Just 10 mi east of Richmond, Shirley Plantation, on the James River, is the oldest plantation in Virginia, and the oldest family-owned business in North America. Founded in 1613 by a grant from the Crown, Shirley is still a working farm today. The current mansion was built in 1723 and is known as one of the most architecturally intact examples of 18th-century homes in the country, with one of...
Make a day of visiting the historic plantations of Virginia's past.:
Driving east from Richmond along Route 5 in rural Charles City County, you can visit a number of stately historic plantations. Berkeley claims to be the site of the first Thanksgiving because...