Berkeley Plantation

The 1726 Georgian mansion is the birthplace of Benjamin Harrison V, signer of the Declaration of Independence and governor of Virginia. The estate is also the birthplace of William Henry Harrison, ninth U.S. president and ancestral home of his grandson, Benjamin Harrison, the twenty-third president. During the Civil War, Berkeley, known as Harrison’s Landing, was occupied by General George McClellan’s Union Army. While at Berkeley, General Daniel Butterfield composed the familiar tune “Taps,” first played by his bugler, O.W. Norton. John Jamieson, a drummer boy with McClellan’s forces, returned to Berkeley in 1907 and purchased the house and 1400 acres. His son, Malcolm, and his wife, Grace, are responsible for the extensive restoration seen today. The plantation is presently owned by the Malcolm E Jamieson family.

Boone Home

The Boone home in Defiance, Missouri. Constructed by Nathan Boone, Daniel Boone's youngest son from 1803 to 1810, it is a beautifull example of Georgian Style architecture. Daniel Boone and his family moved to the Louisiana Territory in 1799. Daniel lived with his children for the latter part of his life and with Nathan from 1804 to 1813 and then again from 1816 to 1820. Daniel Boone died in this house on 26 September 1820, one year before Missouri became the 24th State of the United States.

Capitol of the Commonwealth

Twilight lends a gentle light to the reconstructed capital building in colonial Williamburg. The House of Burgesses met here from 1705 to 1779, when the capital was relocated to Richmond, Virginia. This capital, was rebuilt in 1934 based on the original colonial revival style and floor plan of 1705.

Colonial Armour

Armour that would have been worn by the earliest English settlers at the Jamestown Settlement in Jamestown, Virginia. The James Fort is recreated as it would have appeared between 1610 and 1614, complete with all buildings, furnishings, and reenactors in their period roles. It is a true step back in time to experience what it would have been like in this first English settlement in America that survived.

Colonial Fleet

Replicas of the ships that took the first English settlers to Jamestown, Virginia in 1607 at the Jamestown Settlement. From right to left, the "Susan Constant", "Discovery", and "Godspeed". The journey took five months and they made landfall at what is now Jamestown, Virginia on 13 May 1607.

Fife and Drum Corps

The Fife and Drum Corp at the illumination of the capital building in Williamsburg, Virginia. They lit up this part of the old town for the Holidays!

Fort Watauga

The reconstructed Fort Watauga at Sycamore Shoals State Park in Elizabethton, Tennessee. The original fort was built in 1776 about a mile down the river from its present location at the farm homestean of Mathew Talbot. Talbot operated the first gristmill in the Watauga settlement (1775). This was the first American settlement west of the Appalachian mountains. In 1775, the Transylvania purchase took place at Sycamore Shoals, which divided the Cherokee Indians from these early settlers in the Watauga valley. When the American revolution begain, peace became fragile on the frontier as the British Amry began providing guns and ammunition to their Cherokee allies. The settlers knew that an attack was now imminent. The settlers hastily constructed a palisade wall between the closely grouped buildings on Talbot's farm and created Fort Watauga. On the morning of 21 July, 1776 nearly 300 Cherokee warriors attacked Fort Watauga. The attack lasted three hours, but the settlers prevailed and held off the attackers. After other devastating defeats in other parts of this region, the Cherokee warriors fled further south. The last written record mentioning the fort was in 1777.

Colonial Flag

One of the early designs for "Old Glory" during the founding of the first thirteen colonies of the United States. This featured 13 five-pointed stars arranged in a circle, with the stars arranged pointing outwards from the circle, the so-called Betsy Ross flag. Experts have dated the earliest known example of this flag to be 1792 in a painting by John Trumbull. This colonial flag was used at the Frontier Muster at the Wilderness Road Blockhouse near Duffield, Virginia. Old Glory stands out against a cloud studded brilliant blue sky over the verdant green of the Virginia countryside.

Governor's Palace

The Governor's Palace decorated for the holidays in colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. This was the official residence of the Royal Governors and after the American revolution, two post-colonial Govenors, Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson until the capital was moved to Richmond in 1780. The Palace was reconstructed from its original design in 1934.

Hope Plantation

Hope Plantation, built in 1803, is an early house built in the Palladian mode of the Federal style, located on the Carolina Coastal Plain, near Windsor, North Carolina. The house was built by David Stone (February 17, 1770 – October 7, 1818) who was the 15th governor of North Carolina from 1808 to 1810. Both before and after his term as governor, he served as a U.S. senator, between 1801 and 1807 and between 1813 and 1814. The house was sold by David Stone's son in 1836, and then passed through many hands. It endured decades of neglect. When rehabilitation of the structure was first considered in the 1960s and the state approached for aid by local citizens the Executive Director of the North Carolina Department of Archives and History said, "Hope is hopeless." However, the Hope Plantation enthusiasts were not to be deterred and on February 2, 1965 the Historic Hope Foundation, Incorporated was chartered. The house was bought by the Foundation and a largely grass-roots restoration effort was launched. Restored and opened to the public since 1972, the mansion is meticulously furnished with an extensive collection of original period pieces.

Harriet's Cabin

The interior of a reconstructed slave cabin at the Berkeley Plantation in Charles City, Virginia. This cabin was used in the filming of the movie "Harriet" about the life of Harriet Tubman. Harriet was a former slave and abolitionist that made some 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 enslaved people using the Underground Railroad. It is a humbling experience to compare the opulence of the Berkeley Plantation manor house with the interior of these simple one room cabins. Note the dirt floors and no coverings over the windows or doors.

Jamestown Church

The Anglican Church in the reconstructed Jamestown settlement as it appeared from 1610 to 1614. The photo was taken just before Christmas, so note the Mistletoe that was used for Christmas decorations.

Jefferson's Garden

Thomas Jefferson's Garden at Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia. Two acres in size, Jefferson grew 330 varieties of 70 species of vegetables in this garden. He would spend time in the gazebo located in the middle of the garden reading and taking notes. When one visits Monticello today, it is still a of beauty and serenity today.

Monticello

Monticello was the home of the 3rd President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. Construction started in 1769 and was complete by 1809. Jefferson lived in the house until his death in 1826. It is an architectural masterpiece and incorporates many conveniences that were not commonplace for the times.

Old Russell County Courthouse

This former courthouse was built in 1799 by Henry Dickenson in Russell County, Virginia. A stone building, the structure replaced a log courthouse that was burned during the Revolutionary War. A brick wing was added to the stone structure by the Robert Dickenson family between 1830 and 1850. Used as a residence until the 1970's, the courthouse began to undergo a restoration process in 1976. The building is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a Virginia Landmark. It is now restored and open to the public. The former jail was located in the basement of the stone house, with the door visible in the lower left portion of the photograph.

Slave Cabins

The reconstructed slave cabins at the Berkeley Plantation in Charles City, Virginia. These cabins were used in the filming of the movie "Harriet" about the life of Harriet Tubman. Harriet was a former slave and abolitionist that made some 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 enslaved people using the Underground Railroad. It is a humbling experience to compare the opulence of the Berkeley Plantation manor house with the interiors of these simple one room cabins.

Sugar Hill Cabin

The chimney on Sugar Hill, just west of St. Paul, Virginia. In 1772, John English settled here, making him the first settler in present Wise County, Virginia. He built a log cabin on this site. On March 8, 1787, Indians suddenly burst into his home, killing his wife, Molly English, and their two little boys. John English moved to Moore's Fort in Castlewood, Virginia and later sold this home and land to a Frenchman, Francois Pierre de Tubooefuf. Francois later built this chimney on to the existing hand hewn cedar log house, which sat on this site for nearly two centuries until it was burned down by vandals in 1976. The Frenchman, his family and servants cleared this land and named it "St. Marie on the Clinch". Francois was later killed by white thieves, some of which were caught, tried, and convicted in Russell County. His survivors then moved out of the area. Future owners farmed the land and in the 1930's a maple syrup and sugar operation existed here, thus the current name of the place, "Sugar Hill".

Wilderson Road Blockhouse

A replica of the Anderson Blockhouse that was built in the Natural Tunnel State Park in 2003. The original Blockhouse was built by John Anderson in 1775 in the East Carter Valley of what is now Scott County, Virginia. It became an important stop-off point for the many settlers that traveled through the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky. The original Blockhouse burned in 1876.

The Tavern

The Tavern, the oldest of Abingdon's historic buildings and one of the oldest west of the Blue Ridge, was built in 1779. It was used from it's beginning as a tavern and overnight inn for stagecoach traveler's. The first post office on the western slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains was located in the east wing of The Tavern. The original mail slot is still in place and can be seen today from the street. During the past two centuries, The Tavern has served as a tavern, bank, bakery, general store, cabinet shop, barber shop, private residence, post office, antique shop and restaurant. It even served as a hospital for wounded Confederate and Union soldiers during the Civil War. It was restored to its former glory in 1984 and reopened as a restaurant in 1994.

Williamsburg Twilight

Twilight in Colonial Williamsburg. Love the broad expanse of Duke of Gloucester Street and NO power lines to disrupt the vista!

Moore House

The Moore House is a historic building located within Colonial National Historical Park, in York County, Virginia. The house was erected around 1725 on a 500-acre parcel of land called Temple Farm which also included a dam and grist mill. Lawrence Smith II built the Moore House on Temple Farm and the home stayed within the family until 1754 when his son, Robert, sold it to his brother-in-law Augustine Moore to avoid financial woes. Augustine and his family fled to Richmond to avoid the Siege of Yorktown. General Cornwallis requested a cease fire on October 17, 1781, and selected the house as the site for surrender negotiations, likely due to its neutral and convenient location. Washington's and Cornwallis's representatives met at the house the following day, where they negotiated Articles of Capitulation. The articles were agreed to and signed on October 19, 1781. The House passed to Hugh Nelson in 1797 following the deaths of Augustine and his wife. It had several owners over the years and was significantly damaged during the 1862 Siege of Yorktown. Later the house's wood was pilfered by soldiers for fire fuel. The house was not repaired until the advent of the Battle of Yorktown Centennial Celebration in 1881. The National Park Service restored the house between 1931 and 1934 using historic photos. It was dedicated on 18–19 October 1934. The restoration work was the first of its kind undertaken by the National Park Service.

Cupola House

For over two and a half centuries, the Cupola House has stood watch from the north shore of Edenton Bay. It was built in 1758 by Francis Corbin, land agent for John Carteret, Earl of Granville. Carteret was one of the last of the famous Lords Proprietors who, in the 17th century, acquired vast territories south of Virginia from King Charles II. Corbin died in 1767, and Dr. Samuel Dickinson purchased the house in 1777. His descendants called the Cupola House home for over 141 years. With limited income, the last of the family were unable to properly maintain the house. Weather and time eventually took its toll. Exterior paint was worn away, and the building was suffering from disrepair. The house was threatened, and a historic landmark was near death. In 1918, citizens rallied to form an organization to save the Cupola House. This organization eventually became The Cupola House Association, dedicated to its protection. Today the Cupola House stands proudly watching over the bay. The formal gardens have been restored. It is an anchor to the lovely town of Edenton and a memorial to those who cared and took action to save this architectural treasure. The Cupola House is the most studied building in North Carolina. Thomas T. Waterman called it the finest example of Jacobean design south of Massachusetts.

Poplar Forest

Poplar Forest is a plantation and plantation house in Forest, Bedford County, Virginia. Thomas Jefferson designed the plantation and used the property as a private retreat and a revenue-generating plantation. Jefferson inherited the property in 1773 and began designing and working on the plantation in 1806. The octagonal house may have been the first of its kind to have been built in the United States. While Jefferson is the most famous individual associated with the property, it had several owners before being purchased for restoration, preservation, and exhibition in 1984. Poplar Forest was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1971 and is presently operated as a historic house museum by the nonprofit Corporation for Jefferson’s Poplar Forest. The Corporation is also responsible for the ongoing archaeological study and restoration work at the property. The organization has worked in recent years to reacquire land within the original plantation boundaries, and as of 2008 owned 617 acres of the original property.

Yates Mill

Yates Mill served Wake County as a water-powered mill for more than 200 years. Of the 70 gristmills that once served Wake County, Yates Mill is the only one still in operating condition. Samuel Pearson, the mill's founder, is thought to have first acquired property in the Wake County area around 1750, when he purchased land from John Monk. The earliest known document related to Pearson's activity around Steep Hill Creek and the land that now surrounds the mill dates to 1756. In March 1763, Pearson submitted an entry, claiming ownership of the land where he built the mill. Because of the American Revolution, action was not taken until 1778, when the new State of North Carolina issued Pearson a survey for the same land he claimed in 1763. This survey is the first known document on file that specifically mentions the mill as already standing. The mill operated until the 1950's until it was closed due to a lack of business. The propery was acquired by North Carolina State University in 1963. After the mill closed and as years passed it fell into disrepair. In 1989, the nonprofit group Yates Mill Associates (YMA) formed to preserve and restore the mill. NC State Univerisity leased the land where the mill was standing to Wake County, starting in 1996. After stabilization, restoration efforts began, which were completed in 2005. Construction a visitor center for the park began in summer 2003, and was completed in April 2006. Historic Yates Mill County Park opened to the public May 20, 2006. Tours of Yates Mill are available to the public March through November, and corn-grinding demonstrations are offered the third weekend of each month during that time.