JAMES RIVER PLANTATIONS
Lower North Side
DIRECTIONS: All plantations but Tuckahoe are located between Richmond and Williamsburg on Rte 5, the scenic John Tyler Memorial Highway, in historic Charles City County. Rte 5 can be accessed from downtown Richmond by taking East Main Street east until it becomes Rte 5. Look for James River Plantation signs after driving for approximately 20-30 minutes. Plantations are listed in geographic order, with Shirley being the closest to Richmond.
Interstate highways: From I-64 east from Richmond (or west from Williamsburg), take Exit I-295 South. Follow I-295 South to Rte 5. Take Charles City exit 22A, east on Rte 5. Look for signs for James River Plantations on Rte 5.
Dining in the plantation area includes Charles City Tavern (804) 829-5004 and various local restaurants.
Tuckahoe is located approximately 20 minutes west of downtown Richmond in Goochland County. (See directions below.)
Guests are asked not to wear spike-heeled shoes, which may damage floorings and to refrain from using cell phones while touring within the houses.
Tickets for James River Plantations will be sold separately at each plantation on the day of the tour. No Internet or Garden Week combination tickets are available for the plantations. Advance reservations are not necessary.
TUCKAHOE PLANTATION. 12601 River Road, west of Richmond in Goochland County. Take I-64 to Gaskins Rd. South. Right onto Gaskins, drive south through several major intersections to the intersection with River Rd. Right on River Rd. and proceed 2.8 mi. west, past St. Mary’s Church on left. Take next left after Blair Rd., at the small Tuckahoe Plantation sign and two white pillars. The plantation lane will lead straight to the house. Boyhood home of Thomas Jefferson. Tuckahoe is considered to be the most complete plantation layout in North America dating from the early 18th century, containing some of the most important architectural ideas of the early Georgian period. Probably unique in American architecture are the rare outbuildings, including paired structures which were the office and schoolhouse where Thomas Jefferson went to classes. In 1935, the late Mr. and Mrs. N. Addison Baker saved the mansion from being partially dismantled and moved away for museum display. The beautiful plantation grounds include a cemetery and a small 18th century style kitchen garden with perennials, vegetable plots, and a Memorial Garden designed by Charles F. Gillette. House and grounds open on Thursday, April 22, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., $10 per person. Grounds open for self-guided tours on Tuesday and Wednesday (April 20 and 21), 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $5, and the house can be toured on these days for an additional fee. Grounds open year-round for self-guided tours, $5 and house by appointment. Telephone (804) 784-5736, www.tuckahoeplantation.com. Home of Mr. and Mrs. Addison Baker Thompson.
SHIRLEY PLANTATION. Located 20 mi. east of Richmond, via Rte 5. What does Shirley have that no other plantation can offer? The story of eleven generations of one family who to this day continue to own, operate, and work this grand Southern plantation.
Shirley is Virginia’s first plantation (1613) and one of the first economic engines of the New World. Only six years after John Smith’s settlement at Jamestown, the crown grant carving Shirley Plantation out of the Virginia frontier was established. Shirley Plantation is the oldest family-owned business in North America, dating to 1638. The present mansion was begun in 1723 when Elizabeth Hill, great-granddaughter of the first Hill, married John Carter, eldest son of Robert “King” Carter. Completed in 1738, the mansion is largely in its original state and is owned, operated, and lived in by direct descendants of Edward Hill. The mother of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, Anne Hill Carter, was born at Shirley and in 1793 married “Light Horse” Harry Lee in the mansion’s parlor.
The mansion is recognized as an architectural treasure. A guided tour of the main floor features original 18th century hand-carved woodwork, family portraits, silver, and original furnishings. The square-rigged, “flying” staircase rises three stories with no visible means of support. Gardens and eight original outbuildings are included on the self-guided grounds tour. Today, Shirley continues to be a working plantation, a private family home, a growing business, and a direct link between the past and the present.
Open daily, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except Thanksgiving and Christmas days. Admission: adult $11.00, youth (ages 6-18) $7.50. Discounts for seniors, military personnel, and AAA members. A Virginia and National Historic Landmark. Telephone 1-800-232-1613, www.shirleyplantation.com. Mr. and Mrs. C. Hill Carter Jr., owners.
BERKELEY. Located on Virginia state Rte 5 between Richmond and Williamsburg. Berkeley is a center of great historic interest, a beautifully restored example of the mansions that graced Virginia’s “Golden Age.” It is the site of the first official Thanksgiving in America in 1619. Berkeley is the birthplace of Benjamin Harrison V, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and three times governor of Virginia. The estate is also the birthplace of William Henry Harrison, 9th president of the United States, and ancestral home of his grandson, Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president. “Taps” was composed here when Gen. McClellan headquartered 140,000 Union troops on the property for two months in 1862. The original 1726 Georgian mansion is furnished with a magnificent collection of 18th century antiques. The handsome Adam woodwork and the double arches of the AGreat Rooms@ were installed by Benjamin Harrison VI in 1790 at the direction of Thomas Jefferson. Five terraced gardens, leading from the house to the James River, were dug by hand before the Revolutionary War. Many hundred-year-old trees grace the restored boxwood gardens offering breathtaking vistas of the James River. Flowers bloom spring through fall. The plantation gift shop, located in one of the original buildings, has a unique collection of historical mementos and charming gifts.
Open daily year-round, except Thanksgiving and Christmas day, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission, adults $11; students (13-16) $7.50; children (6-12) $6. Discounts for seniors, military and AAA. Group rates for 10 or more by reservation. A Virginia and National Historic Landmark. Telephone (804) 829-6018 or 1-888-466-6018. Website: www.berkeleyplantation.com. Owned by the Malcolm E. Jamieson family.
WESTOVER. Located on the James River via Rte 5, in Charles City County, 25 miles east of Richmond and west of Williamsburg. The house, one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in America, was built in 1730 by William Byrd II, author, diarist, colonial leader and founder of the cities of Petersburg and Richmond. His tombstone, in the center of the walled garden, gives an interesting resume of his life and provides an insight into the values of his time. The lawn, with its century-old tulip poplars, offers a commanding view of the James River. The grounds are still protected by wrought iron gates hung by William Byrd in 1709 and are known to be the finest set of 18th century gates in this country. The interior, normally closed to the public, is noted for the beautiful proportions of the rooms, ornately carved ceilings, the detail of the cornice and stairway, and an unusual black mantelpiece. House interior and grounds open Thursday, April 22, through Saturday, April 24, for Historic Garden Week, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission $10; children under 16, $2; children under 6, free. Otherwise grounds only open daily. Group house tours available by appointment. A Virginia Historic Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. Westover is one of the charter houses for Historic Garden Week in Virginia. Telephone (804) 829-2882. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick S. Fisher, owners. Web site: www.jamesriverplantations.org/westover.htm. E-mail: FSFisher@aol.com.