178 Richmond: The Plantations

Upper Shirley known as the West and Shirley Hundred Shirley Plantation and eventually Shirley Plantation. Upper Shirley has its origin in the original brick 501 Shirley Plantation Road house at Shirley Plantation. That house, Shirley Plantation is home to 11 generations built c.1660, was three stories, each with of one family who continue to own, oper- two rooms and similar in configuration to ate and work Virginia’s first plantation. Es- the service buildings flanking the current tablished only six years after John Smith’s manor house. A contract between Hill settlement at Jamestown in 1607, Shirley Carter and builder A.H. Marks describes Plantation is the oldest family-owned busi- the dismantling of the “old house” and the ness in North America, dating to 1638. reuse of the brick for the construction of The present mansion was begun in 1723 as Upper Shirley in 1867. This was a remark- a wedding present for Elizabeth Hill and able accomplishment given the fledgling John Carter, eldest son of Robert “King” state of Reconstruction in this area. Built Carter. The mother of Confederate General for Hill’s son William Fitzhugh Carter, Robert E. Lee, Anne Hill Carter, was born the home was sold out of the Carter fam- at Shirley and married Revolutionary War ily in 1885. Shortly thereafter, the house hero “Light Horse Harry” Lee in the Great was doubled in size and the 17th-century House parlor. Considered by many to be brick was covered with plaster, reflecting the most intact Colonial estate in America, an architectural trend seen in the Gover- the Great House is largely in its original nor’s Mansion and the Wickham House in state and features a three-floor, square- Richmond. The double gallery porch on rigged or “flying” staircase in the main the riverfront was removed and relocated hall. The guided tour of the Great House from the Warren House in Harrisonburg. highlights stories from the Hill Carter fam- Upper Shirley’s servant’s house (now a ily, including several occasions when the guest cottage), ice house, smokehouse and property was saved by the hard work, ded- boxwood garden are restored and largely ication and humanity of the Carter wom- original. In 2013, current owners Tayloe en. Formal gardens, eight original Colonial and Susan Dameron planted a 16-acre outbuildings and commanding views of the vineyard of vitis vinifera grapes consisting James River complete this majestic setting. of Petit Verdot, Viognier, Merlot and Tan- Tour will be of the first floor. Please note, nat, creating Upper Shirley Vineyards. Shirley will also be open on 4/26 and 4/28. Tayloe and Susan Dameron, owners. The Charles Hill Carter family, owners. Richmond: The James River Plantations 179 Riverview Farm in the early 1700s. Major restorations in the mid-19th century include many of the 1330 Shirley Plantation Road present architectural details. In 1941, the Riverview Farm, originally part of Dogham, house was expanded, adding a kitchen was established in 1850 by John Pleasant wing, children’s dining room, 5 bedrooms, Royall and his wife, Mary Howell Douthat, 4 bathrooms, and game and service rooms. a descendant of William Randolph. The The Charles Gillette-planned garden was original home burned and was rebuilt in also developed at this time. Situated be- 1860. The Greek-revival, antebellum home tween Malvern Hill and Berkeley Plan- is frame with a brick English basement. tation, Dogham was inevitably involved Four chimneys rise above the slate hipped in the Civil War. In 1862, U.S. General roof. The west facade overlooks the James McClellan made his headquarters in a River with a recessed portico, handsome gunboat on the James River, several hun- pediment and elegant, two-story columns. dred yards from Dogham’s bluffs. Plowed The east facade welcomes visitors with fields frequently yield bullets, shell frag- an upper and lower porch supported by ments, buttons and other artifacts. Today, Greek columns and crowned with a double Dogham Farm is comprised of 750 acres staircase. The interior has a 4-on-4 floor and is on the National Register of Historic plan with center hall, 11 working fireplac- Places, and Virginia Landmarks Register. es, wide-plank pine floors, cornice and pi- As a Virginia Century Farm, Dogham is laster-framed windows and doors, original protected from future development by a moldings, and 14-foot ceilings on the main conservation easement held by the Virginia floor. During the Civil War, the house sur- Outdoors Foundation and the James River vived cannon fire and Union encampment. Association. This home hasn’t been open A riverfront Gillette garden was installed in in support of Historic Garden Week since 1927, contained within a serpentine brick the 1950s. The Mitchell Family, owners. wall and herringbone walkways, made up of English boxwood and band quatrefoil reflecting pond converted to a swimming pool. The current owners operate River- 12602 Harrison Landing Road view as The Nordt Family Farm. They grow corn, soybeans, cotton, wheat and hay, as The site of the first official Thanksgiving in well as raise merino sheep and hand-dye 1619, Berkeley is also the birthplace of Ben- wool with plant dyes to craft hand-woven jamin Harrison V, signer of the Declaration blankets. The manor house, Gillette garden, of Independence and three-time governor weaving studio, cottage, stable, sheep barn, of Virginia. The estate is the birthplace of artist studio, and vegetable garden will be William Henry Harrison, ninth president open to visitors. Riverview was last open of the United States, and ancestral home for HGW in 1951 when the garden was of his grandson, Benjamin Harrison, the featured on the cover of the guidebook. 23rd president. Taps was composed here Bill and Dianne Nordt, owners. when General McClellan headquartered 140,000 Union troops on the property for two months in 1862. The original Geor- Dogham Farm gian mansion, built in 1726 of brick fired on the plantation, occupies a landscaped 1601 Dogham Lane hilltop site overlooking the James River. In 1642, Joseph Royall patented 600 acres The date of the building and the initials of on the north side of the James River in the owners, Benjamin Harrison IV and his Charles City County. The plantation he wife Anne, appear in a date stone over a named “Doggams” later became known side door. The mansion is said to be the as “Dogham” in the 18th century. Follow- oldest three-story brick house in Virginia ing the death of Joseph Royall, his widow that can prove its date, and the first with a married Henry Isham. The property re- pediment roof. Five terraced gardens lead- mains in the Royall and Isham lines today. ing from the house to the river were dug by Dogham is representative of the simple hand before the Revolutionary War. Many houses that abounded in the Virginia Co- hundred-year-old trees grace the restored lonial period. The oldest part of the house boxwood garden offering breathtaking is the central portion with entrance hall, vistas of the James River. On the adjacent dining room, upstairs bedroom, and base- farmland, sheep graze in the distant rolling ment below (former kitchen), each with a hills on this nearly 1000-acre plantation. fireplace. The Royall family thought this Berkeley was a recent recipient of a GCV portion was built in 1652. However, ar- Research Fellowship funded with proceeds chitectural historians from Colonial Wil- from HGW tours. Please note, Berke- liamsburg believe it was likely built after ley will also be open on 4/26 and 4/28. 1700. Additional expansions occurred The Malcolm E. Jamieson family, owners. 180 Richmond: The James River Plantations

Westover Plantation 7000 Westover Road William Byrd II, author, diarist, Colonial leader and founder of the cities of Peters- THE burg and Richmond, built the house, one of the finest examples of Georgian archi- tecture in America, around 1730. Westo- ver’s special charm lies in its elegant yet BIZARRE extremely simple form and perfect pro- portions. Of interest are the steepness of the roof, the tall chimneys in pairs at both BAZAAR® ends of the main house, and the elaborate doorway, which continues to be recog- nized as “the Westover doorway” despite presents... its adaptation to many other buildings and “ e area’s most popular show, homes. Shaded by 150-year-old tulip pop- e Bizarre Bazaar® is a unique lars, Westover’s lawn offers a command- shopping experience. ing view of the James River and majestic Gather your friends and make a day of it!” eagles soaring overhead. The grounds are still protected by wrought-iron gates hung -Christmas in Williamsburg by William Byrd in 1709 and considered the finest set of 18th-century gates in the country. William Byrd II’s tombstone, in the center of the beautiful walled formal Our 2016 garden, gives an interesting account of his life and provides insight into the values of Season! his time. The interior, normally closed to the public, is noted for the beautiful pro- portions of the rooms, ornately carved ceilings, the detail of the cornice and stair- way, and an unusual black mantelpiece. The 41st After the death of William Byrd III’s wid- Christmas Collection ow in 1814, Westover was sold out of the Byrd family. In 1921 Mr. and Mrs. Rich- ard Crane acquired the property. Today, December 1-4 their great-granddaughter and her family make it their home and care for this his- toric landmark. Westover was featured on th the first Historic Garden Week in 1929. The 24 Westover was a recent recipient of a GCV Research Fellowship funded with proceeds Spring Market from HGW tours. Please note, Westover will also be open on 4/26 and 4/28. Rob and Andrea Erda, owners. April 1-3

RICHMOND RACEWAY COMPLEX Westover Episcopal Church 600 E. Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, VA 23222 6401 Memorial Highway Between 1611 and 1613, as colonists moved west from Jamestown, several small parishes were formed and eventually merged to become Westover. The original was constructed between THE 1630 and 1637 on nearby Westover Plan- tation. In 1730 construction of the current BIZARRE BAZAAR® church was completed at its site on Her- ring Creek, 1.5 miles north of Westover elebrating Shopping Fun! plantation. The end of support for the C Episcopal Church through public taxation The Bizarre Bazaar® at the start of the Revolutionary War, fol- P.O. Box 8330, Richmond, Virginia 23226 lowed by the War of 1812, the prejudice Telephone: (804) 673-7015 Fax: (804) 673-7017 against the Church as an English loyalist thebizarrebazaar.com