union gunboat Pawnee in the Civil War, but the damage was not extensive. After years of neglect, Brooke’s Bank was restored in the 1930s. A museum-quality restoration, including the replacement of the 1930s wings, took place in 1995-98.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: August 9, 2022
