"Clerestory House, State Route 31, Surry, Surry County, VA"
HABS photo, Library of Congress.
Unfortunately there is nothing detailed in the HABS report accompanying this photo. The "clerestory" (pronounced 'clear story') is the row of continuous windows across the roof, taking the form of a long dormer-like extension. This kind of window/roof design is common on industrial buildings (mills, factories, etc.) from the late 18th century to the present. Finding them on houses is unusual, but there is a cluster of them in southeastern Virginia. The best study I'm aware of covering these is Elizabeth P. Hoge's, "The Clerestory Dwellings of Southeastern Virginia," University of Virginia.
I wasn't able to definitively locate this particular building, though Hoge has a photo of a house in Surry Co. that nearly matches... hard to tell because many exterior details are obscured (see below, page. 46, Hoge). She also gives a different location-- Rt 10 vs. Rt 31.
Hoge theorizes that the clerestory houses were built by someone who was familiar with the construction of industrial buildings in the northern states and had a connection to southern Virginia through the cotton trade. They seem to be confined to a relatively narrow time window and geographic area, which lends credence to her theory.
