National Register of Historic Places

Cather, Willa, Birthplace

Gore, Frederick County, Virginia
Listed
November 16, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78003017

About this property

The Willa Cather Birthplace, also known as the Rachel E. Boak House, is the site near Gore, Virginia, where the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Willa Cather was born in 1873. The log home was built in the early 19th century by her great-grandfather and has been enlarged twice. The building was previously the home of Rachel E. Boak, Cather's grandmother. Cather and her parents lived in the house only about a year before they moved to another home in Frederick County. The farmhouse was listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register (VLR) in 1976 and the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1978.

Location

Gore, Frederick County, Virginia
39.26772, -78.32392

Categories

LITERATUREARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Cather, Willa, Birthplace

This page lists Cather, Willa, Birthplace. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Cather, Willa, Birthplace report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Willow Shade
Industrial
1.2 mi
Sunrise
Industrial
2.7 mi
Frederick County Poor Farm
Industrial
6.6 mi
Opequon Historic District
Listed
8.6 mi
Old Stone Church
Industrial
8.7 mi

Nearby Battles

Second Battle of Winchester (Carter's Woods)
1863Civil War
8.5 mi
Second Battle of Winchester – Flank Attack on Apple Pie Ridge
1863Civil War
8.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Cather, Willa, Birthplace listed on the National Register?

Cather, Willa, Birthplace was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 16, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Cather, Willa, Birthplace?

Cather, Willa, Birthplace is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Cather, Willa, Birthplace?

The period of significance for Cather, Willa, Birthplace is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Cather, Willa, Birthplace?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Cather, Willa, Birthplace will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Frederick County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Frederick County.

Explore FrederickCounty ›

More historic places in Virginia

Browse all historic places in Virginia.

View Virginiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Virginia history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Virginiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Cather, Willa, Birthplace will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report