Historic Garden Week in Virginia 2012 Guidebook

April 21- 28, 2012www.vagardenweek.org

2012

The Historic Gardens of Virginia

Winchester

Danville

Richmond

Charlottesville

Leesburg

Lynchburg

StauntonFredericksburg

Norfolk

Alexandria

Roanoke Petersburg

Stratford

Lexington

Martinsville

WilliamsburgSurry

Millwood

Winchester

Richmond

Charlottesville

Leesburg

Lynchburg


Norfolk

Alexandria

Roanoke Petersburg

Stratford

Martinsville

WilliamsburgSurry

Millwood

1016

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Bacon’s Castle, p.225

Belle Grove, p.43

Belmont, p.74

Bruton Parish Church, p.223

Burwell-Morgan Mill, p.43

Centre Hill Mansion, p.156

Christ Church, p.146

Danville Museum of FineArts and History, p.49

Executive Mansion CapitolSquare, p.187

Fincastle PresbyterianChurch, p.142

Grace Arents Garden at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, p.197

Green Spring Gardens*, p.142

Historic Henry CountyCourthouse*, p.104

Historic PortsmouthCourthouse, p.164

Historic St. Luke’sChurch, p.142

Hollins University, p.142

John Handley HighSchool*, p.142

Kenmore, p.73

Kent-Valentine House, p.197

Ker Place, p.57

Lee Hall, p.126

Mary WashingtonHouse, p.75

Mary WashingtonMonument, p.75

Maymont, p.198

Monticello, p.19

Montpelier, p.151

Moses MyersHouse, p.135

Virginia Restored by the Garden Club of Virginiawith funding from Historic Garden Week Tours

Winchester

Danville

Richmond

Charlottesville

Leesburg

Lynchburg


Norfolk

Alexandria

Roanoke Petersburg

Stratford

Lexington

Martinsville

WilliamsburgSurry

Millwood

Winchester

Danville

Richmond

Charlottesville

Leesburg

Lynchburg


Norfolk

Alexandria

Roanoke Petersburg

Stratford

Lexington

Martinsville

WilliamsburgSurry

Millwood

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Mount Vernon, p.24

Oatlands, p.109

Point of Honor, p.94

Poplar Forest*, p.96

Smith’s Fort Plantation, p.225

St. John’s Mews, p.198

State Arboretum ofVirginia, BlandyExperimental Farm, p.43

Stratford Hall, p.142

Sweet Briar College, p.98

University of Virginia, p.16

Washington and LeeUniversity, p.92

Wilton, p.199

Woodlawn, p.25

Woodrow WilsonPresidential Library, p.210

*Property currently undergoing restoration.

Albemarle CountyKeswick Area

Sponsored byThe Charlottesville Garden Club,The Albemarle Garden Club and

The Rivanna Garden Club

Sunday, April 22, 2012from noon to 5 p.m. and

Monday, April 23, 2012from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Chairmen:Nan Brody(434) 296-4666 or [email protected]

Betsy [email protected]

Boo Greene(434) 979-9286 or [email protected]

Group and Bus Tour Chairman:Holly Maillet (434) 566-8602 [email protected]

Tickets: $40. Single-site admission: $15. Chil-dren 6-12: $10. Children 5 and under free ofcharge. Full tickets and single-site tickets canbe purchased by cash or check at the entranceof each property on the day of the tour. Fulltickets are good for both days of tour. Alltickets are non-refundable. Children 17 andyounger must be accompanied by an adult.Tickets for Morven and Monticello are soldseparately.

Advance Tickets: $30. Children 6-12: $10. Tick-ets are non-refundable. Single-site tickets arenot available in advance. To order online,please visit www.VAGardenweek.org. Onlinetickets are offered for the Keswick Area Touronly, April 22 and 23. Send check payable toHGW-Charlottesville with a self addressed,stamped envelope, include email or phonenumber to: Irene Soderquist, 530 Explorer Rd,Charlottesville, VA 22911. Please send no laterthan Friday, April 6. For questions, kindly call(434) 960-2479 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Local Ticket Sales: Payment at ticket outletlocations by check only payable to HGW-Charlottesville. Tickets are available fromThursday, March 1st, until 5 p.m. Saturday,

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April 21, at the following locations in Charlot-tesville: Boar’s Head Inn, Caspari, Creme de laCreme, Lloyd’s Hallmark Card and Gift Shop,The Shade Shop and Kenny Ball Antiques, TheVirginia Shop, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen andLighting Gallery, Trailside Coffee in Crozetand S.H. Merrick Fashions in Gordonsville.Reservations are required by Monday, April 9for groups traveling by bus or van and forgroups of 15 or more individuals. Please con-tact Group Tour Chairman, Holly Maillet([email protected]) for tickets and infor-mation.

Lunches: Grace Episcopal Church, 5607 Gor-donsville Road/Rte. 231, Keswick, VA 22947.Box lunches will be available by reservationonly at Grace Episcopal Church from 11:30a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 22, and Mon-day, April 23. Please send a check for $15 perperson payable to Grace Episcopal Church,Attn: HGW Luncheon, P. O. Box 43, Keswick,VA 22947. Please specify Sunday or Monday.Payment must be received by Friday, April 13.Confirmations will not be mailed and luncheonreservations are non-refundable. Reservedtickets will be at the door on the day specified.A limited number of lunches will be availablefor purchase on the day of the tour on afirst-come, first-served basis. Restroom facili-ties will be available.

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Notes: As a courtesy to property owners and foryour own safety, please wear flat walking shoes.Walking will be required and there are somesteep slopes. No smoking and no pets in tourareas. Strollers will not be allowed in thehomes and other buildings. For privacy rea-sons, interior use of cameras and video equip-ment, including those in cell phones, is pro-hibited. We regret that tour areas are not hand-icapped accessible unless specifically noted.There will be parking and restroom facilities ateach location. Please look for signs and atten-dants.

Ticket price includes admission to thefollowing 7 locations:

Chopping Bottom Farm, 175 Chopping BottomFarm, Keswick, VA 22947. From I-64 take theShadwell Exit (124). Go East on RichmondRd. Rte. 250 for 2 mi. Turn left onto LouisaRd. Rte. 22 East. Proceed 3.6 mi. to theentrance of Chopping Bottom Farm. NamedMetropolitan Home’s “House of the Year” in2002, Chopping Bottom is a stylized farmhousewith multiple modules that mimic outbuildings.The minimalist look of the exterior continuesinside the house where an all glass wall frames

a stunning view of the Southwest Mountains.The white decor highlights the owners’ collec-tion of folk art and sets off the contemporaryItalian and French furnishings. Landscaping,too, is minimal: maples line the drive, Chineseelms bracket the 70 ft. lap pool, crabapplesflank the house and cedars surround the court-yard. Cutting gardens provide a plentiful arrayof flowers for Mrs. Vanderwarker’s website,fearlessflowers.com. A large shade garden issited alongside the stream that gives the prop-erty its name. Mr. Vanderwarker’s studio, a 9ft.square 20ft. high structure, sits on a knolloverlooking the property. House, grounds, andstudio will be open. Anne and Tony Vander-warker, owners.

East Belmont Farm, 164 East Belmont Farm,Keswick, VA 22947. From I-64 take theShadwell Exit (124). Go East on RichmondRd. Rte. 250 for 2 miles. Turn left onto LouisaRd. Rte. 22 East. Proceed 2.2 miles to entranceof East Belmont. East Belmont is listed withthe Virginia Landmark Register and the Na-tional Register of Historic Places. The mainhouse sits on a knoll with lovely views in alldirections. It is surrounded by old KentuckyCoffee trees and boxwoods. A gated formal

Chopping Bottom Farm

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garden and a colorful cutting garden provide agraceful transition from house to barnyard.The 19th century stone barn was renovated toexpose beautiful vaulted ceilings and providehorse stalls and wash racks. A 100-year-olddairy barn was moved from the front of theproperty to the barnyard and renovated as aneight stall horse barn, complete with tack andtrophy rooms. A chicken coop completes thebarnyard. The stone guesthouse, once an applebarn, overlooks a pond. An orchard of Chinesechestnut trees provides shade for the ridingring during hot summer months. Eleven pad-docks house twenty horses and four Belgianmules. Two hundred brood cows graze acrossthe 1250-acre property. Ceil and KennyWheeler, owners.

Round Hill Farm, 1091 St. John Rd, Keswick, VA22947. From I-64 take the Shadwell Exit (124).Go East on Richmond Rd. Rte. 250 for .2 mi.Turn left onto Louisa Rd. Rte. 22 E. Proceed5.4 mi. to Gordonsville Rd. VA-231. Proceedstraight on Gordonsville Rd for 2.9 mi. Turnright on St. John Rd. Continue .2 mi. to entranceof Round Hill on the left. Overlooking theSouthwest Mountains, the Williamsburg-in-spired house is surrounded by twenty-five acresof gardens, native landscaping and horse pad-docks. The house, built in the 1980s and ex-

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panded in 2008, reflects the understated ele-gance of a Virginia-vernacular farmhouse. Thenew great room features a spectacular twenty-two foot beamed cathedral ceiling, a fireplaceof limestone and blue stone, and a three-tierchandelier handcrafted from French wine bar-rels. A towering rock fireplace in the kitchenwas handcrafted by masonry artist Toru Oba.The owners commissioned a master landscapeplan for the farm, resulting in a variety offlower beds, vegetable and herb gardens, a fruitorchard and a koi pond surrounded by anantique brick patio. Tom’s Garden, a one-acreorganic vegetable garden with raised beds andunderground irrigation, benefits not only fam-ily and friends, but the Blue Ridge Area FoodBank as well. Thomas and Mary Jane Timmer-man, owners.

Keswick Hall, 701 Club Dr., Keswick, VA 22947.From I-64 take the Shadwell Exit (124). GoEast on Rte. 250 for 2 mi. Turn left onto Rte.22 E. Proceed 1.7 mi. to right on Hunt ClubRd. which becomes Club Dr. and ends atKeswick Hall. In 1912, a University of Virginiastudent named Robert Crawford purchasedthe property and built an Italianate-style man-sion for his young bride. Villa Crawford be-came the core of today’s Keswick Hall, a

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country house hotel now under the umbrellaof Orient Express Hotels. The golf course,designed by Arnold Palmer, is included inthe Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program.A half-acre vineyard is planted with PetitManseng grapes. Beautifully tended kitchengardens provide vegetables for Keswick Hall.History buffs and art enthusiasts will enjoythe estate’s extensive collection of art andantiques. Guided garden tours at 1 p.m. and3 p.m. on Sunday and at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.on Monday. History tour at 3 p.m. on Monday.

Keswick Hunt Club, 627 Hunt Club Rd., Keswick,VA 22947. From I-64 take the Shadwell Exit(124). Go East on Rte. 250 2 mi. Turn left ontoRte. 22 East. Proceed 1.7 miles to right onHunt Club Rd. Go over the tracks and turn leftonto the gravel road that leads to the upperriding ring. Fox hunting has been a part ofKeswick life since 1742, when foxhounds werefirst brought to the area by Dr. ThomasWalker, a founding father of the city of Char-lottesville. The Keswick Hunt Club, founded in1896, has hosted at least one annual horseshow since 1904. Initially, the lower ridingring’s proximity to the railroad tracks was aconvenience for show spectators who travelledto the event from Charlottesville by train. Thekennels are home to 70 American Foxhounds.Hunting season stretches from late summer toearly spring. The huntsman spends the rest ofthe year training the pack.

Grace Episcopal Church, 5607 GordonsvilleRoad, Keswick, VA 22947 (south side of Rte.231). From I-64 take the Shadwell Exit (124).Go East on Rte. 250 2 mi. Turn left onto Rte.22 East. Proceed 5.4 miles to Gor-donsville Rd. Va-231. Stay straight to continueon Gordonsville Rd. 0.7 mi. to Grace EpiscopalChurch. First known as the Middle or BelvoirChurch, and later as Walker’s Church, theoriginal 1745 church was a square framed,plastered and white washed wooden building.Foundation stones of the 1745 church and theold horse mounting stones are still visible. In1845, the vestry hired William Strickland, ar-chitect of the tower to Independence Hall inPhiladelphia, to design a new building. Stonewas quarried from nearby Rougemont farm,but because of lack of monies, construction wasnot completed until 1855. In 1895 this churchburned, leaving only the tower and its 1,575-pound church bell, which still rings each Sun-day. The current stone structure, built on thesite of the 1855 church, was consecrated in

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1896. The first Blessing of the Hounds servicetook place on Thanksgiving in 1929 and con-tinues annually. Grace Episcopal Church wasthe first church in the United States to institutethis religious tradition, which was originated inFrance in the eighth century by St. Hubert,patron saint of hunters.

Oak Hill Farm, 4125 Louisa Road, KeswickVirginia 22947. From I-64 take the ShadwellExit (124). Go East on Richmond Rd. Rte. 250for 2 mi. Turn left onto Louisa Rd. VA-22East. Proceed 2.5 mi. to the entrance whichwill be on your right hand side. An allee ofwonderful old cedars and tulip poplar treesleads to the main house. Once a simple 1950shouse, it was transformed by the Lockhartsinto a stately mansion that evokes the eleganceand grandeur of a much older age. Horsepaddocks, barns and training ring are vestigesof days gone by. As you stroll through thegrounds, take time to enjoy the many vistas. Sitin a rocking chair on the back patio and admirethe Southwest Mountains. Linger in the gardenrooms around the pool and rose gardens. Walkdown to the cottage and catch a glimpse of thepond. Pause in the Gazebo garden to listen tothe sound of water tumbling over local river

stone as it makes it way to a forest pool. Eacharea presents a unique perspective, framed bythe beautiful oak trees that give Oak Hill itsname. Grounds and English Pub (originally adog run) open to the tour. Terry and GeneLockhart, owners

Special Event Information:

Morven Estate Gardensand House

Saturday, April 21, 2012

from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rain cancels tour.

Advance Tickets: $15 per person. Children 6-12are $10. Ages 5 and under free of charge.Requests for advance reservations must bereceived by April 9. Please send check, madepayable to HGW-Charlottesville to: Polly Tal-bott, 219 Montvue Dr., Charlottesville, VA22901. (434) 409-3098. Include your e-mail orphone number for confirmation. Actual ticketswill not be issued. Reservations will be held atentrance. Group admission available. Internetreservations are not available. Tickets are not

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refundable even if tour is canceled due to rain.Tickets may be purchased for $20 at Morvenon the day of the tour.

Morven House and Gardens, 791 Morven Drive,Charlottesville, VA 22902. From I-64, take Exit121 (Rte. 20 South/Scottsville) and follow thesigns to Monticello. From Monticello, continueeast on Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. (Rte. 53), bearright on James Monroe Pkwy. (Rte. 795) andcontinue past Ash Lawn-Highland for 1.4 mi.Entrance to Morven is on the right. Morven, athree-story brick manor house built in thelate-Georgian/Federal Style, dates to 1820.The land on which it sits was part of theoriginal Carter family land grant and wasknown to Thomas Jefferson as “IndianCamp.” The 7,378-acre estate was given to theUniversity of Virginia Foundation by the lateJohn Kluge. The 19th century ambience of thehouse remains even after 20th century addi-tions and interior renovations. The grounds areextraordinary. Annette Hoyt Flanders reno-vated the original gardens in the 1930s andmore gardens were added by Mr. Kluge. Lookfor unusual trees such as a pair of Osageorange trees, the state champion Chinesechestnut, and a lovely dove tree. Morven was acharter property open for the first Historic

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Garden Week in Virginia in 1929. It is on theNational Register of Historic Places and on theVirginia Landmarks Register. Please note, thehouse is handicapped accessible however thegardens are not.

University of VirginiaThe Pavilion Gardens and

Other Activities

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Directions and Parking: From I-64 take exit118B onto Rte. 29/250 Bypass. Drive approx. 2mi. north and take the off ramp for Rt. 250East Business/Ivy Rd. Turn right onto Ivy Rd.Turn left at 3rd light into free UVA parking lotor continue to 4th light, turn right on EmmettSt. and continue to Newcomb Hall Parkinggarage (hourly fees) on your left, just pastblinking light. Walk to Grounds or use Univer-sity Transit Service (UTS) Northline or CentralGrounds Shuttle, free of charge. Visit http://www.virginia.edu/uts for routes and schedules.

Admission to all activities and historic buildingsare free of charge. For full schedule of activitiesand points of interest as well as map of Grounds,visit www.virginia.edu/gardenweek/

Founded by Thomas Jefferson and establishedin 1819 as an “Academical Village,” the Uni-versity of Virginia is the only American univer-sity designated as a World Heritage site. It isalso a National Historic Landmark and on theNational Register of Historic Places and theVirginia Landmarks Register. The GardenClub of Virginia restored the University’s Pa-vilion Gardens and surrounding serpentinewall with proceeds from Historic GardenWeek. The Garden Club of Virginia hiredColonial Williamsburg landscape architects todesign the Colonial Revival gardens. The WestPavilion Gardens were restored by the GardenClub of Virginia between 1947 and 1953 andthe East Lawn between 1960 and 1965. Re-search on the history of the gardens is currentlyunderway. Work in the gardens continues to besupported by the Garden Club of Virginiausing funds raised during Historic GardenWeek. Visitors are encouraged to explore allthe gardens and are invited into five of Jeffer-son’s Pavilions which still provide faculty withliving and teaching quarters. Pavilion I: BobPianta and Ann McAndrew, Pavilion III: HarryHarding and Shirley Lin, Pavilion V: PatLampkin and Wayne Cozart, Pavilion VII:Colonnade Club, Pavilion IX: Dorrie andBarry Fontaine. Living on the Lawn in one of

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the original student rooms designed by Jeffer-son is an honor afforded fifty students in theirlast year of undergraduate study. Open: 43West Lawn, Casey Enders. Also open is EdgarAllen Poe’s room: 13 West Range. The RavenSociety maintains it as it appeared in 1849.The Mary and David Harrison Institute for Amer-ican History, Literature and Culture and theAlbert and Shirley Small Special Collections Li-brary, 170 McCormick Rd. Charlottesville, VA22903. Landscape surrounding the Library wasdesigned by Eric Groft, a 1985 graduate of theUniversity. The Library’s international materi-als reflect the lives and travels of diplomats,missionaries, artists, and others whose occupa-tions and passions have led to remarkableforeign encounters. Docents available to an-swer questions.Special Presentation at 2 p.m. on April 24,“The Dell: A Working Landscape Restored,”talk by internationally renowned landscape ar-chitect, Warren T. Byrd Jr., CLA, of NelsonByrd Woltz LA. This storm-water managementproject has transformed a neglected marsh intoa beautifully designed and ecologically diverse11-acre valley.Carr’s Hill, 1910 Carr’s Hill Road, Charlottes-ville, VA 22903. Listed on National Register ofHistoric Places. Carr’s Hill has been home toeight university presidents and their familiesincluding current President Teresa Sullivanand her husband, Douglas Laycock. Designedby the New York architecture firm McKim,Mead, and White and completed in 1909,Carr’s Hill was part of the late 1890s to 1900sbuilding campaign that also included Cabell,Rouss, Cocke, and Garrett Halls and the Ro-tunda’s North Portico and interior. Gardentours will be given by Master Gardener JohnSauer, Carr’s Hill gardener for Presidents Her-eford, O’Neil, Casteen, and Sullivan. All gar-dens and limited areas of house are open.www.virginia.edu/carrshillMorea Gardens and Arboretum, 209 Sprigg Lane,Charlottesville, VA 22903. Large old trees anda beautifully landscaped botanical collection,started by the Albemarle Garden Club in 1964,surround an historic Federal period house builtby John Patten Emmet, one of the first profes-sors chosen by Mr. Jefferson for the University.Morea is named after the mulberries ProfessorEmmet cultivated for experiments with silk-worms. Gardens (not house) open.University of Virginia Art Museum, 155 RugbyRd., Charlottesville VA 22903. Hours: noonuntil 5 p.m. No admission fee. It is located oneblock north of the Rotunda on historic RugbyRd. in the Betsy and John Casteen ArtsGrounds. www.virginia.edu/artmuseum

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Monticello

Saturday, April 21, Monday, April 23 andTuesday, April 24, 2012

Monticello, 931 Thomas Jefferson Parkway,Charlottesville, VA 22902. From I-64, takeExit 121 (Rte. 20 South/Scottsville). From Rte.20, turn left at traffic signal onto ThomasJefferson Pkwy (Rte. 53 East). Entrance toMonticello is 1.75 mi. on the right, immediatelyafter passing under stone arch of SaundersBridge. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. withguided tours of the gardens and house as wellas educational exhibits exploring the history ofplantation life and slavery. Admission charged.(434) 984-9822 or www.monticello.org. Monti-cello was designed by and home to ThomasJefferson, founder of the University of Vir-ginia, author of the Declaration of Indepen-dence and third president of the United States.Explore Jefferson’s lifelong passion for garden-ing, botany, and agriculture while enjoying thebeauty and variety of Monticello’s vegetableand flower gardens, orchards, vineyards, andornamental forest. The winding walk flowerborder was restored by the Garden Club ofVirginia in 1939-41.

Special Events at Monticello in support ofHistoric Garden Week:

For a complete listing of all garden weekevents and to purchase tickets online, pleasevisit http://www.monticello.org/gardenweek.

Saturday, April 21 and Monday, April 23, both at9 a.m. Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Gar-den Tour at Monticello. Experiential tour ofThomas Jefferson’s vegetable and fruit gardenincludes a guided walk followed by a Meet theGardener segment. Visitors will participate ingardening activities. Peter Hatch, director ofgardens and grounds, will be on hand to signhis book (see below) and answer questions. Mr.Hatch has been responsible for the mainte-nance, interpretation and restoration of the2,400-acre landscape at Monticello since 1977.$42 includes admission to the house. Reservedtickets required.

Monday, April 23, 6-8 p.m. Celebrate thelaunch of Peter Hatch’s, A Rich Spot of Earth:Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden atMonticello, at an elegant garden party with theauthor as he discusses his book. The bookillustrates the restoration of the garden to itsoriginal glory. $60 includes informal tours of

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Monticello and the gardens, Virginia wine andheavy hors d’oeuvres. Reserved tickets re-quired.

Tuesday, April 24, 10 a.m. Enjoy Peter Hatch’slecture about Jefferson as gardener, and thethemes that defined his interest in horticultureand the gardens he created. Guided gardentour follows lecture. Free, but requires ad-vanced registration.

Tuesday, April 24, 2 p.m. The Thomas JeffersonCenter for Historic Plants. This illustrated lec-ture by Peggy Cornett, Monticello’s curator ofplants, is followed by a tour of the gardens andnursery at Tufton Farm. Discover the plantsthat define our horticultural heritage. Free andno registration required.

Ash Lawn-Highland, 2050 James Monroe Park-way, Charlottesville, VA 22902. Ash Lawn-Highland was the home of James Monroe, fifthPresident of the United States. Monroe lo-cated his mountain estate near Monticello atthe urging of his friend Thomas Jefferson.During Historic Garden Week, costumedcrafters demonstrate various farm activitiessuch as open hearth cooking, candle making,spinning, and paper quilling. (434) 293-8000 orwww.al-h.us.

Area Information Centers:

Charlottesville/Albemarle Downtown VisitorsCenter and Transit Center on the DowntownMall 610 East Main St., Charlottesville, VA22902. (877) 386-1103.www.pursuecharlottesville.com

Chamber of Commerce, 209 5th St. NE, Fifthand Market Streets, Charlottesville, VA 22902.(434) 295-3141. www.cvillechamber.com

Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society,200 2nd St. NE, Charlottesville, VA 22902.(434) 296-1492. www.albemarlehistory.org

Old Town AlexandriaSponsored by

Hunting Creek Garden Club andThe Garden Club of Alexandria

Saturday, April 21, 2012from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Chairmen:Lucy Rhame(703) 836-3532 or [email protected]

Gail Camalier (Mrs. Charles)(703) 548-7400 or [email protected]

Bus and Group Tour Information:Kim Davis (Mrs. Randall)703-549-3741 or [email protected]

Susan Winn (Mrs. Allan)(703) 370-9651 or [email protected]

Information Centers and Restroom Facilities:Alexandria Visitors Center–The RamseyHouse221 King Street in Alexandria(703) 746-3301Information about historic properties,restaurants and hotels. Parking meter passesfor out-of-town visitors.

The Lyceum–Alexandria’s History Museum201 South Washington Street in Alexandria(703) 838-4994A Virginia Historical Landmark.

Tickets: $40, full ticket on tour day includes sixprivate houses and gardens, refreshments atthe St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and all-dayadmission to nearby historic properties. Grouptours for 10 or more people and tickets pur-chased in advance are $35. Single-site ticket,$20. Full tickets for children under 12 are $20.Children younger than 17 must be accompa-nied by an adult. Babes in arms are admittedfree of charge. Tickets may be purchased ontour day at any of the houses and at theAlexandria Visitor’s Center.

Advance Tickets: Advance tickets, $35, are avail-able at the Alexandria Visitor’s Center, 221King St. For Internet tickets, please accesswww.VAGardenweek.org.

Refreshments: Complimentary light refresh-ments available at Old Presbyterian MeetingHouse, 323 South Fairfax Street, from 11 a.m.until 3 p.m. on the day of the tour.

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Directions: Alexandria is just off the CapitalBeltway (I-95 and I-495), which encircles theDistrict of Columbia. Take Exit 1B off theBeltway and follow the signs to The Visitor’sCenter. From Baltimore, Philadelphia andNew York, take I-95S. From Annapolis and theChesapeake Bay and surrounding beaches,take 50W. From West Virginia, take I-66E toI-495. Interstate 270 connects the Beltway toFrederick, Maryland, and beyond. The nearestmetro station is King St. (Blue and YellowLines). All houses open for this tour are in zipcode 22314.

Parking: Parking meter passes for out-of-townvisitors are available at the Alexandria VisitorsCenter – The Ramsey. Street parking in resi-dential areas is not recommended. Paidparking lots and garages in Old Town includethe following: Cameron Street at North St.Asaph Street, Cameron Street at North PittStreet, South Pitt Street, between Prince andKing Street, North Fairfax Street at KingStreet, North Lee Street at King Street, andSouth Union Street between Prince and DukeStreet.

Please note: Houses may be visited in anyorder. Photography is not permitted in privatehouses or gardens.


117 South Lee Street. This Italianate style Vic-torian residence was probably an early publicbuilding along the 18th century waterfront.The south facade indicates early window anddoor configurations which are “ghosted” in theold brick patterns. Mid 19th century architec-tural and interior trim details are from Victo-rian pattern books (1850 to 1875). These de-tails, including the prominent bracket cornice,pierced metal door and window hoods, interiortransom window and hand carved interior win-dow trim in the entry, living room and diningroom, indicate a major renovation during thattime period. Also at that time, wood burningfireplaces were replaced with coal fireplaceheaters. From 1902 to 2009 the home wasoccupied by the Bernheimer family who madesome major improvements during the 1930s,most notably, adding second floor plumbing.The current owners completely renovated thehome and garden in 2010, opening the kitchento a new family room and walled garden. Thegarden features a large split boxwood salvagedfrom the original garden and a privacy hedge ofRussian olive trees. Ken and Esther Carpi,owners.

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212 South Fairfax Street (The Wright Garden).The lots on which the dwelling and garden sitwere purchased by Lawrence Washington inthe original Alexandria land auction of 1749.He subsequently lost title when he failed tobuild within the required time. The propertywas later acquired by Dr. William Brown,Physician General in the American Revolu-tion, friend of George Washington, fellow of-ficer at Valley Forge and author of the firstAmerican “Pharmacopoeia.” The emphasis inthis elegant shade garden is on color, textureand spring blooms. Many of the boxwood andazalea plantings were present in 1969 when thecurrent owner purchased the property. Theywere later moved when the gate was relocatedfrom the side of the house to its presentlocation. The small brick building at the backof the garden, once a smoke and spring house,is original. The patio was constructed usingbrick pavers excavated from the rear of theproperty near an old stable that is shown on anearly map. Cobblestones, which were also un-earthed, were given to the city to use forrepairing Alexandria’s two cobblestone streets.The orangery was constructed by the currentowner in 1991. Also of note are the espalieredginkgo trees along the driveway. Mrs. Frank H.Wright, owner.

320 South Lee Street. The central portion of thisFederalized Victorian was likely built duringthe first quarter of the 19th century. Alexandriarequired that residents build on their lotswithin two years of possession. Originally, thedwelling unit would have been entered by theside door that today provides access to a closedalley. In 1850, the home was significantly en-larged and an adjoining mirror image homewas built for two married sisters. The twoproperties were connected via a doorway at thetop of the back stairs. In 1949, the dwelling wasrenovated by the Armfield family and an Eng-lish garden replaced old dog kennels whichwere used by the previous owner for theirhunting dogs. In 1999, the kitchen was com-pletely renovated by the current owners. Leg-end says that the house was visited each Christ-mas by the spirit of a mid 19th centurygentleman. His visits ended when a new door-way was built between the living room anddining room. In the garden, the boxwoodsplanted in 1950 still thrive. A large triple trunkriver birch shades the dining patio. The gardenfeatures specimen plantings of dwarf loropeta-lum, snowball viburnum and hydrangea. Mr.and Mrs. George G. Boteler, owners.

206 Wolfe Street. This 19th century Greek Re-vival townhouse is built on the foundations ofan earlier house which was destroyed by fire.


On January 4, 1871 at 11 p.m., a fire broke outin Frederick Schwoop’s bakery at 210 WolfeStreet destroying the bakery and several adja-cent structures, including 206 Wolfe. Theowner, a seaport captain, did not rebuild andsubsequently sold the property two years later.The current home was later rebuilt and hasundergone multiple renovations, most recentlylast year. The result is a lovely, warm, brightand open interior. In 2010 the owners added asunroom and outdoor porch off the masterbedroom. The floor in the sunroom was pur-chased in Marrakesh during one of their trav-els. The garden features a Haddonstone foun-tain and understory trees such as Sweet Baymagnolia, Acer griseum, Stewardia pseudoca-millia, camellias, peonies, boxwood, springbulbs and Japanese perennials. This garden hasevolved over the past twelve years under thestewardship of the owner who is a retiredhorticulturalist from the U.S. Botanic Garden.It has also expanded into the cobblestone lanebeyond the garden walls. Betty and Ed Spar,owners.

613 South Royal Street. This fine traditionalbrick town home was built over 30 years ago.

Sited back from the street, raised beds in thefront of the home feature hosta, daylilies,hydrangea and colorful annuals shaded by amature cherry tree. During the last ten yearsthe owner has completed major renovationsincluding second floor bedrooms and baths andat the back of the first floor, an open andinviting new floor plan. The kitchen now opensto a dramatic volume ceiling in the family roomwith a stone fireplace and views of the garden.The owner has transformed the previous Jap-anese garden to a more casual space, addingtraditional Virginia plantings while retaining aspecimen Japanese maple. Also featuredaround the flagstone and brick terrace arecornus florida, rhododendron, crepe myrtle,peonies and a styrax. In addition, the ownerconverted a potting shed at the back of theproperty into a bar area with architecturalarbor and a fountain to create a lovely outdoorentertaining area. A brick walkway on thesouth side of the property leads to a glassconservatory which floods the kitchen withnatural light. Shelby Scarborough, owner.

215 Jefferson Street. This fine 18th centuryhome was last on the Historic Garden Week

215 Jefferson Street

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tour in 1955. The property dates to 1782 whena free standing dwelling was constructed onfive lots. The original owner was the son ofJohn Alexander, for whom the city is named. Inthe living room, the original windows andfireplace mantel can still be seen. It was notuntil 1966 that the large west addition wasconstructed. Recently, the home was com-pletely renovated by the current owners offer-ing a spacious family room opening to theexpansive gardens. In 2010, the gardens wererefreshed by noted landscape designer JaneMacLeish. Known as the Sally Ann Gardens,they consist of four areas: the parterre gardenwith Korean boxwood, tulips and hollies, theEast garden featuring euonymus and sarcoccishrubs, the North garden lined with Americanholly and filled with hydrangeas and the Westgarden, composed of azaleas, euonymus andcrepe myrtle. A side walkway is lined withmagnolias, azaleas and acuba. There are morethan 50 boxwoods throughout the gardens,some dating back 60 years. Mr. and Mrs. GeneJankowski, owners.

Other Places of Interest also included with theHistoric Garden Week ticket. Please note, tourtickets are not sold at the following locations:

The Lee-Fendall House Museum and Garden,614 Oronoco Street at North WashingtonStreet. Built in 1785 by Philip Fendall on landpurchased from Revolutionary War hero“Light Horse Harry” Lee, this gracious historichouse museum presents an intimate study of19th century family life. Home to several gen-erations of the famed Lees of Virginia (1785-1903) and labor leader John L. Lewis (1937-69), the house is listed on the NationalRegister of Historic Places. Guided tours areoffered 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the tour day.www.leefendallhouse.org

Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 North Fair-fax Street. When Scottish merchant John Car-lyle completed his riverfront house in 1753, thiswas the grandest mansion in the new town ofAlexandria. The stone architecture, furnitureand decorative finishes reflect Carlyle’s statusand wealth. The Garden Club of Virginiarestored the front landscape to the mid-18thcentury period. A lovely garden with a box-wood parterre graces the rear of the house.The site is owned by the Northern VirginiaRegional Park Authority. Guided tours areoffered 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the tour day.www.nvrpa.org

George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estateand Gardens, 8 mi. south of Alexandria on theGeorge Washington Memorial Parkway. Situ-ated on the Potomac River, Mount Vernon wasthe home of George and Martha Washington.From the end of the American Revolution in1783 to his election to the presidency in 1789,Washington replaced outbuildings, reshapedgardens, created new lawns, planted trees andeven realigned roads and lanes. The GeorgeWashington Pioneer Farmer Site features adistinctive replica of Washington’s 16-sidedbarn and displays of his farming principles.With funding from Historic Garden Week, theGarden Club of Virginia has helped to restoreMount Vernon’s bowling green, one of themajor landscape features on this vast planta-tion. The Mount Vernon Ladies Associationowns the property. www.mountvernon.org

American Horticultural Society at River Farm,7931 East Boulevard Drive. The headquartersof the American Horticultural Society over-looks the Potomac River and was one ofGeorge Washington’s original properties. Theproperty is comprised of 25 acres of gardensand grounds, which include perennial borders,annual beds, children’s gardens, a meadow, awoodland, and picnic areas. The estate housewas remodeled in the early 20th century andthe property is described as a “gentleman’s es-tate.” Large porches offer a panoramic view of


the Potomac River and gardens. Open 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. www.ahs.org

Woodlawn, 9000 Richmond Highway, 3 mi.west of Mount Vernon at the intersection ofRte 235 and U.S. Rte 1. This Federal mansionwas built on 2,000 acres that George Washing-ton carved from Mount Vernon when his wife’sgranddaughter Nelly Custis married hisnephew Lawrence Lewis. Designed by Dr. Wil-liam Thornton, the first architect of the UnitedStates Capitol, the house contains fine Federalperiod furnishings, many brought from MountVernon. The garden was restored by theGarden Club of Virginia in 1958-60 and isowned by The National Trust for HistoricPreservation. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.www.woodlawn1805.org

Gunston Hall Plantation, 15 mi. south of Al-exandria off U.S. Rte 1 on Rte 242. This550-acre National Historic Landmark was thehome of George Mason (1725-92), author ofThe Virginia Declaration of Rights. The estateconsists of a Georgian mansion, ca. 1755, andreconstructed kitchen, dairy, laundry andschoolhouse. The brick mansion exhibits elab-orately carved woodwork enhanced by furnish-ings of the colonial period. The Potomac Riveris viewed through the original Deer Park.While no longer a restoration project of theGarden Club of Virginia, the Club assistedGunston Hall with landscaping work in 1949-53. Open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.www.gunstonhall.org

ArlingtonSponsored by

The Garden Club of Fairfax

Tuesday, April 24, 2012from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Chairmen:Johanna Rucker(703) 385-8430 or [email protected]

Diane Wilkinson(703) 250-7395 or [email protected]

Advanced Ticket Sales:Marty Whipple(703) 978-4130 or [email protected]

Tickets: Full tickets are $25.00. Single-site tick-ets are $15.00. Advance tickets are $20.00Children ages 6-12 are $10.00. Children 5 andunder are free of charge when accompanied bya paying adult. Tickets may be purchased ontour day at the Information Center, located atthe Memorial Baptist Church and at any of thehouses open for the tour. For online tickets,please access www.vagardenweek.org.

Advanced Ticket Sales: Please send a self-ad-dressed, stamped, legal size envelope, alongwith your check, payable to The Garden Clubof Fairfax by April 10 to Marty Whipple,111508 Yates Ford Rd., Fairfax Station, VA22039. For information, (703) 978-4130 [email protected]. Tickets may also be pur-chased in advance by accessing: www.vagardenweek.org.

Information Center, Facilities and Refreshments:Memorial Baptist Church, 3455 North GlebeRoad, Arlington, VA 22207. From The CapitalBeltway (I-495), proceed east bound on Rte.66. Take exit 69 toward US-29/VA-237/Wash-ington Blvd./Lee Hwy. Merge onto FairfaxDrive, turn left onto US-29 N, continue ap-proximately 2.2 miles, turn left onto GlebeRoad, continue about 1 mile. The church willbe on the right. Complimentary punch andcookies will be served at Memorial BaptistChurch from 10 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on April 24.

Please Note: Properties may be visited in anyorder.

Overview of the Arlington Tour:

Featuring private homes and gardens built inthe early to mid 20th Century, this intimatetour takes visitors through the neighborhoodsbuilt as early suburbs of Washington, D.C.


3131 North Abingdon Street, Arlington. This ex-quisitely renovated Tudor colonial, recentlyfilmed as a backdrop for Clint Eastwood’smovie about J. Edgar Hoover staring LeonardoDiCapro, rings with the romance of past in-trigues. From the glow of a golden chandelierto the cozy bench where the owners becameengaged, rooms are appointed with family an-tiques, paintings and heirloom rugs. Richmoldings and original leaded glass windowshave made this residence unique since its con-struction in 1939. A two level living room witha spacious garden room is complemented on

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the other side of the house by a kitchen thatblends high quality functional designs withwhimsical art including a mural of an Englishcountryside. An original butler’s pantry leadsto the newest addition - a screened-in porchdesigned to take advantage of the gardenviews. A large outdoor fireplace is surroundedby a slate patio. The fishpond, patio, gardenshed and copper trellis were built by the cur-rent owners. A curly willow and a fasciatedwillow anchor the backyard circular bog area.Other notable specimens include a dogwoodSamaritan, coral bark Japanese maple, Hima-layan cedar and Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick.Mr. and Mrs. Charles Benjamin, owners.

4665 North 34th Street, Arlington. An aura ofmystery surrounds this 1950s southern Califor-nia ranch home framed by a 60-year old Mag-nolia Grandiflora. Landscaping includes a daz-zling display of azaleas, rhododendrons andcrepe myrtle. A flagstone walkway lined withover 100 boxwoods makes an impressive en-trance. Remodeled extensively in 1990, theowners have created an atmosphere of wel-coming warmth amidst a large collection of18th century and early 19th century Virginiaand Mid-Atlantic furniture, Canton and Chi-nese pottery and porcelain and many works by

well-known artists. The radiant heated parquetfloors throughout the home are enhanced withTurkish, Persian and Caucasus carpets. Out-side there is a Greek-inspired Pergola, shadedby a wisteria that is over 50 years old and arecently added garden folly. Previously openfor Historic Garden Week in 1997. Mr. JulianFore and Ms. Beverly Sauer, owners.

4527 Rock Spring Road, Arlington. Built in 1929,this welcoming Tudor home is among theoriginal residences in Country Club Hills. Thehome’s renovation has received several awardsand has been featured in the book Landscapesof Florence Evers. Mrs. Evers’ landscape plancreated a unique solution to the 23 foot rise inelevation between the street and the entry. Aserpentine drive and stone retaining wall dividethe front yard into two planted areas of yearround interest. A stone stairway winds throughthe plantings to the circular steps leading to thefront porch. From the entry hall with its Chip-pendale-style furnishings, one can step down tothe living room or up to the family room. Theoriginal paneling and coffered ceiling of theliving room provide an inviting setting for acharming mix of oriental pieces and familyheirlooms. The family room has a large field-stone fireplace, framed Chinese silk panels, a

3131 North Abingdon Street

Arlington26

Palmer clock and walnut wainscoting. The rearyard is accessed through either the galley-stylekitchen or the dining room. This private areafeatures a fieldstone patio and an invitingvine-covered pergola and seating area. Mr. andMrs. Ed McNair, owners.

3510 Pershing Drive, Arlington. This charmingColonial home in Ashton Heights reflects thevision of Ashton Jones, a southern Virginiandeveloper, who speculated in 1920 that pros-perous Washingtonians would cross the Po-tomac to live in his community. He was right.Historically significant as a planned suburb,Ashton Heights proved especially popular withthe burgeoning federal workforce, lured by itsconvenient location, commuter access to rail-ways and streetcars, and architectural variety.Today, the cozy 1932 built home gives pass-ersby a panoramic view of 2000 spring bloom-ing tulips, flowering dogwood, Rose of Sharonand a side garden of 600 English boxwoods ina design of circles and squares based on thosein Williamsburg. The gardens were plantednearly four decades ago from seedlings. Theliving areas tastefully blend new and old, andshowcase family antiques and a unique chan-delier originally owned by Mrs. DeGross’s par-ents. An eclectic collection of family memen-tos include a fireside Turkish stool, a monkey

Arlington 27

lamp, suitcase table, Limoges treasures, and aTurkish shoeshine box. The family’s favoritegathering place is a pillared porch overlookingthe rear garden, resplendent with a 100-yearold oak tree, cypresses and a heady mix ofshrubs and flowers. It is open for the first timefor Historic Garden Week. Mr. and Mrs. PierceDeGross III, owners.

Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 North MilitaryRoad Arlington. Due in part to its proximity tothe Potomac River, the park has had a longassociation with human activities. NativeAmericans inhabited the area over four thou-sand years ago. In the1600s the river crossingbelow Little Falls became a hub of activity forearly Europeans. During the Civil War, occu-pation by the Union Army dramatically alteredthe landscape. At the turn of the 19th Century,the area was largely rural. During its former

life as a private home, the nature center waseven home to a silent film star, Pola Negri! Itwas not until the end of WWII when a buildingboon hit Washington and its suburbs that to-day’s urban landscape began to take shape.Today Gulf Branch remains a touchstone tothe past and a commitment to future genera-tions to preserve and protect Arlington’s natu-ral resources. Special Activities on April 24 forHistoric Garden Week include: At 11 a.m.,Wildflowers – A guided tour through GulfBranch by a staff Naturalist in search of thespring wonders. At 2 p.m., The Life of Bees.Learn about the busy life of these very impor-tant insects.

Other Places of Interest:

The Joseph L. Fisher Post Office – Clarendon,2043 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington. Built in1937, it features Auriel Bessemer’s seven NewDeal era murals. These were commissioned bythe Treasury Department’s Section of Fine Artin order to beautify Arlington’s first federalbuilding. By showing familiar, local destina-tions, such as Great Falls and Roosevelt Island,Bessemer contributed to a sense of local pride.The Post Office is listed on the National Reg-ister of historic places.

Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson BoulevardArlington. This renovated 100-year old school-house, the former Clarendon ElementarySchool, is home to studios, classrooms, andnine galleries, one of which features Tiffanystained glass windows. This private, nonprofit,non-collecting visual arts center presents andsupports new work by artists from the mid-Atlantic region.

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Ashland“Just a Whistle on the

R.F. & P.!”*An Ashland Walking Tour

Sponsored by The Ashland Garden Club


Chairman and for Group Tour Information:Michelle Hamner (Mrs. William D.)(804) 798-8874 or [email protected]

Co-chairman:Mary Anne Griffin (Mrs. G. Earl)(804) 227-3140 [email protected]

Tickets: Full Tickets $30.00. Single site tickets$15.00. Children 13 and older, full price, ages6-12 are $15.00 and ages 5 and under, free ofcharge. Children younger than age 17 must beaccompanied by an adult. Tickets may be pur-chased on April 21 at any of the houses openfor the tour.

Advance Tickets: Full Tickets $25.00. There areno additional discounts on advance children’stickets. By April 14, 2012, please send astamped, self-addressed envelope with yourcheck payable to: The Ashland Garden Club,c/o Mrs. Michelle Hamner, 124 Beverly Road,Ashland, Virginia 23005. Tickets are also avail-able in Ashland through April 20 at AshwoodGarden and Nursery and Cross Brothers Gro-cery. For internet tickets, please accesswww.vagardenweek.org.

Refreshments: Complimentary to ticket holdersand served from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the backgarden of Mr. and Mrs. James Cox’s home, 318South James St. Weather permitting.

Information Center and Restrooms:Ashland Hanover Visitors Center112 North Railroad Ave.(804) 752-6766

Special Activities: The Ashland Museum willhave a display about Historic Ashland at theRed Caboose, 105-A Hanover Ave. Open11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Directions and Parking: From I-95, take Exit92-B to Ashland (Rt. 54 West). Continue 1.1miles on Rt. 54, bearing left after the railroad

tracks onto Hanover Ave. Go two blocks andturn left on James St. Parking is available in theHenry Clay Elementary School parking lot(310 South James St.), the Ashland ChristianChurch parking lot (301 South James Street),or on neighborhood streets in the area.

Please Note: Do not block residential drive-ways. As a courtesy to the Homeowners, pleaseno high heels, interior photography or smok-ing. Participating Homeowners, The GardenClub of Virginia, or its member clubs are notresponsible for accidents occurring on theTour. This is a walking tour. Please wearcomfortable shoes and be alert to unevensidewalks. Homes may be visited in any order.

Ticket price includes admission to the follow-ing 6 locations:

317 South James Street. Built in 1974 over thefoundations of the Victorian Burton Chapmanhouse, which burned in 1970, this VirginiaColonial contains features of the ChapmanHouse, including the fireplace mantel and theIonic column in the living room. This residencehas undergone several additions and renova-tions including the addition of a large sunporch. The library contains a collection ofbooks on Southern literature and culture, threeof which were authored by Dr. Watson, aretired Randolph Macon College professor.The home contains 18th and 19th century Eng-lish and American furniture, as well as paint-ings and sculptures by local artists. A 19th

century North Carolina plantation desk andpottery from North Carolina, the AmericanSouthwest, and Africa can be seen in thesunroom. A carved ceremonial comb fromMali and plaster castings of the original Par-thenon Frieze grace the walls. The large CoralBelle azalea to the left of the front door andthe English boxwood on the south side of thehouse survived a 1970 fire. The garden reflectsmany plants from friends, neighbors, and notedgarden writer Nancy Ross Hugo. The backgarden has been the setting for family wed-dings and celebrations. Open for the first timefor Historic Garden Week. Ritchie and SueWatson, owners.

318 South James Street. This two story GreekRevival residence was built in 1914. Two yearslater Frank Cox married the owner, AnnaVaden, and the house has remained in the Coxfamily ever since. Original features include 10foot ceilings, heart pine flooring, seven fire-places, original kitchen cupboards, and thedining room chandelier. In 1995 the kitchenwas enlarged and a screen porch was added.This eclectic home is furnished with family

Ashland 29

antiques and treasures. Of special interest isthe living room tea table which is a miniatureof Mrs. Cox’s family dining table made by herfather. Another special family favorite is theunusual Parisian jardiniere and pedestal fromthe Hammond Florist in Richmond. The brightand bold interior colors and fabrics throughoutthe house are an added surprise, which com-plement the unexpected whimsical and playfulart decorating the home. The garden is de-scribed by the owners as an old family gardenand is graced by many large shade trees. Openfor the first time for Historic Garden Week.Mr. and Mrs. James K. Cox, Jr., owners.

Oakstone, 400 South James Street. Built around1887 in the popular Queen Ann style, Oak-stone is surrounded by nearly 5 acres of land. Itwas purchased in 1898 by Dr. Elliott DeJar-nette, the grandfather of the present ownerwho moved from Caroline County to Ashlandwith his wife and baby son to start his medicalpractice. The DeJarnettes have lived theresince. The exterior of the house remains closeto its original configuration, while the interiorhas had some minor renovation and remodel-ing over the last half-century. The present

owners, Edmund and Katia DeJarnette, re-turned from a State Department career over-seas to live here in 1995. The furnishings arelargely from the DeJarnette family supple-mented by French furniture from Mrs. DeJar-nette’s family and art from Africa. In the diningroom there are nineteenth century and con-temporary DeJarnette portraits as well as chinaand silver from Spring Grove, the family’s farmin Caroline County that they have owned sincethe early eighteenth century. The grounds re-flect the late nineteenth century when Dr.Elliott DeJarnette kept his horses in the backpasture. Opened for the first time for HistoricGarden Week. Mr. and Mrs. Edmund T. DeJar-nette, owners.

202 Howard Street. This wood frame DutchColonial was built in 1912. Bruce and EveTorrence purchased the home from Bob andMary Ruth Lancaster in 1994. The owners aremathematics professors at Randolph-MaconCollege. The house has been renovated exten-sively, including reopening the 3 story centralstaircase and exposing the brick chimney in thekitchen. The original carved mantels in theliving room and dining room are particularly

318 South James Street

Ashland30

Ashland 31

lovely. Paintings by friends and family andmathematical artwork by the owners can befound throughout the home. A large screenedporch overlooks the garden. Lancaster roses,peonies, and hardy orchids planted by MaryRuth have been supplemented with a largecollection of perennials in a rambling cottagegarden. Many of the plants are pass-alongsfrom friends and neighbors. Chickens, in avariety of sizes and colors, also reside in thegarden. Open for the first time for HistoricGarden Week. Drs. Eve and Bruce Torrence,owners.

110 Howard Street. Built circa in 1905 in theNeo-colonial style, this two story, frame househas been renovated by the current owners overthe last thirty years. While many features of thehouse had already been altered, original win-dows, doors, trim and flooring remained. Theowners reformatted the floor plan and recentlyadded a wrapped porch with columns to therear of the structure, duplicating the design ofthe original front porch and introducing a“Charleston” style side entry. The interior isfurnished with a mixture of antiques including

a late 18th century southern sideboard, an1830s Ohio Valley corner cupboard, and exam-ples of country Hepplewhite, Victorian andEmpire pieces. In the dining room is a circa1905 Peking rug and a large, ornate gildedmirror which once graced the former Andrewshome next door. Some prom-bound youngAshland ladies remember having their picturestaken in front of this mirror. The gardensfeature rhododendron, viburnum, hydrangea,and hellebores. Through an archway framedwith honeysuckle and Lady Banks roses, is ashady, “hidden” garden room encircled by eu-onymus, boxwood and dogwood. Open for thefirst time for Historic Garden Week. Mr. andMrs. Steven B. Thompson, owners.

700 South Center Street. This frame two storyfarmhouse style home located on the railroadtracks in Ashland is a former one bedroom twostory home built in 1900. The present owners,the Dyers, completely rebuilt and expanded thehome in 2009. The owners consider the outsidespace of the home a work in progress. Aflagstone patio with steps leading to the livingarea was built in 2011. Hydrangeas and garde-nias were added at the back of the home at thesame time. Inside the home the owners hope toevoke an inviting and comfortable feel withtheir casual style. A favorite painting in theliving area was painted by local artist BarbaraDuke Jones. Several other paintings by theartist are also in the home. Another favoritepainting by artist Jack Labadie is of John Dyerwhen he was in Finland competing in theWorld Masters Track and Field Champion-ship. Also of interest are three handmadetables. This includes the dining table built bythe owner using heart pine lumber salvagedfrom the renovation of an Ashland home builtin 1850. Open for the first time for HistoricGarden Week. Mr. and Mrs. John Dyer, owners.

Place of interest:

Scotchtown. Follow Rt. 54 west through Ash-land about 8 miles. Turn right onto ScotchtownRd. and follow the signs. Patrick Henry, thefirst Governor of Virginia, lived here with hiswife and their children from 1771-1778.Scotchtown is a National Historic Landmarkand a Virginia Historic Landmark. Separateadmission.

*Tour title from the song “Ashland, Ashland” byMarion Herget and Dougee Zeno.

Ashland32

ChathamSponsored by the

Chatham Garden Club

Sunday, April 22, 2012from 1 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Co-Chairmen:Mary Gregory (Mrs. John M.)434-432-2855 or [email protected]

Becky Yeatts (Mrs. Ramsey W.)434-432-8527 or [email protected]

Tickets: $12 per person. Free for children under12 years when accompanied by an adult. Tick-ets may be purchased in advance by accessingwww.VAGardenweek.org.

Refreshments: Included with admission and of-fered at Callands Clerk’s Office on Sago Road.From Chatham, take VA 57W/ Depot Road.Travel approximately 11 miles, turn right onSago Road. Callands Clerk’s office is 1⁄2 mile onthe left.


Callands Clerk’s Office, Sago Road. The clerk’soffice was built around 1770 after PittsylvaniaCounty was cut from Halifax County in 1767,making it the first official building in Pittsylva-nia County. In 1966, the building was given tothe people of Pittsylvania County by ownersLandon E. Oakes and J. Clyde Oakes to bemaintained for all to enjoy as the first officialbuilding after Pittsylvania became a county inJune 1767. Measuring 19 by 24 feet, the storyand a half brick structure has a steep-pitchedroof, side chimney and a corbel, or four rows ofstepped-back brick under the eaves. The brickis laid in Flemish bond (a stretcher and aheader, a stretcher and a header) on the mainfacade and in English or common bond (fiverows of stretchers sandwiching one row ofheaders) on the other three sides. The interior,typical of colonial design, has four windowsdownstairs and a fireplace framed on top by amantel and at the side by shelves. A narrowstaircase leads to the small room above whichhas three windows. Evergreens planted in cir-cles border a room-sized space inside offeringcoolness during hot summer days. After adonation by the Oakes brothers, the clerk’soffice was restored to beauty and architecturalauthenticity by the Chatham Garden Club.

1773 Callands Courthouse and Gaol, Sago Road.Located across the road from the Callandsclerk’s office is a building traditionally referredto as the Courthouse and Gaol, although itsoriginal use is inconclusive. It is believed tohave been built around 1773. Wide steps leadto the porch that stretches across the front ofthe brick building. Inside is one large roomwith a wooden floor and fireplace at the farend. Shuttered windows let in light from theoutside. The barred windows of the basementappear to indicate that it was at one time usedas a jail. The structure and surrounding sitewas donated to the county by the family ofPeggy Stegall Wood. The building was restoredby the Pittsylvania Historical Society withfunds from the Pittsylvania County Board ofSupervisors.

Hagood Home, 208 Strawberry Road. FromChatham, take VA 57 W/Depot Road. Travelapprox. 8.5 miles. Turn left on State Rd 750/Strawberry Road. Go 1⁄2 mi., the residence willbe on the right. From Danville, at the intersec-tion of US 29 Business and VA 41, take VA41N / Franklin Turnpike. Travel approx 11.4mi. and turn right on State Rd. 750/StrawberryRd. Travel approx 5.3 mi. to the property,which will be on the left. Nestled on a quietcountry road, surrounded by working farmlandand pastures, this bungalow was built in thel920s as part of the Moore farm. Comfort,simplicity and intimacy define this charminghome. Visitors are welcomed to the yellowsided home by a brick path that leads to therestful and airy front porch. Inside the leadedglass front door, a central hall divided byFrench doors opens to a study on the right andguest room on the left. Original hardwoodflooring and dentil cornices are noteworthy.Family heirlooms are throughout. The guestbedroom features handmade quilts and anantique doll, and the master bedroom includesa jewelry box given to Mrs. Hagood by hergodmother, Ann Kissam. The bright and wel-coming great room and kitchen, located at theback of the house, offer beautiful views of thesurrounding property and gardens. Of specialinterest in the kitchen is a Bertazzoni gas rangefrom Italy. Open for the first time for HistoricGarden Week. Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Hagood,owners.

Easley Home, 1495 North Flint Road. FromChatham, take VA 57 W/Depot Road. Travelapprox. 8.5 mi., turn left on State Rd. 750/Strawberry Road then go approx. 1 mi. andturn left on State Rd 829/N Flint Road. Travel1.4 miles to property on the left. From Dan-ville, at the intersection of US 29 Business and

Chatham 33

Chatham34

VA 41, take VA 41N/Franklin Turnpike, go11.4 mi. and turn right on State Rd. 750/Straw-berry Rd. Travel approx 4.7 mi., turn right onState Rd. 829/N Flint Rd. and go 1.4 mi. toproperty on the left. This welcoming brick andstone two story home situated on a knoll offersthe best of rural Southside Virginia. Com-pleted in 2009, the open floor plan is perfectfor casual family gatherings or formal enter-taining. From the entryway visitors can see theentire living space as well as the view throughFrench doors that lead to a two story deck. Thedining room is home to treasured family an-tiques and an oil painting by Mrs. Easley’s

mother. The living area features vaulted ceil-ings and a stone fireplace with a mantel re-claimed from a beam found in the SchoolfieldDivision of Dan River Mills. The kitchen’sgranite countertops are a perfect topping forthe hand crafted alder wood cabinets with glassdoors displaying a delightful collection of dish-ware. The master bedroom, double walk-inclosets and bath offer the homeowners apeaceful retreat. Two guest rooms featuremore family antiques and a media room offersa getaway for entertainment. Open for the firsttime for Historic Garden Week. Mr. and Mrs.Drake Easley, owners.

1495 North Flint Road

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Clarke CountySponsored by the

Winchester-Clarke Garden Club andThe Little Garden Club of Winchester


Chairmen:Barbara Bandyke (Mrs. Timothy H.)(540) 662-6132 or [email protected]

Liza Adams (Mrs. Nate L. III)(540) 667-8139 or [email protected]

Co-Chairman:Gina Wilson (Mrs. Troy S.)(540) 723-0086

Bus Chairman:Mrs. Debora W. Williams(540) 837-1192 [email protected]

Tickets: $25 day of tour. Single-site admission$15. Children 13 and older, full price; ages 6-12full ticket $15, single house $5; ages 5 andunder, free of charge. An adult must accom-pany children younger than age 17. Ticketsmay be purchased on April 21 at any propertyopen for the tour.

Advance Tickets: $22 at the following desig-nated information centers or online at www.VAGardenweek.org.

Information Centers and Advance Ticket SaleLocations:

Kimberly’s on North Braddock Street, ClassicTouch Interiors on Valley Avenue, The Mu-seum of the Shenandoah Valley Museum Shopon Amherst Street and the Winchester-Fred-erick County Visitor’s Center all in Win-chester, as well as The Fire House Gallery andShop on East Main Street in Berryville.

Winchester-Frederick County Visitor’sCenter1400 South Pleasant Valley RoadWinchester, VA. 22601Toll free: (877) 871-1326www.visitwinchesterva.com

Box Luncheon: From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. atMeade Memorial Episcopal Church, 192White Post Road, White Post, VA. $15 perperson. Reservations due by April 13; contact

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Clarke County 37

Meg Sublett at (540) 722-4989 or [email protected].

Complimentary tea: Served at Meade MemorialEpiscopal Church at 192 White Post Roadfrom 1 p.m. to 5 pm.

Directions: The Village of White Post is located1.5 miles south of the intersection of Rt. 50 andRt. 340 on Rt. 658/ White Post Road.

Please Note: As a courtesy to property owners,please refrain from using cell phones, wearinghigh or sharp heels, taking pictures inside theproperties, smoking, or touching furnishings.Participating property owners, the GardenClub of Virginia, and/or its member clubs arenot responsible for accidents occurring on thetour. The properties may be visited in anyorder.

Historical Background on Clarke County andWhite Post, Virginia:

The Tour is centered on the village of WhitePost, Virginia off Rte. 340. In 1749, Thomas,the 6th Lord of Fairfax, became the chiefmagistrate of Northern Virginia. He asked ayoung George Washington to travel to the

valley of Virginia to survey. There he erectedthe very first white post to direct travelers. Tothis day, a white post stands at the intersectionof White Post Road and Berrys Ferry Road tomark the village. Lord Fairfax moved closer tohis landholdings and built a “quarter,” a simpleone story home of logs, which he namedGreenway Court, near the present village ofWhite Post. There he led a bachelor life ofintellectual and sporting pleasures, such as foxhunting, and granted patents and receivedrents for land use. George Washington, in thesmall office building at Greenway Court, pre-pared plats of his surveys and subdivisions forseveral years. This time of roughing it in thewilderness gained him experience with the menof the forest and the topography of the country,which in a few years would make him theinvaluable defender of this exposed and unpro-tected frontier. Around the white post, a smallvillage evolved. During the Colonial Period,White Post remained small. In 1810, it con-tained one store, a tavern, a saddler, a shoe-maker, a blacksmith and a wheelwright. Afterthe Civil War, Meade Memorial Church waserected and Colonial Upton Boyce’s railroadwas routed by the edge of the village, where thetrack is very active today. The old train depot

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Clarke County 39

remains but is unused. Close by sits the grassylanding strip and metal hangers of White PostAirfield which is still used today. The littlevillage, now designated a National HistoricLandmark, offers a quiet setting for a smallnumber of residents and businesses among thetowering trees.


L’Auberge Provencale, 13630 Lord Fairfax High-way, Boyce. From the intersection of Rt. 50 andRt. 340, continue one mile south on Rt. 340/Lord Fairfax Highway. Considered the secondoldest house in Clarke County, the house orig-inally known as Mt. Airy was completed in 1753by John Bell. Lord Fairfax granted him 880acres for a mere 33 shillings. The property wasused primarily for farming. The first ownerswere known as great woolgrowers. Unharmedduring the Civil War, the property was pur-chased by the current owners in 1980 andconverted into a country inn featuring Frenchcuisine. Built of native limestone, the mainbuilding is largely original, but there have beenporches added as well as a rear annex. Thewalls are 2 feet thick. Original flooring andinterior woodwork are still in the house, some

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possibly carved by Hessian soldiers. A cookingkitchen in the basement has been converted toan extensive wine cellar. The innkeepers havecreated a bit of Provence using cheerful colors,faux-painted walls, Provencale fabrics and an-tiques in the reception and dining rooms, andelegant suites. Their award-winning Frenchcuisine includes herbs and vegetables grown inthe garden, and fruits from the orchard. Peren-nial flower gardens enhance the ambiance of atrue auberge. Open for Historic Garden Weekfor the first time. Celeste and Alain Borel,owners.

Meade Memorial Episcopal Church, 192 WhitePost Road. Located at the white post in theVillage. With the approval of the Diocese ofVirginia’s Annual Council of 1868, the mem-bers of Cunningham Chapel Parish who livedin the vicinity of the white post organized theMeade Memorial Church, Greenway CourtParish. The church was named in memory ofthe Right Reverend William Meade, the thirdBishop of the Diocese of Virginia and a nativeof the White Post area. A cornerstone for thebuilding was laid in 1872 and it was built usingbricks removed from a house which burned on

the church site some years before. The Churchwas consecrated on July 13, 1875 and thecongregation’s mission and ministry continuedfor over ninety years. Decline set in and in 1967the church was closed due to lack of members.In 1996, on the initiative of some of the formermembers, Meade Memorial Episcopal Churchin White Post was reopened as a mission of theDiocese of Virginia and resumed regular Sun-day Services. The Church sits among toweringtrees and stately boxwoods and features beau-tiful stained glass windows. Many Meade fam-ily members are buried in the adjoining churchcemetery with graves dating back to the early1800s. Open for Historic Garden Week for thefirst time.

450 Berrys Ferry Road. From the white post,continue east on Berrys Ferry Road for .2miles. Situated in the village a short distancefrom the white post, this classic Georgian-stylehome artfully combines the old with the new.The mid 1950s west wing of the house was acinderblock bungalow originally built by theowner’s grandfather. It was stuccoed and re-modeled in 1998 and now contains a study,office, library, and modern kitchen. A south

L’Auberge Provencale

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side addition in 2001 features a collection ofAudubon prints in the butler’s pantry, a port-hole window in the powder room, and a brightsunroom with a painted ceiling of clouds andsky. A brick addition in 2009 on the east sideincludes modillion cornices, keystones overwindows, and a columned front porch with atriangular pediment and stained double doorswith fanlight, sidelights, and brass appoint-ments. A curving staircase, Shonbeck crystalchandelier, portrait of Queen Elizabeth, andan antique snooker table are all noteworthyfeatures of the formal interiors. The front yardfeatures boxwood plantings and a charmingentry garden to the oldest part of the house. Inback, the soothing sound of falling water comesfrom a fountain and a trickling stream betweena koi pond and pool. The house is enhanced bya wisteria-covered pergola where there are

views of the swimming pool and children’scastle playhouse. Open for Historic GardenWeek for the first time. Susan and Clay Morris,owners.Farhill, 1434 Berry Ferry Road. From the whitepost, continue east on Berrys Ferry Road 1.2miles. A curving drive allows glimpses of threemagnificent copper beeches, ending at thecrown of a hill where this classic L-shaped andstuccoed Virginia farmhouse has views in alldirections. In specially built kennels, WelshSpringer Spaniels bred by the owner exuber-antly greet visitors. Built in 1882 and previouslyknown as Grand View and Melkridge, theoriginal part of the house is in a plain GreekRevival style. Later additions include porches,a kitchen, and a bump-out bay, which connectto the garage. Bowed-glass double doors openinto the dining area, which was originally aporch. Describing her home as seeming biggerthan it actually is, the owner has completelyremodeled the interiors, discovering its bal-loon-framed structure. A new fireplace in thelibrary perfectly matches an original fireplacein the adjacent living room. An 1863 portrait ofthe owner’s great-great grandmother and an-tique family pieces adorn the parlor. Devrepottery is displayed in the bright sockeyesalmon colored kitchen. Outside, visitors willenjoy vistas of mountains to the east and westand working stables near the adjacent barn.Open for Historic Garden Week for the firsttime. Margaret Hilliard, owner.

White Post Restorations, One Old Car Lane.From the white post, continue south on Rte.658/White Post Road for .2 miles. White PostRestorations is considered the preeminent an-tique and classic car restorer in the country.Now in its fourth generation of family owner-ship, it was founded in 1940 as a 2 man repairshop for farm machinery and local cars. Itcurrently has indoor space for over 60 vehicles.The business restores automobiles that are

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shipped to this remote, pastoral setting from allover the world. From national show cars tohandsome motor cars for driving pleasure toRolls Royces and Chevrolets, every classic caris restored to original condition. White PostRestoration offers frame-up restoration whichrequires the car to be completely disassembledand rebuilt to original specifications. Tours willinclude the technical facilities and classic auto-mobiles in various stages of restoration, setamong a collection of vintage gas pumps andautomotive memorabilia. Open for HistoricGarden Week for the first time. W.R. Thomp-son, III and Billy Ray Thompson, IV, owners.

Other Places of Interest in the Local Area. Allare National Historic Landmarks:

State Arboretum of Virginia. Rte. 50, 2 mileseast of the intersection of Rte. 50 and Rte. 340.The property of the University of Virginiasince 1926 and currently operated by the De-partment of Environmental Sciences, the 175acre Historic Blandy Experimental Farm(ca.1825) is a Garden Club of Virginia resto-ration site. Original stone walls were rebuilt in2004 along Dogwood Lane that once led fromthe manor house to the farm. www.Virginia.edu/Blandy

Burwell-Morgan Mill, Millwood, VA. Built byRevolutionary hero Daniel Morgan and oper-ated continuously from 1785 to 1943, this work-ing mill was landscaped by the Garden Club ofVirginia, 1971-72.

Belle Grove. On Rte. 11, one mile south ofMiddletown. The 1794 dressed-stone, Jeffer-son-influenced manor house overlooks the siteof the Battle of Cedar Creek, which took placein 1864. Owned by the National Trust forHistoric Preservation, it was a Garden Club ofVirginia Restoration site from 1983-86. www.bellegrove.org

Long Branch. Off Rte. 50, 1 mile south off RedGate Road. The 1812 Federal manor houseupdated in 1840 to Georgian Revival boasts anear-360-degree mountain view, with morethan 400 acres in conservation easement and aformal garden dedicated to British floral de-signer Sheila Macqueen. www.Historiclongbranch.com

Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, 901 Am-herst St., Winchester. The museum interpretsthe art, history, and culture of the great Valleyfor which it is named. This regional complexincludes a historic house dating to the 18th

century, six acres of spectacular gardens, and amuseum designed by internationally recog-nized architect Michael Graves. www.shenandoahmuseum.org.

Danville TourSponsored by the

Gabriella Garden Club andThe Garden Club of Danville

Thursday, April 26, 2012from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Chairmen:Laura N. Jones (Mrs. Michael B.)(434) 799-6143 or [email protected]

Angel Keys (Mrs. Kevin R.)(434) 799-5397 or [email protected]

Co-Chairmen:Margaret Scott (Mrs. Charles H.)(434) 791-4561 or [email protected]

Brenda Sebra (Mrs. William M.)(434) 792-2379 or [email protected]

Ticket: $20; single-site admission, $10. Children13 and older, full price; ages 6-12, half-price;ages 5 and under, free of charge. An adult mustaccompany children younger than age 17. Tick-ets may be purchased on tour day at any of thehouses open for the tour. Houses need not bevisited in the order listed.

Advance Tickets: Available at Foxglove, Karen’sHallmark, The Gingerbread House & GardenCenter and Rippe’s, all located in Danville. ForInternet tickets, please access www.VAGardenweek.org.

Luncheon: The United Methodist Women ofMount Vernon United Methodist Church willoffer a box lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.in the church Social Hall at 107 West MainStreet. Enjoy a turkey croissant with provolonecheese, marinated vegetable salad, fruit cup,cookies, and beverage. Lunches must be or-dered and prepaid by April 15, 2012. Pleasesend check payable to Mount Vernon UnitedMethodist Women for $13.50 per lunch to:Lois Love, 123 Candlewood Road, Danville,Virginia 24541. For questions, she can bereached at (434) 792-2628. No confirmationwill be mailed. Reserved tickets may be ob-tained at the door on tour date.

Refreshments: Complimentary light refresh-ments will be served at 220 Hawthorne Drivefrom 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Special Activities: Floral arranging demonstra-tions will be held at 220 Hawthorne Drive from

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3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Episcopal Church ofthe Epiphany will provide a musical interludeduring the Historic Garden Tour. Times will beposted on your ticket.

Historical Background: The Danville HistoricGarden Week tour features Averett Univer-sity, the Forest Hills neighborhood, and theWest Main Street area. Founded in 1859,Averett Univeristy has a long history of inno-vation. Started as a women’s college back whenthat was not a popular notion, it was also oneof the first in Virginia to create an acceleratedprogram for working adults. More than halfof its student population are professionallearners located outside of the Danville cam-pus. It is one of the few in the country to offerbachelor’s degrees in equestrian studies aswell as aeronautics. Many of the homes fea-tured on the tour are within walking distance ofeach other, as are the garden and refresh-ments. Comfortable walking shoes are recom-mended.

161 Mountain View Avenue. This charming CapeCod style home with tan clapboard siding,dentil molding and cedar shake shingle roofwas built in 1936 for Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Con-way, Jr. Before passing, Mrs. Helen B. Conwaybequeathed the property to Averett Universitywith stipulations that it remain a residencefor the purpose of University entertaining.Named in their honor, The Conway House is acharming piece of history that has been com-pletely restored to its former glory and is nowused to host special events and serves as lodg-ing for University guests throughout the year.Restorations remain true to Mrs. Conway’sdecorative style. All furnishings, including thechina and drapes, are original to the home. Thisproperty is opened for Historic Garden Tour forthe first time. Averett University, owner.

500 Hawthorne Drive. Built between 1926 and1928, this Colonial style white brick home sitson a gentle slope and overlooks a shadedlandscape with sculpted beds of azaleas, ivyand other blooming shrubs. Out front, a wind-ing path crosses a small, rock-bed stream byway of a footbridge and takes visitors to themain entrance as well as the perimeter of theproperty. There, visitors have a lovely view ofthe side yard and its wooded setting. Thelandscape can also be enjoyed from the widefront veranda, the patio off the sunroom andfrom a secluded patio at the back of the house.This home was purchased by Mr. and Mrs.A.B. Carrington, Jr. and donated to AverettUniversity in 1982. Major renovations in keep-ing with the original design of the home weredone by Dr. Howard W. Lee. Dr. Lee was the

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first President of the University to reside in thehome. The spacious rooms and easily flowingfloor plan allow crowds to mingle during pres-idential events and receptions. Natural lightstreams through large windows in the living,dining and sunrooms, complementing fine an-tique furnishings. The formal dining room fea-tures china left by the late Mary Jo Davis,former Dean of Students. The current Presi-dent and her husband have contributed to thelovely decor with arts and furnishings acquiredduring their extensive travels. Dr. TiffanyFranks and Mr. Joe Franks, owners.

440 Maple Lane. Located on the outermostperimeter of Forest Hills, this distinctively de-signed contemporary but rustic house over-looks the gently flowing Dan River. The housewas built in 1971, and then completely reno-vated in 2011 into a seamlessly melded homewith modern efficiency, timeless style andgrace. One approaches this painted cedar androck home via a winding sidewalk to a slatestoop. Inside, the house has an open floor planwith vaulted ceilings and shiplap wainscoting.The floors are naturally finished, reclaimedheart pine. The mantle, newel post and

wrought iron spindles were purchased from thelocally significant Dan River Mills and date to1903. The kitchen has cherry cabinets withcream Bordeaux granite tops. Two bathroomson the main floor contain beaded inset withglaze overlay cabinetry and Carrara white mar-ble vanities. Downstairs there is a sitting areawith travertine tumble stone flooring and themaster suite. The bath has a large, tiled steamshower and pedestal bathtub with granite van-ities. There are multiple porches on both lev-els. Opened for the first time for HistoricGarden Week. Mr. Marcus Shelton and MissJennifer Bishop, owners.

452 Maple Lane. Built in 1988, this traditionalstyle home contains treasures from every cor-ner of the world. Once inside the foyer, onenotices lovely hardwood floors with inlay andbeautiful moldings. The foyer is decorated withitems the couple acquired while living in Japan.A Japanese kimono hangs on display at the topof the stairs. In the living room are two ricechairs similar to those still used in China todayand a shadow box with carved ivory fromTokyo. The family has a collection of WesternDesert acrylic paintings or “dot” paintingsthroughout the home that were created by the

500 Hawthorne Drive

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Australian Aborigine of the western desert.This artwork depicts images from their sacrednarratives and ceremonial life. The Frenchdesigned kitchen has cork floors. The eatingarea, which sits off of the kitchen, has beautifulviews of the wooded, private lot. Outside, thereis a garage with an attached gardening roomand outdoor kitchen. This beautifully land-scaped lot includes multiple decks, a hot tuband slate walkways. Open for the first time forHistoric Garden Week. Dr. and Mrs. LiamLeightly, owners.

242 Hawthorne Drive. Garden Only. Privatelynestled in Forest Hills, this home was built in1931 for John Schoolfield, Jr., scion of theDanville textile dynasty that became DanRiver, Inc. In the 1960s it was purchased by Mr.and Mrs. Fred B. Leggett, Jr. Mr. Leggett wasthe former Chairman and CEO of LeggettStores. The Leggett family resided here until2011. Its elegance and size is unsurpassed inthe city. All access points to the home are gatedwith solid iron or elegant, thick, wood craftedgates and a privacy brick wall that maintainsseclusion for the pool, standard play tenniscourt, gardens, sitting and children’s play areas.As you enter through the main entrance via thecircular drive, you will pass through one ofmany mature gardens along a stone walkway,which encapsulates the home. The gardens in-clude peonies, anemones, crepe myrtles, old Eng-lish boxwoods, azaleas and a newly added rosegarden. Mr. and Mrs. William Gentry, owners.

272 Cherry Lane. This white, painted brickresidence, built in 1938 for James Bustard, sitsatop a sloping lawn in Forest Hills. The Palla-dian-style doorway with leaded glass intro-duces the visitor to the well-proportioned fea-tures identifiable throughout the home as thework of revered Danville architect J. BryantHeard. Impressive off-white dentil moldingand other millwork are seen throughout thehouse. Furnishings reflect the current owner’simpeccable taste and love of 18th and 19th

century English and American antiques andinclude several French Directoire pieces. Theliving room features landscapes by Richmond-based artist Durwood Dommisse, as well as alandscape by Scottish artist F. E. Jamieson.The owner’s collection of engravings from Ot-taviani’s 1772 folio Loggie di Rafaele gracesthe dining room. An equestrian oil painting ofJefferson Davis at Manassas greets visitors asthey ascend the stairs. Upstairs is the masterbedroom and a guest suite with a privatelounge. Also on this floor is the owner’s privatestudy decorated with a colossal 1870 map of

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Richmond, the owner’s birthplace, as well as acollection of vintage Civil War prints. Dr. MarkN. Farmer, owner.

The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, 781 MainStreet. Founded in 1840 by Dr. George Wash-ington Dame, the Epiphany Church was builtby T. B. Fitzgerald, Danville’s most prominentcontractor of the late 19th century and the firstpresident of Dan River Mills. A significanthistorical landmark, this stuccoed Gothicbuilding replaced the original wooden struc-ture. Most of the stained glass memorial win-dows were designed and executed by the J.R.Lamb Company of New York. The chancel“Christ as Shepherd” window honors the life-work of Epiphany’s first rector, Dr. Dame, whoretired in 1895. British composer FrederickDelius served as church organist from 1885-86.In celebration of Epiphany’s centennial in1979, the balcony at the rear of the nave wasenlarged to accommodate the magnificent An-dover tracker organ, one of the finest of itskind in the United States. The last three de-cades have seen an increase in the Epiphany’soutreach to the parish, the community of Dan-ville, and southside Virginia through programssuch as DOVES, God’s Storehouse, and The

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Free Clinic of Danville. Epiphany EpiscopalSchool, founded in 2008, has grown from 8children to over 100 students currently. TheChurch will provide a musical interlude duringthe Historic Garden Tour with times includedon your ticket.


Schoolfield House Booksellers, Averett Univer-sity, 354 West Main Street. This Mission stylehouse was built in 1913 for John H. SchoolfieldJr., a son of the Danville textile dynasty thatbecame Dan River Inc. In 2005, Averett ac-quired the house from the Easley family, whoowned the home for more than fifty years.Recently restored as the University’s book-store, it reflects Averett’s commitment tomaintaining a responsible community pres-ence. The original wide crown moldings, wain-scoting, partitioned ceilings, refinished oakfloors, well-designed staircase and pocketdoors attest to the quality of constructionbefitting the home of the illustrious Danvillefamilies associated with the house. Oil paint-ings by the late Carson Davenport, a formerAverett art professor, adorn the mantels in therooms flanking the foyer. Three brass andcrystal light fixtures are original. Open 9:00a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

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The Langhorne House, 117 Broad Street. Builtin 1874, this is the partially restored birthplaceof Nancy Langhorne, Viscountess Astor, firstwoman to sit in the British House of Com-mons. It is also the childhood home of hersister Irene, who married the artist CharlesDana Gibson and was immortalized by him asthe “Gibson Girl,” international fashion idealof the turn of the 20th century. The masterbedroom and the parlor have been renovated.A small gallery features changing exhibits re-lating to the family. The exhibit, Titanic, whichincludes family portraits, photographs andmemorabilia are on display. Open from 10 a.m.to 5 p.m. (434) 791-2256.

The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and His-tory, 975 Main Street. The museum is locatedwithin the restored 1859 Sutherlin Mansionand is one of the finest examples of ItalianVilla architecture in Virginia. Designed by F.B.Clopton, it is enhanced by a picket fence, areproduction of the one in place there in thelate 1880s, and a restoration project of TheGarden Club of Virginia with funding fromHistoric Garden Week tours. This was thehome of Major William T. Sutherlin, Civil Warquartermaster for Danville. It is also known as“The Last Capitol of the Confederacy.” Jeffer-son Davis stayed here April 3-10, 1865 and metwith his full cabinet for the last time. There isa rose garden given in memory of Sigie Perkin-son, a former member of The Garden Club ofDanville, and Rose Chairman for The GardenClub of Virginia for ten years. Open from10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Danville Science Center, 677 CragheadStreet. Housed in two buildings in the heart ofthe old tobacco warehouse district, ScienceStation is the former Southern Railway passen-ger station designed by architect Frank P.Milburn and built in 1899. The second buildingis the old Southern Railway Administrationbuilding. One of the many interesting featuresis the seasonal Butterfly Station & Gardenopened in 1999 as a community service projectto beautify the district and highlight environ-mental issues surrounding the decline of natu-ral landscapes necessary for butterflies tothrive. Each of the plants was chosen for itsrole in the life cycle of a species of NorthAmerican butterfly. Located within The Cross-ing at the Dan, the Science Center serves as ananchor for Danville’s revitalization of the dis-trict. Open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Re-search, 150 Slayton Avenue. A national modelfor rural economic transformation, the Insti-

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tute also boasts stunning steel architecturewhich is unmatched in Southern Virginia, aswell as state-of-the-art technology supportingfour research centers, a Conference Centerand numerous academic programs. DanvilleGarden Tour visitors may tour the Institute, as

well as the horticulture and agriculture re-search centers and the Dan River Plant Prop-agation Center where you can view the orna-mentals and biorenewables produced there.Tours of both facilities will be available from9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Eastern ShoreSponsored by

The Garden Club of the Eastern Shore

Saturday, April 28, 2012from 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Co-Chairmen:Cissy Hall (Mrs. Richard F. III)(757) 787-7955 or [email protected]

Suzanne Tankard (Mrs. David B.)(757) 442-3410 or [email protected]

Websites: www.esgardentours.com andwww.vagardenweek.org

Information regarding Tickets, Bus Tours orLocal Accommodations:Megan Ames(757) 787-7626 or [email protected]

Jody Bundy(757) 647-1320 or [email protected]

Tickets: May be purchased on tour day at any ofthe houses open for tour and homes may bevisited in any order. Children ages 5 and underfree of charge; ages 6-12 half-price; childrenage 17 and under must be accompanied by anadult. Full five house tour tickets are $40.Single-site tickets are $15.

Advance tickets: Available for $35 via the inter-net at www.vagardenweek.org or visit ShoreBank branch locations in Cape Charles, Ex-more, Onley, Parksley, Chincoteague, VA; andPocomoke and Salisbury, MD; the Book Bin,Onley, VA; Ker Place, Onancock, VA; andRayfield’s Pharmacy in Nassawadox and CapeCharles, VA. Checks payable to G.C.E.S.Credit card only via internet. (No advancesingle site admission.)

Lunch: Hungars Episcopal Church, 10107 Bay-side Rd., Machipongo, VA 23405. From thenorth: from Rte. 13 stoplight in Nassawadox,turn west onto Rogers Drive (Rte. 606), pro-ceed .7 mi., turn left onto Bayside Rd. (Rte.618) and proceed 4.8 mi. (on left). From thesouth: four miles north of Eastville stoplight onRte. 13, turn west onto Young St. (Rte. 627),go to end .2 mi., turn right onto Bayside Rd.(Rte. 618) and proceed 3.3 mi. (on right). Boxlunches available for $12 per person from 11:30a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. Advance reser-vations are requested. Please call (757) 442-5263 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.Seating will be available in the newly redeco-rated Parish House, where cookbooks and notecards will be on sale.

Directions to the Tour Area: From the south:Rte. 13 (Northampton Blvd.) in Virginia Beachto Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and con-tinue north on Rte.13. From the north: Dela-ware Memorial Bridge to Rte. 1 South to Rte.

Eastern Shore50

13 South. From Washington/Baltimore: Rte.50 East across Bay Bridge at Annapolis andcontinue on Rte. 50 East to Rte. 13 South atSalisbury. In immediate tour area, follow direc-tions given for each tour stop.

Tour at a Glance: Discover hidden treasures inan impressive collection of gracious homes andblooming gardens that take you from one endof this beautiful peninsula to the other. Ar-borists will enjoy an assortment of trees over150 years old, which mirror the tradition andelegance common to each home. History buffs,architects and designers will be fascinated bythe stories revealed in original woodwork, an-tiques and artifacts. Flower lovers will bethrilled with the stunning arrangements andelaborate landscapes. Naturalists will appreci-ate the serenity and native beauty of thisundeveloped area of the Commonwealth.Properties may be visited in any order.


Bayholme, 306 Bay Avenue, Cape Charles, VA23310. At Cape Charles stoplight, turn westonto Stone Rd. (Rte. 184) then proceed 2 mi.Turn left onto Fig St., proceed .2 mi. Follow toMason Ave. and proceed .6 mi. Turn right onto

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Bay Ave. and proceed .1 mi. Bayholme is agrand, 1914 neo-classic style house built inCape Charles, a town which can trace itsimportance to an era dominated by the rail-road industry. The home’s location reveals aninteresting segment of the town’s growth whendredging its harbor at the turn of the 20th

century created a new expanse of land knownas “sea cottage.” The house occupies an impos-ing position overlooking the Chesapeake Baythrough 100 year-old ash trees. Its colorfullyplanted town garden shares a quaint back alleywith its neighbors. Designed to capture thebay’s breezes, Bayholme has a generous 900-square-foot columned porch which wrapsaround three sides of the first floor and balco-nies on each of the second and third floors. Anupdated kitchen shares an open counter withthe family room, and the third floor has re-cently been remolded to provide a home en-tertainment area. Spacious rooms are en-hanced with a heterogeneous art collectionincluding works by renowned nonobjective art-ist Nancy Rooney, a 2000-year-old Greek am-phora, and an exquisite petit point portrayal ofa Japanese dancer. Open for the first time for

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Historic Garden Week. Mr. and Mrs. Ann-Hayward and William A. Walker, owners.

Eyre Hall, 3215 Eyre Hall Dr., Cheriton, VA23316. The entrance is on the west side of Rte.13 between Cheriton and Eastville. This cele-brated 18th century property on CherrystoneCreek reflects the remarkable 250-year stew-ardship of a single family. Littleton Eyre, great-grandson of the first Eyre to settle here in 1623,completed his manor house in 1758, lavishing itwith expansive spaces, superior woodwork andthe finest fittings. His immediate successors, hisson and grandson, (inheriting in 1768 and 1789,

respectively) took up Littleton’s sophisticatedvision, adding an eastern wing and orderingadditional stylish furnishings and embellish-ments. Today, guests of the builder’s eighthgeneration descendent are delighted to dis-cover the first owners’ legacy in family portraitsby Sully and West, scenic 1815 French wallpa-per, bespoke Chinese Export dinnerware and asuperb collection of period furniture. Historyalso lives in the magnificent garden, estab-lished ca. 1800 and considered the oldest inVirginia to have been continuously main-tained. Here, 150 year-old crepe myrtles towerabove parterres enclosed by ancient box andset off with colorful English style mixed bor-ders. Completed by a broad front park, plant-ing fields and charming early dependencies,this ancestral property offers a rare picture ofColonial plantation life. Recent feature articlesin The Magazine Antiques and the British pub-lication, Country Life, attest to its widespreadappeal. Listed on the National Register ofHistoric Places and a Virginia Landmark, EyreHall is beginning its seventh decade as a cen-terpiece of the Eastern Shore tour. Mr. H.Furlong Baldwin, owner.

Vaucluse, 3350 Vaucluse Rd., Machipongo, VA23405. From the north: From Rte. 13 stoplightin Nassawadox, turn west onto Rogers Drive(Rte. 606) and proceed .7 mi. Turn left ontoBayside Rd. (Rte. 618), proceed 4.9 mi., turnright onto Church Neck Rd. (Rte. 619) thenproceed to end, 4.3 mi. From the south: Fourmiles north of Eastville stoplight on Rte. 13,turn west onto Young St. (Rte. 627) and go toend, .2 mi. Turn right onto Bayside Rd. (Rte.618), proceed 3.2 mi., turn left onto ChurchNeck Rd. (Rte. 619) then proceed to end, 4.3mi. From 1768 to 1844, a high bank near themouth of Hungars Creek was seat of theprominent Upshur family, whose most notableson was Abel Parker Upshur. Upshur becameSecretary of the Navy and Secretary of Stateunder President John Tyler, and was responsi-

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ble for negotiating the treaty annexing Texas.His father, Littleton, began construction of themain house in 1784 although a quarter kitchenwall may antedate the present dwelling. By1829, Abel had expanded the house and prop-erty, making it one of the county’s grandestplantations. Upshur’s promising young lifeended tragically during a ceremonial cannon’sexplosion. Although the plantation was subdi-vided, the park like setting remains intact. Likeother eighteenth century Shore buildings, Vau-cluse is of frame construction, having brickends and chimneys, with distinguished interiorwoodwork. Double Neoclassical porches adornboth facades of the one room deep building. A2005 addition and carriage house join seam-lessly with older features as an adaptation tomodern times. Recent improvements to thegrounds are shaded by a pecan tree, reputed tobe a gift from Thomas Jefferson. Visitors canenjoy the formal garden fountain and imaginecooking with specimens fresh from the exqui-site herb garden. Mr. and Mrs. David Rogers,owners.

Cedar Grove, 28538 Bloxom Rd., Parksley, VA23421. From Rte. 13 between Nelsonia andAccomac, turn east onto Muttonhunk Rd.(Rte. 676) then proceed .9 mi. Turn left head-

ing north onto Metompkin Rd., proceed .5 mi.,turn right onto Bloxom Rd. (Rte. 812) andproceed .8 mi. Overlooking White’s Creek,Cedar Grove’s spacious seaside yard is en-hanced by towering magnolias and majesticosage orange trees, one of which has a fancifulgrandchildren’s tree house. Cedar Grove isnoted for its traditional Eastern Shore design,but the manner in which it grew was undoubt-edly determined by economics. The originalone-and-a-half story central section now servesas the dining room. An incised chimney brickdated 1843 provides the timeline for an impos-ing three-story addition, which replicates thedistinctive and regional architectural style ofthat era. Fashionable wainscoting, reeding andmarbleized baseboards were employed in thenewly created parlor, cross-hall and bedcham-ber. The rest of Cedar Grove steps back acentury to a time of richly paneled fireplacewalls, glass-fronted display cupboards with but-terfly shelves, and an open paneled staircasefeaturing hand-turned balusters. Much of thisexquisite cabinetry and Cedar Grove’s finalappendage were procured from a rescued1700s house. Mellow heart-pine floors and apleasing collection of Eastern Shore furniture(including a turkey-breast corner cupboard, c.1750) combine with the lives of a 21st century

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family to make Cedar Grove a multi-genera-tional pleasure. Open for the first time forHistoric Garden Week. The Honorable RobertS. Bloxom and Mrs. Bloxom, owners.

Beverly, 808 Beverly Lane, Pocomoke, MD 21851.At Va./Md. Line from Rte. 13 turn west ontoHolland Road, proceed 1.3 mi., turn right(west) onto Dunn’s Swamp Rd./Wagram Rd.,proceed .7 mi., turn left (west) onto ColonaRd., proceed 3 mi., turn left onto Cedar HallWharf Rd., proceed .9 mi. then bear left ontoBeverly Lane. A curving bank of the PocomokeRiver provides the setting for Beverly, a hand-some Georgian-style Flemish bond brick man-sion built in the 1770s which is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places. The prop-erty was first patented in 1664 by DannockDennis, and Dennis descendants maintainedownership of their Colonial homestead until1936 when possession was transferred to thefamily of the present owners. Although thehouse itself is located in Maryland, the 900acres which comprise Beverly’s domain spreadacross the Virginia border. A portico with fourcolumns graces Beverly’s east facade. Hand-fashioned wrought iron railings and a delicatewrought iron arch lead up the steps to the westentrance. In years gone by, a circle in this archwas the receptacle for a large iron lamp whichserved as a beacon light for miles up and downthe Pocomoke River. A serpentine wall con-structed of colonial era bricks defines thesweeping river bank, while a venerable baldcypress with an occasional eagle perched on itsbranches stands at the shoreline’s edge. Thishistorically significant property is open for thefirst time for Historic Garden Week. Mr. andMrs. William M. Shettle, owners.

Other Places of Interest: (*National Registerof Historical Places)

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge andAssateague Island National Seashore, 8231Beach Road, Chincoteague Island, VA 23336.Admission to Assateague Island is $8 per per-son. Tour Tom’s Cove Visitor Center to seebeachcombing exhibits, educational brochures,and to experience a touch tank. (757) 336-6577.Visit the Herbert H. Bateman Center, winnerof several “green architecture” awards for sus-taining the environment and home to educa-tional exhibits, including an eagle’s nest cam-era. (757) 336-6122. If you have time, climb the1833 Assateague Lighthouse* and enjoy theview. On the way to Chincoteague Island, stopby the NASA Visitor Center at Wallops Island,located on Rte. 174. Take a moment to expe-rience a full scale rocket up close along with

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videos, displays, and hands on activities. (757)824-2298 or www.chincoteaguechamber.org.

*Ker Place, 69 Market St., Onancock, VA23417. This brick mansion built in 1799 is hometo the Eastern Shore of Virginia HistoricalSociety. Open Friday, April 27 for extendedhours, 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. and Saturday,April 28 until 5:00 p.m. Free admission to thegardens, which are a restoration project of theGarden Club of Virginia. House tour $5.(757)787-8012 or www.kerplace.org.

*Historic Cokesbury Church (1854), 75 Mar-ket Street, Onancock, VA 23417. HistoricCokesbury Methodist Church is the oldestchurch building in Onancock. The Greek Re-vival building is beautifully decorated with Al-fred Godwin stained glass windows and isflanked by original cemeteries. (757) 787-4873or www.onancock.org/cokesbury.

*Hopkins and Bros. Store (1842), 2 Market St.,Onancock, VA 23417. One of the oldest gen-eral stores on the East Coast is now home toMallard’s restaurant adjacent to the town har-bor. View historic artifacts and an old steam-boat ticket office, which now houses a kayakoutfitter’s shop. Onancock once offered dailysteamboat passage to Baltimore. (757) 787-8558 or www.onancock.org.

*Historic Northampton County Courthouseand Court Green, 16404 Courthouse Rd., East-ville VA 23347. These historic buildings allowus to imagine what life was like in the mid-1700’s. The Courthouse has the oldest andcontinuous records in the United States, datingback to 1632. The Clerk’s Office remains on itsoriginal site with Indian relics and colonialartifacts. The Debtor’s Prison is the best exam-ple of its kind. (757) 678-0440 or www.eastville.esva.net.

*Barrier Islands Center and Almshouse Farm.7295 Young Street, Machipongo, VA 23405.Though the Eastern Shore’s chain of seasidebarrier islands are now mostly deserted, thismuseum provides photos, artifacts, and fasci-nating written accounts of those who oncecalled these islands home. Also preserved hereis the most complete almshouse complex ex-tant in the United States. (757) 678-5550 orwww.barrierislandscenter.com.

*Cape Charles Museum Welcome Center andHistoric District. 814 Randolph Avenue, CapeCharles, VA 23310. Enjoy a breathtaking viewof the Chesapeake Bay as you sample shops,galleries and restaurants in this charming Vic-torian railroad town. The museum’s railroadcars and rich archival photo collection bringsthis 1886 town’s past to life. (757) 331-1008 orwww.capecharles.org.

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FranklinThe Era of the Camp Family

Sponsored By theFranklin Garden Club

Saturday, April 21, 2012from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Chairman:Gayle Urquhart (Mrs. Charles F. III) (757)562-0915 or [email protected]

Co-Chairman:Judy Livesay (Mrs. Holt)(757) 562-2600 or [email protected]

Franklin Chamber of CommerceMain Street and Second Avenue(757) 562-4900

Tickets: Full ticket, $20, single-site admission,$10. Children 13 and older, full price; ages6-12, half price; ages 5 and under, free ofcharge. Tickets may be purchased on tour dayat any of the houses open to the tour. Housesneed not be visited in the order listed.

Advance Tickets: Advance price $15. For Ad-vance tickets with brochure, please send aself-addressed, stamped legal size envelopewith a check made payable to the FranklinGarden Club by April 2 to the Chairman orCo-Chairman listed above. For online tickets,please access www.VAGardenweek.org.

Luncheon and Restroom Facilities: A seatedluncheon, featuring local produce, will beserved at the new High Street United Method-ist Church, 31164 Camp Parkway in Franklinfrom 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for $15 per person.Any questions, please contact Beth Luck at(757) 562-5412 or email [email protected].

Refreshments: Complimentary light refresh-ments will be served from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00p.m. at the Ryland Camp home located at 724Clay Street.

Directions and Parking: From the east, Rte. 58west and take the 58 business (Camp Parkway/Clay Street) exit to Downtown Franklin. Fromthe west and north, take I-95 south to theCourtland exit, travel 32 mi. on Rte. 35 toCourtland, then take 58 east to Franklin andexit 58 business (Camp Parkway/Clay Street) toDowntown Franklin. Parking is available onthe street in front of the homes on tour. A

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public parking lot is available across from theBryant House on N. High Street, which is ontour.

Special Activities: Riverkeeper Boat Tour. TheBlackwater/Nottoway Riverkeeper Program isunique to the Franklin area. It was founded tosafeguard and protect our two local riverswhich flow into the Chowan, the AlbemarleSound and the Atlantic Ocean. As keeper ofthe Rivers, Jeff Turner is passionate aboutthese rivers, their wildlife and ecosystems. Hereceived the Governors Environmental Excel-lence Award and the WHRO Community Im-pact Award in 2011 and will conduct two-hourpontoon boat tours on the day of the Franklintour, departing from the public boat landing atthe end of Main Street. Tours will beginpromptly at 10:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3:00p.m. Each tour is limited to the boat capacity often people and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. $10 charge per person. Partici-pants should wear tennis shoes or flats.

Historical Background on Franklin – The Eraof the Camp Family:

With the shutdown of International Paper’sFranklin Mill in 2010, this small town on thewestern edge of the Tidewater, saw the closingof an era of prosperity that began over 100years ago with the foundation of Camp Manu-facturing Company. Established by P.D. Campand his brothers, this small lumber mill grewinto an internationally acclaimed manufacturerof fine paper, providing livelihoods, both blueand white collar, for families in the surround-ing counties and northeastern North Carolina.Known for their generosity and philanthropy,members of the Camp family have always felt aresponsibility for the well-being of the area,funding the local community college, the citylibrary, the YMCA, the public safety buildingand numerous other buildings and organiza-tions in the region. The support of the Campfamily continues through the foundations theyestablished.

Ticket Price includes admission to thefollowing 5 locations:

The Maples, 216 Meadow Lane. James L. CampSr. and his wife Carrie Savage Camp built TheMaples in 1895. The original architecture wasVictorian and appeared very much as it doestoday. Paul D. Camp liked the house so much;he built The Elms in a similar fashion, exceptfor the use of stucco on the exterior, so the twowould not be exactly the same. In 1942, thehouse passed to James’ and Carrie’s son, Wil-liam (Bill) M. Camp Sr. and his wife Edith

West Clay Camp (Cissy). The major renova-tion took place under her leadership. Appar-ently, Cissy did not want The Maples to lookanything like The Elms. She succeeded. In1977, Cissy died and the property went toWilliam (Billy) M. Camp, Jr. and his brother,Clay Camp, Sr. It was sold out of the Campfamily in 1978. The Maples has custom mill-work, raised paneling, arched doorways, anelevator, hardwood floors and rare Black Cy-press paneling in the den. There are five ma-sonry fireplaces, a large butler’s pantry and aspacious kitchen. Master suites are on the firstand second floor, for a total of five bedroomsand five and one half baths. The house iscurrently under renovation. The goal is to keepthe house, to the extent practical, in the sameconfiguration as when it was purchased by thepresent owners. Modernization, replacementand repairs are under way which will retainperiod architectural features. Mr. and Mrs.Walter Everett Story, owners.

The Elms, 717 Clay Street. This twin propertywas the home of Paul Douglas Camp and hiswife, Ella. Mr. Camp was one of the threebrothers who founded the Camp Manufactur-ing Company, which ultimately became UnionCamp Corporation and was later bought byInternational Paper. Built in 1897, The Elmswas originally part of a working farm of some247 acres. Mr. and Mrs. Camp had eight chil-dren. All of the children lived here until theymarried. Ruth Camp Campbell continued tolive in the home, even after marriage, until herdeath in 1976. It is currently the office of TheElms Foundation, the administrative founda-tion for the Camp, Ruth Camp Campbell andCamp-Younts Foundations. Much of the homehas been maintained as it was in the finalyears of Mrs. Campbell’s life. The woodworkthroughout the house is North Carolina shortleaf curly pine, prized for its beautiful grain,and so rare that it took P.D. Camp 25 years tocollect enough for the interior trim. The Elmsis home to a remarkable collection of Doughtybirds, a wall-size oil painting given to P.D.Camp, an avid fox hunter, when the house wasbuilt, a Venetian rose crystal chandelier andmany other family treasures. The Elms is prob-ably best known in Franklin as the Santa ClausHouse. Since 1935, large painted wood cut-outs of Santa and his reindeer have beenplaced on the roof every December, and havebecome a treasured Franklin Christmas tradi-tion. The Elms Foundation, owner.

The Ryland Camp Home, 724 Clay Street. Thissubstantial American Foursquare home wasbuilt in 1916 and purchased shortly after byRyland Camp, son of P.D. Camp. The some-

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what neglected house was sold in the 1980s andunderwent several renovations, until it wasbought by the present owners in 2005. Thewide, deep front steps lead to the wrap-aroundporch and then to a wide center hall. The gameroom features a fireplace wall, wainscoting, twowalls of cabinetry and bookshelves made ofhand-carved oak. This room features floorlength silk draperies and a numbered andsigned Mel Hunter hunting lithograph over thefireplace. The dining room has a new cofferedoak ceiling and numerous oil paintings andpastels created for the homeowners by variousartist friends. The 2008 remodel of the originalkitchen features a large center island, granite,three Italian wall mosaics and several watercol-ors painted by the homeowner’s father. For-merly a porch and then Mrs. Camp’s bedroom,the family (music) room features four num-bered Picasso prints. A cork ceiling was addedto enhance the acoustics of the room. A wideback hall with stairway has been converted to agathering area with full bar. The room includestable seating and a faux tin ceiling. The livingroom includes a numbered Salvador Dali printover the fireplace, a baby grand piano, severalAmerican watercolors and pastels, as well as aneclectic collection of furnishings. French doors

in the living room lead to the porch, wherelight refreshments will be served from 2 p.m. to4 p.m. Open for the first time for HistoricGarden Week. Bryan Harshall and MicheleTono, owners.

The Bryant House, 205 N. High Street. Home toand built by the first Mayor of Franklin, Dr.J.F. Bryant and his wife Maggie, the ByrantHouse dates to 1890. Dr. Bryant was alsothe superintendent of Southampton CountySchools for 35 years and was a Confederateveteran of the Southampton Cavalry. This twostory home is of post and beam constructionwith a wrap around front porch and an upstairsporch with a view of Franklin Baptist Church.The double front doors are original to thehome and have a twist bell. In 1972, the homewas divided into two apartments, but has beenconverted back to a single family home. Plasterwalls were smoothed, original floors rediscov-ered and refinished and crown moldings re-created and replaced. The walnut banister inthe foyer is original and notable because notwo turnings are the same. The den features alit display of paperweights and glass art. Thered hat on display belonged to the owner’s wifeprior to her death and is used as a topper for

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the family Christmas tree. The living roomhouses many family portraits including a por-trait over the fireplace of the owner’s first son,Matthew, who passed away at age six. Open forthe first time for Historic Garden Week. RonCornwell, owner.

The “new” High Street United Methodist Church,31164 Camp Parkway. Completed in December2011 and sited on a 47-acre tract just outside ofdowntown Franklin, this church is Georgianand Jeffersonian in design. Constructed ofFlemish bond brick with columned porticosand a slate roof, there is a steeple rising over100 feet. The front foyer is topped by a chan-delier constructed from three of the light fix-tures in the former church. The foyer doorsopen into a steeple room dedicated to pastmembers of the church and honoring its longhistory. The original church dates back to 1871.Watercolor pen and ink drawings of the twoformer church buildings adorn the walls. Re-furbished original light fixtures and two origi-nal geometric stained glass windows on eitherside of the entry doors are notable. A 50’ longcenter narthex leads to the sanctuary on theleft of the building, a parlor and two-storyeducation building on the right and the fellow-ship hall to the rear. The library and adminis-

trative offices are to the rear of the educationwing. Focal points of the new sanctuary are thestained glass memorial windows, including fivethat were moved from the old building, andfour new ones, including a rose window abovethe raised chancel flanked by coordinating sidewindows. Open for the first time for HistoricGarden Week.

Walking Tour of Additional Camp Family Homes.P.D. Camp, founder of Union Camp, had alarge family, many of whom built beautiful,substantial houses in Franklin. In addition tothe Camp homes on tour, your walking tourmap identifies other Camp family homes andincludes descriptions and brief histories. Thesehomes are located within a few blocks of themain tour.

Also of interest:

Chamber Walk Garden on Second Avenue. Apocket park designed and planted by theFranklin Garden Club in Downtown Franklinwas once a vacant lot created after a buildingwas destroyed in the 1999 flood. It is therecipient of the 2000 Garden Club of VirginiaCommon Wealth Award.

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FredericksburgThe Houses, Gardens and Gates

around Kenmore

Sponsored byThe Rappahannock Valley Garden Club

Tuesday, April 24, 2012from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Chairman:Sarah H. Pierson (Mrs. Richard C.)(540) 287-7871 or [email protected]

Co-Chairman:Victoria A.B. Willis (Mrs. Gordon F.)(540) 273-0109 or [email protected]

Group Tour Chairman:Lana King (Mrs. Wallace N.)(540) 371-0999 or [email protected]

Information Centers and Advance Ticket Sales:Fredericksburg Visitor Center706 Caroline Street in Fredericksburg1-800-678-4748

Spotsylvania County Visitor Center4704 Southpoint Parkway in Spotsylvania1-877-515-6197

Stafford Visitor Center at Gari MelchersHome and Studio at Belmont224 Washington Street in Falmouth1-654-1844

Tickets: $25 in advance; $30 on day of tour.Children 13 and older, full price; ages 6-12 $15;ages five and under, free of charge. Tickets maybe purchased on tour day at featured proper-ties or at the visitor centers listed above. Chil-dren younger than age 17 must be accompa-nied by an adult.

Advance Tickets: Tickets may be ordered onlinein advance at www.VAGardenweek.org, or bycalling any of the visitor’s centers above. Foradvance tickets with brochure, please send aself-addressed, stamped envelope (businesssize) with a check made payable to “RVGCHistoric Garden Week” by April 8 to theChairman or Co-Chairman listed above. Ad-vance tickets for groups (15 or more), seeGroup Tour Chairman above.

Lunches: Offering a fixed-price menu from11 a.m. to 2 p.m. based on reservations. The

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Fredericksburg Trolley will run continuousloops between the houses and the participatingrestaurants all day.

The Trolley Stop Deli: 540-373-2767Sammy T’s: 540-226-4653Capital Ale House: 804-822-3073Buttermilk & Old Lace: 540-479-6499Bistro Bethem: 540-371-9999Castiglias: 540-373-6650Here & Abroad Bistro and Bakery:

540-371-2999

A Garden Day Tea: Included with the ticket andserved 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by past presidents of

The Rappahannock Valley Garden Clubdressed in Colonial costumes at Historic Ken-more Plantation, 1201 Washington Avenue.The tea is made possible in part by The GeorgeWashington Foundation, and classical musicwill be provided by the Fredericksburg Festivalof the Performing Arts.

Directions: Our tour is in the Washington Av-enue neighborhood around the Historic Ken-more Plantation, in the heart of Fredericks-burg. From I-95 N or S, take exit 130-A (Route3 East) towards University of Mary Washing-ton. Follow Route 3 Business until it becomesWilliam Street. Take a left on WashingtonAvenue.

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Parking: Side streets in the Washington Ave-nue neighborhood and all day at First ChristianChurch, 1501 Washington Avenue.

Restrooms: Historic Kenmore Plantation at1201 Washington Avenue, and First ChristianChurch, 1501 Washington Avenue.

Special Activities: Flower arranging demonstra-tion by Rappahannock Valley Garden Clubmember Cessie Howell from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.,and from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the cottage gardenof Mr. and Mrs. Chip Reamy, 1209 WinchesterStreet. How to plant outdoor blooming containersthat will survive the long sunny, summermonths demonstration all day at Jan WilliamsFlorals, 720 William Street. Horticulture exhibit,a collection of all flowers and plants used in theflower arrangements for Garden Day, in thepool house of Mr. and Mrs. James Branscomb,1400 Washington Avenue. Historic GardenWeek guests are invited for free Wine Tastingsheld after 4 p.m. at Kybecca, 402 WilliamStreet; Wegner Gallery, 314 William Street;Beck’s Antiques, 708 Caroline Street; The Vir-ginia Wine Experience, 826 Caroline Street,and The Made in Virginia Store, 907 CarolineStreet. Special Historic Garden Day foods willbe served all day at Whittingham’s, 1021 Car-oline Street, and Tanya Richey Studio Gallery,

817 Caroline Street. Many downtown art gal-leries will stay open until 7 p.m.

Self-guided tours: Mary Washington Monu-ment, 1500 Washington Avenue, www.kenmore.org Confederate and City Cemeteries onthe corner of William Street and WashingtonAvenue.

Please note: This is a walking tour. Wearappropriate flat heeled shoes to allow for theuneven surfaces and inclines, and to protectthe floors of historic properties. No interiorphotography. The Garden Club of Virginia andthe Rappahannock Valley Garden Club arenot responsible for any loss, damage, or acci-dental injury.

Historical Background on Fredericksburg:

Fredericksburg has a long and interesting his-tory because of its strategic location at the fallsof the Rappahannock River. To Virginia’searly settlers, the fall line was the colony’s firstfrontier and the town of Fredericksburg pros-pered as a frontier river port. In 1728, itbecame an official inland port and the tobaccotrade brought prosperity. Munitions were man-ufactured in Fredericksburg during the Revo-lutionary War and five generals left their fam-

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ilies here to fight. Thomas Jefferson and othersmet in 1777 in Fredericksburg to draft theVirginia Statute of Religious Freedom. Thistour features six houses in the fashionableneighborhood around Historic Kenmore, thehome of Betty Lewis, George Washington’ssister. From the historic to the contemporary,these houses and gardens will give visitors aglimpse into the lifestyles of families who tra-verse the same steps walked by the Washingtonfamily in Colonial days. Charming renovations,well-tended gardens, and unique architecturecharacterize this tour full of American an-tiques, original local and noteworthy artwork,and fascinating stories of the dwellings andtheir owners.


900 Cornell Street. A stunning renovation of astately 1939 Federal-revival home, this eleganthouse invites visitors to imagine life filled withart and antiques. Built on two lots over aperiod of five years, and extensively remodeledover the past two years, it occupies a park-likesetting in the city. Silk from Bangkok drapesthe dining room windows, and family portraits,Hudson River School landscapes, and paint-

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ings from local artists adorn the walls. A price-less Japanese Geisha doll and folding screenbrought home from the Philippines afterWorld War II symbolize the depth of thefamily’s art collection which includes an 1820slandscape and other art and furniture frommany periods. The crisp renovated kitchencounters shine with black quartz, and over-look the manicured garden surrounding thepool with waterfall. Variegated Pennsylvaniafieldstone defines the pool walls. This house isopen for the second time for Historic GardenWeek. Mr. and Mrs. John D. Farrington III,owners.

1200 Washington Avenue. In the spring of 1915,Victor Moon, a prosperous traveling salesman,bought a single, 33-foot town lot on the cornerof Washington Avenue and Cornell Street andhired Philip N. Stern to design a thoroughly“modern” residence and automobile garage tofill the narrow property. Completed in 1917 byE. G. “Peck” Heflin, the Arts and Crafts homeoffered clean lines, simple heart-gum mold-ings, and an unusual Spanish tile roof, all inbold contrast to the prevailing styles and gen-tility of the neighborhood. Having experiencedfew changes, the house approaches its hun-dredth birthday with its original character in-tact. In smooth harmony with the eclecticallyfurnished home, the locally admired side yardoccupies two small lots added to the propertyin 1922. Backed by the historic brick enclosureof the City and Confederate cemeteries, mixedshrubs anchor beds that thrive beneath a can-opy of mature and replacement trees. Theexuberant bloom of late spring evolves to ashady oasis of foliage and lawn by summer.This house was open for Historic GardenWeek in 2000. Mr. and Mrs. Michael V. Starling,owners.

1101 Washington Avenue. This contemporarybrick residence, built in the late 1970s by abeloved Fredericksburg couple, provides a

quiet respite from the hectic in town lifestyle.Cool, bright and open, the house has a largeand elegant front hall that flows into the livingroom which overlooks the terraced yard. Vir-ginia antiques and artwork join cherishedpieces from the family’s jewelry store to pro-vide a stately sun-filled interior with bay win-dows and wide open spaces that is perfect forentertaining. Royal Crown Darby and Lennoxplates frame the living room fireplace, favoritepieces from the family business. The renovatedkitchen wraps around a family room whichopens to the back terrace with blooming potsand seating areas for outdoor entertaining.Manicured front and side gardens were de-

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signed by the couple’s grandchildren. Crepemyrtles and hydrangea grace the elliptical sidegarden with many perennials, making it de-lightful in every season. This house is open forHistoric Garden Week for the first time. Mr.and Mrs. William P. Sale, owners.

1400 Washington Avenue. This magnificentbrick family home was built in 1923 for Mr. andMrs. James B. Rawlings and has housed thechildren and grandchildren of that family eversince. An extensive three-year renovation in-cluded the kitchen, family room, pool and poolhouse, and garage. The Steinway and Sonsbaby grand piano in the living room is originalto the house, as is the gold mirror. Localartwork graces the renovated kitchen whichserves as the center hub of this family orientedhome. The light filled family room overlooks aputting green below the pool. The fountainswere imported from Italy, and the large zebraskin on the family room floor was a gift to afamily member from a recent tour of SouthAfrica. A poster of chateau Mouton Roth-schild Wines is signed by the Baroness Roth-schild as a gift to the owner during an intro-duction of wines at Sotheby’s in New YorkCity. This house is open for the first time forHistoric Garden Week. Mr. and Mrs. JamesBranscome, owners.

1400 Washington Avenue

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1209 Winchester Street. This Craftsman-stylehome sits on land that was originally part ofHistoric Kenmore Plantation, home of Field-ing and Betty Washington Lewis. Built be-tween 1919 and 1926, the house was renovatedin 2010 with the addition of a wing and modernkitchen along with a porch overlooking a cot-tage garden. Family silver pieces and antiquefurniture grace the open plan of the home.Colorful and eclectic art from local artists areincorporated into the decor. From what wasonce a forlorn and forgotten backyard, theReamys have created a cottage herb and cut-ting garden behind their home designed forminimum upkeep. The sound of bubbling wa-ter from a beautiful blue urn greets visitors. Ametal sculpture of an alligator references theowners’ love of Florida, where they used tolive. The open carport with a courtyard floorthat doubles as a gathering place will serve aslocation for a flower arranging demonstrationon Garden Day. This is the home’s first appear-ance on Historic Garden Week. Mr. and Mrs.Chip Reamy, owners.

1203 Winchester Street. Described by the owneras a four-square, this home sits on the originalKenmore parcel of land. Built in 1920, itincluded some features found in Sear’s kithomes and remained in the original familyuntil it was bought by the current owners 10years ago. A complete 2007 renovation added abreakfast room and updated kitchen. New cab-inets mix with those from the original kitchenfor a timeless look. Original perfect plasterwalls are lovely backdrops for the owners’collection of art from their travels and blue andwhite porcelain, a nod to the owners’ Germanheritage. Asian pieces from her great-grandfa-ther’s stint as a silk merchant in Japan arepresent throughout the home. Visitors willenjoy the owners’ collection of early Americanantiques including a lovely 18th century Amer-ican case clock and a burled walnut ball andclaw bookcase. The garden is a modified cot-tage garden and includes many plants grownfrom clippings from friends. The roses on thetrellis were a wedding gift from the owner’ssister. This is the home’s first appearance on

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Historic Garden Week. Connie Schwartzmanand Pete Smith, owners.

Historic Kenmore Plantation and Gardens,1201 Washington Avenue. One of Virginia’sfinest 18th century houses and the first resto-ration project by the Garden Club of Virginiausing proceeds from Historic Garden Week,Kenmore was built by patriot Fielding Lewisand his wife Betty, sister of George Washing-ton. The house contains some of the mostelaborate plasterwork to survive from ColonialAmerica, made by the same unidentified“stucco man” who worked at Mount Vernon.The house has recently undergone a majorrestoration and the new paint and wallpaperreflect the Lewis’ taste. A refurnishing plan isunderway and part of the Kenmore collectionof fine Virginia-made furniture is displayed inthe museum gallery. The grounds were the firstrestoration project of The Garden Club ofVirginia with funds from the first HistoricGarden Week. Free admission is offered toholders of Fredericksburg Garden Day ticketson April 24, 2012 only. Kenmore is owned andoperated by The George Washington Founda-tion, owners of George Washington’s BoyhoodHome at Ferry Farm in Stafford County. 540-373-3381 or www.kenmore.org for more infor-mation.

George Washington’s Ferry Farm, 268 King’sHighway. A National Historic Landmark, thisfarm is the boyhood home of George Washing-ton and the site of the legends about the cherrytree and the stone toss across the river. FerryFarm was Washington’s home from the age ofsix until the age of 19. Later named for theferries that operated between its shoreline andFredericksburg in the 18th and 19th centuries,the property includes Rappahannock Riverfrontage, ferry landings and early 18th-centuryarchaeology sites including the site of theWashington house and farm buildings. Thelandscape features walking trails throughfields, forests and wetlands, and riverfrontviews of the town. The Ferry Farm staff wel-comes visitors to a Colonial-style garden filledwith plants, flowers and vegetables indigenousto Virginia. The raised border garden is orga-nized into exhibits illustrating how early Amer-icans and American Indians farmed. The Vis-itor Center houses artifact displays andexhibits. George Washington’s Ferry Farm isowned by The George Washington Founda-tion. Admission: Free to Fredericksburg His-toric Garden Day ticket holders on April 24only. Regular Admission: Adults: $8, Childrenages 6-17: $4, children under 6 free. (540-370-0732) or visit www.ferryfarm.org.

The James Monroe Museum and MemorialLibrary, 908 Charles Street. James Monroecame to Fredericksburg in 1786 as a younglawyer with his new bride, Elizabeth Kortright.From Fredericksburg, he launched an illustri-ous career of public service that carried him tothe White House. The museum exhibits fur-nishings from the Monroe White House, aswell as fine and decorative arts, jewelry andcostumes, all owned by the Monroes and care-fully handed down through the generations oftheir descendants. The Memorial Library in-cludes thousands of books and manuscriptsand is available for research by appointment.The walled garden frames a bronze bust ofMonroe by Margaret Cresson. The building isa National and Virginia Historic Landmark.Free to Fredericksburg Historic Garden Dayticket holders on April 24 only. Regular Ad-mission: Adults, $5, children $1, under 6 free.(540) 654-1043.


Belmont, 224 Washington Street, Falmouth.The elegant white frame house was the homeof the renowned American artist GariMelchers and his wife Corinne and is a Na-tional Historic Landmark. Mrs. Melchers be-came a member-at-large of The Garden Clubof Virginia in 1931 and was a founding member

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of The Rappahannock Valley Garden Club.She was involved in the restoration of thegrounds at Kenmore and the gardens at Strat-ford Hall. In 1993, The Garden Club of Vir-ginia returned the favor and restored Mrs.Melchers’ garden at Belmont. The central por-tion of the house dates from the 1790s. Virtuallyall of the Melchers’ personal possessions remain.Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adults, $10,children 18 and under free. (540) 654-1015.

Chatham, 120 Chatham Lane. George Wash-ington and Abraham Lincoln were guests atthis Georgian house. During the Civil War, theUnion army used the house as a headquarters,field hospital and communications center.Clara Barton and Walt Whitman attended thewounded here after the Battle of Fredericks-burg. Chatham’s garden features riverfront ter-races, a view of the city of Fredericksburg andthe Rappahannock River and a formal garden.It is now headquarters for the Fredericksburgand Spotsylvania County National MilitaryPark. Admission free.

The Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cul-tural Center, 1001 Princess Anne Street. Itsnew museum building opened in the former1927 bank building in 2008 and now joins thehistoric Town Hall/Market House of 1816 (907Princess Anne Street) with exhibits on areahistory. The Museums are open Mondaythrough Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. andSunday 12 to 5 p.m. 540-371-3037 or visitwww.famcc.org.

Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania National Mili-tary Park. Retrace some of the history of theCivil War at four battlefields: Fredericksburg,The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court Houseand Chancellorsville. Admission free. For in-formation, call the Chancellorsville BattlefieldCenter at (540) 786-2880 and the Fredericks-burg Battlefield Center at (540) 373-6122.

Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop, 1020 CarolineStreet. The shop depicts Colonial life interms of the medical problems and treat-ments. Dr. Hugh Mercer came to Fredericks-burg in 1761 to practice medicine and toopen an apothecary shop. The shop is on theNational and Virginia Historic LandmarksRegisters. Admission: Adults $5, children $2.(540) 373-3362 or www.apva.org. Owned bythe Association for the Preservation of Vir-ginia Antiquities.

The Mary Washington House, 1200 CharlesStreet. This popular tourist attraction was orig-inally purchased in 1772 by George Washing-

ton for his mother, Mary Ball Washington, whoresided there until her death in 1789. Thehouse contains several pieces of original Wash-ington and Ball memorabilia. In the garden,recreated by The Garden Club of Virginia in1968-69, are found some of the original box-wood planted by Mary Washington as well asher sundial. The house is on the National andVirginia Historic Landmarks Registers. Admis-sion: Adults $5, children $2. (540) 373-1569 orvisit www.apva.org. Owned by the Association forthe Preservation of Virginia Antiquities.

Mary Washington’s Burial Site, 1500 Washing-ton Avenue. Mary Washington was buried herein 1789. In the early 19th century, the Gordonfamily, who gave Kenmore its name, estab-lished their family burial ground here as well.In 1833, President Andrew Jackson dedicatedthe first monument to the “Mother of Wash-ington.” That monument, never completed, layderelict and in pieces for almost 60 years. Itwas removed in 1893 when the cornerstone forthe present monument was laid, which wasdedicated by President Grover Cleveland in1894. The Garden Club of Virginia firstplanted the grounds in 1938 and recently ren-ovated the monument and grounds.

Rising Sun Tavern, 1304 Caroline Street. Con-structed around 1760 as a private residence byCharles, youngest brother of George Wash-ington, the building became a tavern in 1792under the name of the Golden Eagle, laterchanged to the Rising Sun Tavern. Costumedguides tell of 18th century tavern life. A tap-room, complete with bar cage, gaming tables,musical instruments, innkeepers’ storeroomand office are all on view, as well as many otheraccessories to run “a proper tavern.” A Na-tional and Virginia Historic Landmark. Ad-mission: Adults $5, children $2. (540) 371-1494 or visit www.apva.org. Owned by theAssociation for the Preservation of VirginiaAntiquities.

St. James House, 1300 Charles Street. This is asplendid example of an 18th century gentle-man’s small home. George Washington boughtthe property in 1761 and later sold it to JamesMercer, Mary Washington’s attorney. The in-terior is furnished with an outstanding collec-tion of antiques, including a grandfather clockowned by Daniel Webster. The property andcontents of the house were willed to the Asso-ciation for the Preservation of Virginia Antiq-uities by the former owners, William H. Toll-erton and Daniel J. Breslin. Open infrequently,but especially for Garden Week in Virginia.Admission: Adults $3, children $1. (540) 373-1569 or visit www.apva.org.

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Gloucester-MathewsSponsored by the

Garden Club of Gloucester


Chairman:Patty Gould Rosenberg (Mrs. Eric M.)(804) 815-2588 [email protected]

Co-Chairman:Letitia Grant (Mrs. Willard)(804) 694-4653

Tickets, Maps and Additional Information onApril 28 only:Edge Hill House/Long Bridge Ordinary6805 Main Street, GloucesterIntersection of Business 17 and Route 14/3.Driveway off Warehouse Landing Rd./ Rt.621. (804) 693-6201

Tickets: Full tour is $30, single home or gardenis $15. Children under 5 are free and childrenages 6 to 12 are $12. All children under 17 mustbe accompanied by an adult at all times. Tick-ets and maps are available at all homes andgardens on tour and the headquarters.

Advance Tickets: $25 from www.VAGardenweek.org or send a check to Jaye DuPaul, P.O.Box 42, Ware Neck, VA 23178. For questions,contact Jaye at [email protected] or glouces-tergardentour.com. Tickets also available atTwice Told Tales in Gloucester and GreenGates Gifts in Gloucester Point, and at theHistoric Garden Week Daffodil Festival Boothon March 24-25.

Lunches: Please make reservations through theOutreach Committee of Abingdon EpiscopalChurch by contacting LeAnn Shelton at (804)693-3035 or [email protected] questions. Cost is $15 per person. For in-formation, please contact Patty Gould Rosen-buerg at [email protected].

Special Activities: At the Abingdon EpiscopalChurch, 4645 George Washington MemorialHighway. A flower show will beautify the deepwindows of the nave. In celebration of HistoricGarden Week, the church is holding a SpringFestival. The Men’s Club will be hosting an artshow and sale of original works by local artists.Church members will be on hand for tours andchildren’s games.

Buses and Group Tours: Due to the rural natureof this tour and the shuttles involved, busgroups are not encouraged. Please contact CeciBrown at [email protected] for informa-tion. Advance notice for tour guides is required.

Directions: From Norfolk, Newport News: I64west to Rt. 17 north. Go 23.3 mi. to Business17. Right exit. Follow to Rte. 621. Note: Cole-man Bridge at York River is a $2 toll orEZ-Pass. From Richmond: I64 to Exit 220West Point. Follow Rte. 33 to Rt. 14, turnright. At Rte. 17 turn right, south. Turn left onBusiness 17/Main Street into Gloucester Vil-lage. Headquarters is after light at Rte. 14/3.Turn left on Rte. 621. From Fredericksburg,I95 Mattaponi Exit Rte. 17 south. Turn left onBusiness 17/Main Street into Gloucester Vil-lage. Headquarters is after light at Rte. 14/3.Turn left on Rte. 621 to driveway.


Burgh Westra, 7900 Daffodil Lane. Scottish for“Village of the West,” this home was built in

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1850 by Warner Throckmorton Taliaferro forhis son, Phillip Alexander Taliaferro, M.D.Located on the North River and designed bynoted American architect Andrew JacksonDowning, Burgh Westra may be the oldesthouse in Gloucester County remaining in itsoriginal family. Mr. Boyd, who lives there nowwith his wife, is the great grandson of Dr.Taliaferro’s sister, Susan Taliaferro Wellford.Burgh Westra is a Virginia Historic Landmarkand is listed on the Department of Interior’sRegistry of Historic Places in America. In1983, the house burned in an accidental fire,leaving behind only the brick walls and chim-neys. It has since been painstakingly restoredand is now virtually identical to the originalstructure. Numerous historic artifacts will beon display. The guesthouse and the first andsecond floors of the main house will be open.The yard includes original boxwood and nu-merous ancient trees. Burgh Westra has notbeen open for Historic Garden Week since1987. Shuttles will run from the property.There will be no parking at the home. Mr. andMrs. Thomas Marshall Boyd, owners.

Glen Roy. Take Rte. 14/3 to Rte. 623 (WareNeck Rd.) and proceed one mile to Glen RoyLn. Shuttles from 7900 Daffodil Lane are also

7900 Daffodil Lane

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available. Parking on site if weather permits.Today’s Glen Roy Plantation is the third struc-ture on the property dating from a 1630 landgrant of 600 acres from Charles I of England.This house, built in 1853, is set on 59 acres ofWare River waterfront with farmland, woodsand extensive lawns. Recently restored by pres-ervationist architect Jay Smith, the housemaintains its original Greek Revival wood-work, plaster moldings, wood floors and win-dows. The stately main house is a classic four-over-four Georgian plan with a three-partcenter hall and a main staircase that windsthree floors to a skylight and widow’s walk. Itsinnovative renovation created four bedroomswith en suite bathrooms and a new gourmetkitchen without compromising the original fab-ric of the house. The plantation also includesan 18th century school house, a pre-Civil Warbarn, an 1880s carriage house, a 20th centurygarage, assorted farm buildings and a swim-ming pool. The first and second floors of themain house, the guesthouse and the school-house will be open. This is the first time GlenRoy has been on Historic Garden Week. JaySmith and Miranda McClintoc, owners.

Chesapeake Bay Friendly Teaching Garden, 7900Daffodil Lane, Gloucester. From Business 17,

go 2.2 mi. on Rte. 14/3 (John Clayton Hwy.)From Rte. 623 (Ware Neck Rd.), turn left onFlat Iron Rd. and turn right on Rte. 693(Daffodil Lane). Located at the head of WareNeck, this 18 acre site, which used to be acornfield, is now the home of an 8 acre publicgarden. Themed gardens that will be availablefor viewing are: a knot garden, a heritagegarden, a rock garden, a bird and butterflygarden, a native garden, a winter garden andthe Drainfield Garden. The plantings incorpo-rate bulbs, perennials, annuals, biennials, flow-ering trees and shrubs and showcase bay-friendly gardening. The garden was a longtimedream of Becky Heath, co-owner of Brent andBecky’s Bulbs, who had an overall idea anddesign in mind. George McLellan imple-mented them with his own creative flair, mak-ing the garden what it is today. The importanceof compost, drainage and light are topics thatdocents will share. Garden clubs, birding andphotography groups as well as other organiza-tions and school field trips utilize the gardensand meet in their newly built ChesapeakeLounge event room located in the garden.Refreshments will be served by Garden Club ofGloucester members from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.Shuttles to the homes originate from this park-ing lot.

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Edge Hill House, 6805 Main Street, Gloucester.Located at the intersection of Business 17 andRte. 14/3. Formerly known as Long BridgeOrdinary, Edge Hill is headquarters for thetour and home of the Gloucester Woman’sClub. The quaint simplicity of this brick andwood former home has great charm. The largeliving room has an open fireplace which radi-ates hospitality. The outer doors are of twothicknesses each. The outside panels arestraight, but the inside ones are slanted so thatthey would deflect the point of an Indian’sarrow. Through the efforts of Gloucester Ag-ricultural Association and the financial assis-tance of Mr. W. DeWolf Dimock, the buildingwas restored. In 1914 the Gloucester Woman’sClub purchased the house and its immediateproperty.

Abingdon Episcopal Church, 4645 George Wash-ington Memorial Hwy. From Rte. 17 N in WhiteMarsh travel 5 mi. south of Business 17 and 6mi. north of the York River/Coleman Bridge.Abingdon, also one of Gloucester’s four colo-nial parishes, was established circa 1652, and isa rare cruciform (Latin Cross) Colonial church.The graveyard, which holds the Page and Bur-well family graves, surrounds the church withina brick wall. In the early days the congregationof Abingdon included Mildred Warner, grand-mother of George Washington. The Burwellfamily donated the communion silver. Thecurrent church, probably the third building, islocated on land donated by Augustine Warner.Remains of an earlier foundation are close tothe present building (circa 1755 and restored in1986). A Walker organ was installed during therestoration.

Zion Poplars Baptist Church, 7000 T.C. WalkerRoad. From the intersection of Business 17 andRte. 14/3 go south .6 mi. to Rte. 629. Thechurch is located 1 mi. on right. Established in1886, Zion Poplars Baptist Church is one of theoldest independent African American congre-gations in Gloucester County. Oral traditionholds that the founders first met for religiousservices under seven poplar trees, four ofwhich still stand on the church grounds. ZionPoplars Baptist Church was listed on the Vir-ginia Historic Landmarks Register and theNational Register of Historic Places in 1999.The church building, which dates from 1894, isan excellent example of 19th century gothicrevival style with vernacular detailing. Theinterior of the church exhibits the creativecraftsmanship of a formerly enslaved man,Frank Braxton. The communion table washandcrafted by Jeff Booth, a descendant ofWilliam Booth. Open for Historic GardenWeek on April 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Rosewell Plantation Ruins, 5113 Old RosewellRoad. From Rte. 17 turn on Rte. 614 (HickoryFork Rd.) at White Marsh and go west to Rte.632 (Aberdeen Creek Rd.). Turn south and go2.5 mi. From Rte. 616 (Belroi Rd.) go east onRte. 614 to Rt. 632. Built in 1725 by MannPage, Rosewell was the birthplace of VirginiaGovernor John Page and was an architecturalinspiration to Thomas Jefferson, who oftenvisited. Though the house was ravaged by firein 1916, the ruins stand today as an outstandingexample of 18th century craftsmanship. A tourbegins in the modern visitor’s center with ex-hibits about the history of the house and theongoing archaeological program. Admission isfree with a Historic Garden Week ticket forApril 28. Open Sat 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Walter Reed’s Birthplace, 4021 Hickory ForkRoad. Located at the intersection of Rte. 614(Hickory Fork Rd.) and Rte. 616 (Belroi Rd.).Dr. Walter Reed, who discovered the cure foryellow fever, was born in this small house. Hisfamily lived here during their first year inGloucester. Wonderfully furnished, the housereflects the life of the Reed family and theirfive children. Owned by Preservation Virginia.Open especially for Historic Garden Weekfrom 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Other places of interest:

Gloucester Village. Business Rte. 17/MainStreet. The center of a thriving village sinceColonial times, the buildings of the CourtCircle have been preserved within this classicexample of an early Virginia government seat.The Main Street of charming stores, art galler-ies and eateries has been revitalized and attrac-tively landscaped.

Gloucester Museum of History, 6539 MainStreet. Housed in the Botetourt Building, apre-Revolutionary brick ordinary, the Museumhas rotating exhibits. The building is named forLord Botetourt, Colonial governor of Virginia.Open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Nuttall Country Store in Ware Neck. Located1.6 miles from Glen Roy Lane, is a local andnational treasure. Open continuously since1877, this authentic country store serves as agrocery store, gourmet shop, post office, lend-ing library, wine shop, and community gather-ing place. It is listed on the National Registerof Historic Places.

Ware Episcopal Church, 7825 John ClaytonHighway. From Rte. 14/3 travel east 1 mi. from

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Business 17. Ware Parish, also one of Glouc-ester’s four Colonial parishes, was establishedcirca 1652. It is a graceful brick rectangularchurch. Distinctive features include a CasavantFreres pipe organ, Flemish-bond brickwork,classic pediment doors at the narthex andimpressive arched windows that frame the al-

tar. Four feet thick at the foundation, the wallsbecome three feet thick at the three foot leveland continue to the roof. This building wascompleted in 1715. A Colonial brick wall, saidto be the oldest in America, and a quiet countycemetery surround it. Earlier structures weredestroyed by fire. Open for tours.

HarrisonburgThe Art and History Trail

Sponsored byThe Spotswood Garden Club

Wednesday, April 25, 2012from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Chairman:Laura Dansby(540) 269-2541 or [email protected]

Co-chairman:Judy [email protected]

Tickets and Group Tours:Sara Zimmerman(540) 828-2463 or [email protected]

Tickets: Full Ticket $25 and single site admis-sion $10. Tickets may be purchased at anyhome on tour.

Advance Tickets: $20. May be purchased fromany Spotswood Garden Club member, at Hard-esty Higgins House, Hess Greenhouses,VMRC Wellness Center front desk, ArtisticFlorist in Harrisonburg, Zola’s at the DaytonFarmers Market, Harrisonburg RockinghamHistorical Society in Dayton, and 10,000 Vil-lages newly located at 181 S. Main St., Harri-sonburg. Internet tickets available at www.va-gardenweek.org

Refreshments: Complimentary tea will beserved from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at theWidow Pence barn.

Restrooms: Port Republic Museum. Handi-capped accessible.

Directions: All properties are accessible fromI-81, Exit 245. Go east on Port Republic Rd.for 11 miles to the village of Port Republic. Allproperties are located on Water St. within easywalking distance. Signs will denote parkingareas. The Widow Pence Farm is located 6.7miles from Interstate 81 on Port Republic Rd.Properties may be toured in any order.

Port Republic Museum, 8691 Water Street, PortRepublic, VA 24471. Port Republic was aboom town in the late 1700s and 1800s, boast-ing a successful flour mill, saw mills, smithshops and even a house of entertainment.Proximity to the Shenandoah River made thetown a hub of productivity. While the town’sconnection to the Civil War is widely known, agroup of citizens banded in 1976 to preservethe entire history of the area. In 1991, theFrank Kemper House was purchased and con-verted into the Port Republic Museum. Inside,the River Room highlights the town’s commer-cial and industrial era. The Turner AshbyRoom, where General Ashby’s body lay instate, concentrates on the Civil War period.The Keeping Room focuses on the 20th Cen-tury, when the town transitioned to a residen-tial community. Civil War ravages along with

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the Great Flood of 1877 brought the demise ofthe town’s industrial prominence. Eleven exist-ing buildings predate 1885; an additional 11were built before WWI. Visitors can stand onthe sites of the tannery, wagon-making shop aswell as the Palmer hardware and dry goodsstore. Sadly, the riverbanks witnessed slaveauctions prior to the Civil War. Residentsenjoy this unassuming village which honorstheir reverence for history and provides anescape from today’s fast pace. The Society ofPort Republic Preservationists, owner.

8709 Water Street, Port Republic, VA 24471.Garden only open for tour. Adjacent to thePort Republic Museum stands the home of theGibsons who planned to live here temporarilywhile Mr. Gibson hiked the Appalachian Trail.Twelve years later, the couple cannot imagineliving anywhere else. In addition to majorreconstruction of the house, the owners havebecome avid gardeners. Rich river bottom soilcombined with hard work has resulted in animpressive collection of trees, shrubs, strawber-ries and flowers. Variety ensures seasonalinterest while grasses and berries support wild-life. Fragrance and texture are also consider-ations. Cobblestone paths wind past curvedborders in this naturalistic style garden. Mind-

ful of the environment, this garden benefitsfrom the use of compost, rain barrels andorganic pest control. A fish pond and pottingshed complete the gardens. Using largely na-tive species, Tamara also enjoys experimentingand participates in field trials for commercialnurseries. Her efforts are not confined to herown backyard. Her community extends to themuseum next door, including its Legacy TreeProject. What started as a perceived steppingstone location has rooted this family to PortRepublic. And it is definitely a family affair.The couple’s eleven year old daughter AidanGibson is the town’s mayor! Rich and TamaraGibson, owners.

8719 Water Street, Port Republic, VA. 24471.Recent retirement brought the Buntings fromthe hectic pace of northern Virginia to serenePort Republic. Previous owners restored the1915 Yellow House and perennial gardens. Awrap-around porch is shaded by ancient trees.Original floors, wood trim, mantels and lightfixtures serve as a backdrop for a collection ofdiverse furnishings and accessories that includefamily pieces and treasures from Egypt, Af-ghanistan and Pakistan. Turkish and Iranianrugs line floors, each with its own story. Aninherited curly maple highboy blends with in-

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tricately carved Afghani windows and EgyptianChristian icons. A lacy silver box encloses aKoran. Granddaughters enjoy the brightly col-ored Jingle Truck, a model of a Pakistanitransport vehicle. The dining room features aHinkle Harris set. Old boxwoods line the entryand the gravel path continues past a smallguest house. The gardens inhabit a full acreand are designed to provide interest during allseasons. Dave and Pat Bunting, owners.

The Bishop House, 8700 Water Street, Port Re-public, VA 24471. Perched above the SouthRiver, the Bishop House overlooks a oncebustling commercial area in historic Port Re-public. Stone walls from the old flour mill arestill in place and at one time flat-bottomedgundalows ferried commodities toward Harp-er’s Ferry. The clapboard home c.1831, boastsoriginal flooring and woodworking, as well asstone fireplaces. The interior features an eclec-tic mix of furnishings including an oak hall treefrom Michelle’s grandfather, a 1950s chromedining set and a brass cauldron from Turkey.The home is also used as an art studio forpainter, Jeffery Stockberger. His mural paint-ings currently decorate the U.S. Senate andCapitol Building, the U.S. ambassador’s resi-dence in Berlin and numerous private homes

around the country. His work has been high-lighted in magazines including “Southern Ac-cents” and “Traditional Home.” Touring thehome, the evolution of his career from collegeto the present is evident by the work on display,including a recent series entitled “The Gather-ers.” Michelle and Jeffery Stockberger, owners.

Dundore-Downs House, 8499 Water Street, PortRepublic, VA 24471. A bullet hole in thedining room and blood stains in a bedroomhint of remarkable stories about this homedating to c.1760. The original log structurecomprises one front room; original doors,hardware and floors as well as Hessian fire-places still exist. The brick addition dates to1820. Located by the river, the Dundore-Downs house witnessed the daily workings ofthe tannery and mill during the heyday of earlyPort Republic. Massive columns support thefront porch and are the home’s signature fea-ture. Interior decor combines history with thelifestyle of the present owners. Noteworthy, aswell as eye-catching, are a purple VladimirKagan contemporary sofa, a pink chair,brightly colored artwork and a modern kitchen.Upstairs, the large master bedroom features anart deco light fixture and an apple green circu-lar sofa, contrasting the old woodwork and

8499 Water Street

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wide plank floors. The 5-acre parcel extendsfrom the river across Water Street back toMain Street. An 1850 tobacco barn that wasoriginally located in Albemarle County is cur-rently used for storage. Another unexpectedfeature is the 1880s graveyard near the rear ofthe property. Jena Crisler and David Schubert,owners.

Widow Pence Farm and Barn, 6991 Port RepublicRoad, Harrisonburg, VA 22801. From PortRepublic go west on Port Republic Rd. for 3.7mi. The property is on the right. The farm wasin the Battle of Cross Keys that took place in1862. The farmhouse, one of only a few silentwitnesses standing today, was ransacked andstripped during the Civil War, leaving widowSarah Pence destitute. In 2000 the currentowners learned that a prospective purchaserplanned to develop the land. Feeling a kinshipto the farm, they decided to purchase andpreserve it. Aided by the Civil War Preserva-tion Trust, the farm now has an historic ease-ment preventing future development. Oddly,the owners discovered years after purchasingthe property that Dr. Hess’s ancestors hadlived on the adjacent property during the war.The farmhouse has been stripped to its originallogs and pine floors inside. A new post and

beam barn was constructed to replace thecannon ball ridden structure of yesteryear.Together, they provide a repository for anincreasing collection of Civil War memorabiliaand a variety of antiques, which are also ondisplay. Tea served at the Widow Pence Barnfrom 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nancy and Irvin Hess,owners.

Other places of Interest:

Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, 780 UniversityBlvd., Harrisonburg, VA 22807. (540) 568-3194.

Harrisonburg Rockingham Historical SocietyHeritage Museum, 382 High Street, Dayton,VA 22821. (540) 879-2616.

Lake Gaston – Braceyand Ebony

Sponsored byThe Brunswick Garden Club

Saturday, April 21, 2012From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Chairman:Jane Stringer(434) 636-2445 or [email protected]

Co-Chairmen:Beth Smith(434) 636-5980 [email protected]

Jackie Myers(434) 949-7109 or [email protected]

Tickets: May be purchased on tour day at any ofthe houses open for the tour and at the Infor-mation Center. Full tickets are $15.00 andsingle-site tickets are $5.00. Children ages 5and under, free of charge; ages 6-12, half-price;children age 17 and under must be accompa-nied by an adult.

Advance Tickets: Access www.vagardenweek.org, purchase from a garden club member orvisit one of the following lake outlets: LakeGaston Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’sCenter, Lake Gaston Flower Shop and MarySherwood Lake Living. In Lawrenceville:Brunswick County Museum. In South Hill:

Lake Gaston – Bracey and Ebony84

State Farm Insurance, Agent Charles Wright,Wayside Nursery, and Exit Town & Lake Re-alty.

Information Center:Rosemont Vineyards & Winery1050 Blackridge RoadLaCrosse, VA 23950434-636-9463

From Petersburg, travel south on I-85 toBracey Exit 4, take Hwy. 903 east for 7.7 miles,a left at Blackridge Rd., proceed 1 mi. towinery on the right. From Lawrenceville, takeHwy. 58 west for 11 miles, take a left onRegional Airport Rd., a left on Blackridge Rd.then proceed 9 mi. to winery. From RoanokeValley’s Eastern Lake Gaston, take Hwy. 903west to Ebony, cross Poplar Creek, take a rightat Blackridge Rd. and proceed 1 mi. to wineryon the right.

Luncheon: Enjoy lunch at Rosemont Vineyards& Winery from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. Lunchincluding a beverage is $12.00 per person.Wine can be purchased with lunch. Prepaidreservations are required by April 12. Send acheck payable to Brunswick Garden Club, At-tention: Jane Stringer, P.O. Box 67, Bracey,VA 23919 or contact her at [email protected] for additional information.

Light Refreshments: Complimentary and servedpoolside at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Snipesfrom 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. weather dependent.

Special Activity: A Lake Gaston boat trip isoffered to full tour ticket holders for an addi-tional fee of $5 per person. Experience delight-ful, unexpected views of beautiful lake homesand local bird populations as you cruise on oneof the pontoons provided by local real estatebrokers who know the waters. The boats departat 2 p.m. from Poplar Creek, Lake GastonWater Sports Marina, 183 Hendricks Mill Rd(Hwy 903) in Bracey. All boaters should havetheir Brunswick Garden Week tour ticket inhand for boarding. Reservations are required.Contact Jane Stringer, [email protected] or(434) 636-2445 for more information and tomake reservations.

Please note: Properties may be visited in anyorder.

Historical Background on Lake Gaston:

Enthusiasm for living close to nature on LakeGaston is evident in all homeowners who re-side there. This large, manmade lake straddlesboth Virginia and North Carolina. As seasons

change, the beauty of the lake area transforms.The tour features homes in the Morristownarea and Siouan Shores. Siouan Shores was aBoy Scout Camp for many years. In keeping aNative American theme, all streets have appro-priate Native American names. Homes in bothcommunities feature the same lake theme, “It’sall about the water.” Lake Gaston is a hydro-electric reservoir located near South Hill, Vir-ginia. Part of the lake is in the North Carolinacounties of Halifax, Northampton, and War-ren. The part extending into Virginia lies inBrunswick and Mecklenburg counties. LakeGaston has 350 miles of shoreline. It wasformed when the Virginia Electric Power Com-pany built Gaston Dam on the Roanoke Riverto generate electricity for Dominion Re-sources, which owns the lake.


1306 Morristown Rd, Brace, VA 23919. FromRte 903 take Morristown Rd., proceed 1.3 mi.,turn right at a private road then proceed 0.3mi. The panoramic views from this traditionalhome built in 2007 and situated on three acreson the main lake capture the peaceful natureof lake living. An arched front porch boastsdouble doors and columns. Inside, the greatroom’s floor to ceiling brick fireplace makes astatement and features a charming family por-trait. A formal dining room features itemsinherited from the owner’s grandmother in-cluding Lladro Spanish porcelain figurines in acurio cabinet. Off the great room is a state ofthe art kitchen with entrances to the lakesidedeck and a covered porch. The porch featuresa tile floor, a stone outdoor fireplace and afountain, and is a favorite of the family. Themaster suite with deck access offers anotherspectacular view. The staircase, embellishedwith wrought iron balusters, leads to the sec-ond floor of bedrooms connected by a bridgeadorned by more wrought iron. A copperroofed boathouse with a tiki bar is a populargathering place. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Williams,owners.

156 Carrington Drive, Littleton, NC 27858. FromVA Rte. 903 turn onto Morristown Rd., pro-ceed 2.5 mi. into North Carolina, turn right onCarrington Dr. then proceed 0.2 mi. This Caprimodern style home in Morristown on the mainlake was designed for gracious lake life. Cus-tom built in 2007, it features a grand entrancewith a courtyard, stone columns and Frenchdoors. The view through the living room, pastthe deck and to the lake view is breathtaking,especially at sunset. The two story living anddining rooms feature a maple fireplace wall.

Lake Gaston – Bracey and Ebony 85

Contemporary lake furniture combined with apalette of pastel greens and earth colors lend afeeling of warmth and comfort. Canadian Inuitand pieces from Vancouver Island, works fromNew Mexico and Arizona, as well as art byexpressionist Alexandre Minguet are notewor-thy. The lower floor features entertainment,exercise and guest rooms. A large patio show-cases an infinity pool. On the lakeside, follow ajasmine hedge with bamboo edging down awalkway to the boathouse. Landscaping in-cludes raised beds with grasses, roses, cherrytrees, butterfly bushes, Hollywood junipers,Dragon Lady Holly, hydrangeas, azaleas, andother perennials. Dr. and Mrs. David Brown,owners.

1233 Occanecchi Trail, Siouan Shores, Ebony,VA 23845. From VA Rte. 903 turn onto SiouanRd., proceed 1.5 mi. then turn right into Si-ouan Shores. Stay to the left on OccanecchiTrail for 1.2 mi. to the home. Nestled in a groveof trees, this home of rose-colored brick over-looks Poplar Creek. Completed in 2005, thisFrench country style home with large Palladianwindows was designed by the owners. The frontentrance, flanked by stately Italian cedars,

leads to a two story tiled foyer featuring a spiralstaircase and a crystal chandelier from Thai-land. Graceful arches, furnishings and decora-tions collected during travels to Europe, Southand Central America, Africa, Southeast Asiaand the Far East add to the ambiance. Softbackground colors provide the backdrop forvibrant art and colorful stained glass created bythe owner in her workshop. Outside, the prop-erty features a pergola and a barbecue facedwith stone. Refreshments served poolside from2 p.m. to 4 p.m. if weather cooperates. Mr. andMrs. William Snipes, owners.

35 Saponi Drive, Ebony, VA 23845. From VA903 turn onto Siouan Rd., proceed 1.5 mi., turnright into Siouan Shores, keep to left on Oc-canecchi Trail for 1.2 miles then park and walkdown Saponi Dr. Handicapped parking is lo-cated in the cul-de-sac. This sleek modernisthome, situated in Siouan Shores on a pointnear the mouth of Poplar Creek, offers re-markable views of the gardens and water fromevery window. This lake retreat, recently pur-chased and remodeled, is designed for enter-taining and relaxation. Landscaped by a local

1233 Occanecchi Trail

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garden designer, the sun drenched gardens areplanned to accommodate the lakeside environ-ment using grasses, roses and other perennials.A waterfront cabana draws you to the shore.The sitting area opens up to the spaciouskitchen. It is furnished with contemporarypieces and includes a stone fireplace. TheLaport’s daughter’s artwork appears through-out the home, adding to its charm. A down-stairs entertaining area includes a poolroom, aplay space, a bar and a dining area, whichopens to the loggia. The boathouse and beachare within a few steps. The setting allows forstylish indoor and outdoor living. Mr. and Mrs.Mark Laport, owners.


St. Marks Historic Church. Located on thesouthwest corner of Rt. 46 and Rt. 1. From I-85N use Exit 27, and then turn right on 46 toHwy. 1. From I-85 S, use Exit 28, turn left ontoHwy. 1. St. Marks was a parish EpiscopalChurch built by the Diocese of Southern Vir-ginia during a time of the Church’s expansionwhen members traveled on horse drawn bug-gies. The cornerstone was laid in 1916, and itwas consecrated the next year. Students ofbricklaying at Saint Paul’s Normal and Indus-

trial School, now St. Paul’s College in Law-renceville, helped construct the Gothic Stylebuilding. There is a hidden space behind a wallon the outside back corner which used to be anemergency privy for men. St. Mark’s was aparish church until 1950 when it was deeded tothe Cochran community for use as a commu-nity center. In 1976, ownership was transferredto the Brunswick County Historical Society. Ofspecial note and on display for Historic GardenWeek are an 1880s buggy belonging to a localdoctor, an 1844 American sampler and an 1848Silver Communion Set. (434) 848-5385

Fort Christanna. From Lawrenceville, takeVA Rte. 46 S, go 2 mi., turn right onto Rte.686. From the Bracey/Ebony area, take Rte.903 E to Rt. 626, turn left on Rte. 46 N, turnleft onto Rte. 686. The site is 1 mi. on the right.Built by Governor Alexander Spotswood, FortChristanna is a Brunswick County historic site.A walking trail along the outline of the originalwalls tells the story of the fort. In 1714 the areawas the most western outpost of the BritishEmpire. In 1928 the Colonial Dames of Vir-ginia bought the site. The Learning Centernearby the historical Indian town received theCommon Wealth Award given by the GardenClub of Virginia. It is part of the VirginiaWildlife and Birding trail. Open daily from sunup to sun down. Admission is free and the siteis handicapped accessible.

MacCallum More Museum and Gardens, 603Hudgins Street, Chase City. The two story,frame dwelling was designed by Carl M. Lind-ner and is Colonial Revival in style. The formalgardens were began in 1929 by Lucy MortonHudgins, wife of Edward Wren Hudgins, for-mer Chief Justice of The Virginia SupremeCourt of Appeals, and expanded by her son,Commander William Henry Hudgins. CharlesF. Gillette consulted on the design of thegardens. The museum contains the ArthurRobertson collection of Native American arti-facts, which dates over a period of 12,000 yearsand illustrates the seven periods of NativeAmerican culture. It contains some of therarest and most unusual pieces found in thearea. The museum also houses permanent ex-hibits from the Thyne Institute, an African-American boarding and day school establishedin 1876 in Chase City. The gardens contain aCertified Backyard Wildlife Habitat area. It ispart of the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail.MacCallum More is on the Virginia Land-marks Registry and on the National HistoricRegister. Admission is $3.50. (434) 372-0502.www.mmmg.org

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LexingtonLog Homes:

A Rockbridge Tradition

Sponsored by theBlue Ridge Garden Club


Chairman:Julie Grover (Mrs. Peter Dun)(540) 463-6568 or [email protected]

Co-Chairman:Barbara Luton (Mrs. William F., Jr.)(540) 463-5802 or [email protected]

Transportation Chairman:Barbara Walsh(540) 460-7340 or [email protected]

Ticket sales by mail:Beverly Slaydon (Mrs. Herbert E., Jr.)106 West McDowell St.Lexington, VA 24450(540) 463-5047 or [email protected]

Information Center:Lexington Visitor Center (open daily, 9 a.m.to 5 p.m.)106 East Washington St., Lexington(540) 463-3777www.lexingtonvirginia.comTickets available in advance and on the dayof the tour. Restrooms available.

Tickets: $25 per person. Student tickets, $15.Children younger than 17 must be accompa-nied by a parent or other responsible adult andpurchase a student ticket. No single-site admis-sion tickets. Tour sites need not be visited inthe order listed. Tickets may be purchased ontour day at any of the homes open for the tourand at the Lexington Visitor Center.

Advance Tickets: $20 per person. AvailableMarch 1 through April 27 at Hamilton-Rob-bins, 21 South Main St., or at Lexington VisitorCenter, 106 East Washington St., both in Lex-ington, by mail or online. Advance tickets maybe purchased online by accessing www.vagardenweek.org.

Refreshments: Included with the ticket andserved between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at theBrownsburg Museum, 2716 Brownsburg Turn-

pike, Brownsburg. Restroom facilities avail-able.

Luncheon: Box lunches for $12 per person maybe picked up at Just Kay’s Cafe, 15 Maury HillsDr., just off Maury River Rd., RockbridgeBaths, between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.Lunches may be enjoyed on the porch, at picnictables outside, or at the shelter in Goshen Pass.Lunches include chicken salad on whole wheatbread, coleslaw, pickle, chips, brownie andbottled water. Restroom facilities available.Lunches must be reserved and prepaid no laterthan Friday, April 20. Make checks payable tothe Blue Ridge Garden Club and mail toCatherine Harcus, 603 Marshall St., Lexington,VA 24450. For information regarding thelunches please call (540) 464-6315.

Special Activities: Lewis Wright (the Log Man)will explain log cabin construction on the frontporch of Ironwood, 540 McCurdy La., Rock-bridge Baths from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. AnneD. McClung and Ellen M. Martin will besigning copies of their book Rockbridge CountyLog Structures from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. atJust Kay’s Cafe, 15 Maury Hills Dr., Rock-bridge Baths. A representative from Rock-bridge Area Conservation Council (RACC) willbe on hand to provide information on GoshenPass and the Maury River from 11:30 a.m. to2:30 p.m. at the Lyle Shelter, Goshen Pass.

Directions: From the Lexington Visitor Centerparking lot, take a right on Washington St.,right on N. Main St., and continue to Rte. 11North. Left on Rte. 39 West (Maury RiverRd.) and continue past the Virginia HorseCenter for 8.1 miles to Rockbridge Baths.Follow the green arrows. From RockbridgeBaths to Brownsburg, follow Maury River Rd.(Rte. 39 East) towards Lexington for 1.6 milesand take a left on Rte. 252 North (BrownsburgTurnpike) for 5.4 miles to Brownsburg. FromI-81 North: Take I-64 West to Exit 55. Take aright on Rte. 11 North (N. Lee Highway). Takea left at next light on Rte. 39 West (MauryRiver Rd.) and follow directions above pastVirginia Horse Center. From I-81 South: TakeExit 205 towards Raphine. Follow Rte. 606West (Raphine Rd.) for 4.6 miles until deadend. Take a left on Rte. 252 South (Browns-burg Turnpike) for 1.4 miles to Brownsburg.

Please note: These properties are not wheel-chair accessible. Restroom facilities are avail-able at the Lexington Visitor Center, Just Kay’sCafe, the Rockbridge Baths Volunteer FireDept., the Brownsburg Museum and at His-toric McCormick Farm. Please wear comfort-able walking shoes and watch for uneven sur-

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faces. Participating homeowners, the BlueRidge Garden Club and the Garden Club ofVirginia are not responsible for accidents oc-curring on the tour.

Tour at a Glance:

Visit five log homes, all open for the first timefor Historic Garden Week, from the 18th and19th centuries and explore beautiful Rock-bridge County, surrounded by the Blue Ridgeand the Allegheny Mountains. See RockbridgeBaths, a 19th century resort community thatattracted visitors with its warm springs andhospitality. Between Rockbridge Baths andBrownsburg pass scenic farms, before reachingBrownsburg, a national historic district, littlechanged in more than 100 years.


Ironwood, 540 McCurdy La., Rockbridge Baths.Parking for Ironwood will be at the RockbridgeBaths Volunteer Fire Dept., 5024 Maury RiverRd. Shuttle vans will transport visitors to Iron-wood, since McCurdy La. is narrow and park-ing is limited. The sound of the Maury Rivergreets visitors to Ironwood, the ultimate recy-cling project combining two 18th century logcabins into a three year labor of love. Workingwith “Log Man” Lewis Wright and his philos-ophy that the logs drive the design, the ownersreconfigured the two cabins and used salvaged18th century wood from abandoned barns inRockbridge, Augusta, and Highland countiesto create this custom home. The magnificentstone chimney was salvaged and reconfiguredhere, rock by rock. The front porch, designedto protect the most significant of the log walls,holds a collection of antique rocking chairs andold lanterns wired for light. Creative uses ofsalvaged materials include a 150-year-old pieceof walnut, transformed into a vanity for thedownstairs powder room. In the kitchen, slid-ing barn doors camouflage the laundry room.This cozy home is filled with primitive Ameri-can antiques, as well as numerous heirloomquilts, toys and dolls. The screened porchfeatures a pizza oven, as well as an outsidefireplace for cooking. The gardens are land-scaped with large Rockbridge County stonesfrom the Goshen area, some for sitting and onecalled “the sleeping rock.” Greg and BeckyPorter, owners.

Foxglove Farm, 3773 Turkey Hill Rd., RockbridgeBaths. Originally built in 1813, Foxglove Farmis now two log cabins joined together and hometo a couple from Indianapolis, IN, who pur-chased the property in 2004. Outside, the gar-

dens echo the owners’ extensive art collection.Following the gravel path to the front door, theoriginal stone-and-brick chimney draws theeye. The front hall, once the dogtrot betweenthe two log cabins, features the owner’s photo-graphs. Of interest in the living room are thefieldstone fireplace, hand-hewn mantel andwalls filled with paintings from Indiana andFrench artists mirroring the landscape ofRockbridge County. The family room is filledwith local art and photography. Note the col-lection of pottery shards found on the propertyfrom the 19th century Rockbridge Pottery,which was located nearby. Outside are gardensfull of irises, lilacs, and poppies and barn redoutbuildings, including a guesthouse that wasthe granary. Wisteria twines on the newly builtpergola and hydrangeas fill a bed by the field-stone wall. A koi pond with lilies and lotus isjust steps away from the owner’s photographystudio. David and Julie Goodrich, owners.

Wilson Springs, 5751 Maury River Rd., Rock-bridge Baths. One of the most historic proper-ties in Rockbridge County, Wilson Springs isnestled between Hogback Mountain and theMaury River. Built in 1775 and remodeled inthe 19th century as the Wilson Springs Hotel,the resort welcomed visitors to its sulphursprings. Purchased in 1985 by the current own-ers’ family, extensive restoration has led towonderful discoveries once hidden under plas-ter. Artwork by owner Clover Archer Lyle, whorecently received a fellowship in drawing fromthe Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, is featured.Believed to have been the inn’s sitting room,the current family room includes the originalTuscarora period fieldstone fireplace and man-tel, and features hand-hewn logs. The centralchandelier is from the renovated StonewallJackson Hotel in Staunton. The original diningroom now houses an impressive book collec-tion, including many first editions from thelibrary of local historian Royster Lyle. Thekitchen and dining area include an early Vir-ginia corner cupboard, topped by a collectionof crockery, and a bar from the historic OldBridge Tavern in Lexington. A professionallandscape designer and nurseryman, the ownerhas created a patio featuring curbstones hesalvaged from VMI and a retaining wall ofTuscarora and Rose Hill mountain stone.Cochran and Clover Lyle, owners.

2640 Brownsburg Turnpike, Brownsburg. A bedof irises welcomes visitors across the stoneentrance into this log home, believed to havebeen built in 1782. The owners cheerfully pointout to a visitor that, despite restoration, thehome has no level floors and no right angles.Two front doors in the living room indicate two

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original, separate occupancies, one believed tobe a tavern and the other a residence. Noticethe large support beam. The dining area fea-tures a collection of pewter and a slant topdesk. The landing upstairs includes three por-traits. One is an unidentified pioneer lady. Thebathroom features a stained glass window ofJump Mountain created by the owner. Thespacious bedroom has a working fireplace andheart pine floors. Downstairs on the screenedporch, a sign commemorates when this homeserved as the Brownsburg Tearoom. The viewincludes black walnut trees and a weepingwillow near the spring fed creek that traversesthe property. The kitchen features a cornercabinet, as well as a framed 1842 documentsigned by Governor McDowell deeding theproperty to the owner’s great grandfather. Theguest bedroom, formerly the village blacksmithshop, features three etched glass scenes ofBrownsburg over the transom. Jeff and BarbaraWilliams, owners.

Elizabeth Ward House, 2763 Brownsburg Turn-pike, Brownsburg. This log structure is amongthe earliest dwellings in Brownsburg, built atthe beginning of the 19th century. Similar inform to the many Scots-Irish structures foundthroughout the Shenandoah Valley, the origi-

nal home contained a single room below with aloft above accessed by a corner stairway. A halfbasement with an English window served as aroot cellar. In the late 1800s an attachedkitchen with a room above was added, main-taining the two story style. The house becameknown as the Ward House after it was occu-pied by Elizabeth Ward, a beloved teacher inBrownsburg. The home later fell into disrepairand was purchased in 2007 by the currentowner and her late husband. They restored it,keeping the early 19th century features. Nota-ble to the house are original 20-foot, 2 x 10beams spanning the living area and the originalEnglish window. The home is furnished withperiod antiques, Moravian redware and otherpottery, as well as antique quilts. Outdoors a300-year-old maple shades the back porch.Beverly Jaynes, owner.


Lyle Shelter, Goshen Pass (Maury River Rd. 2miles northwest of Wilson Springs). The Vir-ginia Department of Transportation donatedconcrete and steel in March 2009 for theshelter’s massive foundation slab. The TimberFramers Guild of North America, assisted bydozens of VMI cadets and local volunteers,

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converted donated materials into the timberframe structure. The stone masonry crew col-lected 45 tons of native sandstones used toconstruct the shelter’s chimney. Portable toi-lets and picnic facilities available.

Brownsburg Museum, 2716 Brownsburg Turn-pike, Brownsburg. Regional memorabilia. Freeadmission. Complimentary refreshments. Rest-room facilities available. (540) 348-1600.

Historic McCormick Farm, 128 McCormick’sFarm Cir., (just off Rte. 606, one mile east ofI-81), Raphine. The family farm of Cyrus Mc-Cormick, who patented the mechanical reaper,was designated a National Historic Landmarkin 1962 and is owned by Virginia Tech. TheMarl Creek Nature Trail on the property is ahalf mile walking tour through oak woods andmeadows to a millpond. This area has been setaside as a sensitive riparian area for water

quality protection and as a wildlife corridor.Restroom and picnic facilities available.

Roots and Shoots Intergenerational SchoolGarden located at Waddell Elementary School,on Jordan St. at Wood’s Creek Park, Lexing-ton. Winner of the Garden Club of Virginia’sCommon Wealth Award in 1997.

Washington and Lee University, Lexington.This private school was founded in 1749 andnamed for two of the most influential men inAmerican history. George Washington en-dowed the school in 1796 with a significant giftthat helped the fledgling school survive, andRobert E. Lee was its president after the CivilWar. The Lee Chapel Memorial Garden(1933) and Terrace (1977) were restorationprojects of the Garden Club of Virginia withfunding from Historic Garden Week tours.www.gunstonhall.org

LynchburgSponsored by

The Lynchburg Garden Cluband the Hillside Garden Club


Chairman:Robyn Johnsen(434) 384-8651 or [email protected]

Co-Chairman:Bette Bibee(434) 384-9104 or [email protected]

Tickets: Full tickets are $25. Single site ticketsare $8.

Advance Tickets: $20 per person. Available atthe following outlets in Lynchburg: LynchburgVisitor Center, Kroger Pharmacy in Boons-boro, Silver Thistle and the Farm Basket. InForest: The Columns, Aylor’s and Poplar For-est.

Headquarters: Point of Honor, 112 CabellStreet, Lynchburg. (434) 455-6226 orwww.pointofhonor.org.

Restrooms: Point of Honor and Poplar Forestonly.

Luncheon: Poplar Forest, 1542 Bateman BridgeRd., Forest. Must be reserved and paid for inadvance. $11 per person for a gourmet boxedlunch. Choose from a salad or a sandwich withtwo sides and bottled water. $9 per person forchampagne, dessert and a souvenir glass. Res-ervations through April 19: Suzan Bryan at(434) 534-8121.

Refreshments: Poplar Forest, 1542 BatemanBridge Rd., Forest.

Special activities: Living history displays, discus-sions by beekeepers and demonstrations in theorchard at Point of Honor, 112 Cabell Street,Lynchburg. (434) 455-6226 or www.pointofhonor.org. Tours by the Director of Archeologyand Landscapes at Poplar Forest of GardenClub of Virginia restorations, “Jefferson inBloom” flower show in the house and historicplant sale at Poplar Forest, 1542 BatemanBridge Rd, Forest. (434) 525-1806 orwww.poplarforest.org.

Please note: Properties may be visited in anyorder.


404 Cabell Street. Built in the Italianate style,the Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast issituated in the Daniel’s Hill Historic Districtand is the largest example of this style ofarchitecture in the city. Originally built in 1878by Richard T. Watts, the restoration took fouryears and restored the mansion to its original

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grandeur. Each room is named for a memberof the Watts family and is furnished withperiod antiques. The home is rich with archi-tectural detail, including many of the originalcoal-burning fireplaces, hardwood floors, man-tels, light fixtures, moldings, intricately carvedwoodwork, doors and claw foot bath tubs. Abrick and iron front gate leads visitors to awraparound porch adorned with rockingchairs. The backyard patio includes a fish pondand waterfall. The Carriage House Bed andBreakfast is the first certified green lodgingfacility in Lynchburg. Open for the first timefor Historic Garden Week. Mike and KathyBedsworth, owners.

301 Cabell Street. Parking for touring of thisproperty is at Point of Honor and in the lotacross from the Carriage Inn. Nestled under apecan tree, this Victorian frame house wasbuilt in 1873 by Mary and Renny Dawson, whoowned a tobacco box factory in the UpperBasin of Lynchburg. In the early 1900s it washome to the Flippin family who co-founded thelongtime Lynchburg firm of Buckingham &Flippin. The present owners saved the Daniel’sHill house from demolition in 2006. In recog-nition of their substantial renovations, theyreceived a 2007 Merit Award from the Lynch-

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burg Historical Foundation. The foyer featuresthe original curved wooden handrail of thestaircase as well as a stately grandfather clockcreated by the J.E. Caldwell Company. Theinterior is furnished with numerous piecesmade by the Moser Furniture Company ofLynchburg as well as local artwork, including a1900 oil portrait by Flavius Fisher and a seriesof drawings of local civil rights era activities byAnn Vande Graaf. Open for the first time forHistoric Garden Week. Mr. Ted Delaney andMr. Troy Deacon, owners.

Point of Honor, 112 Cabell Street. Sited inDaniel’s Hill overlooking the James River,Point of Honor is an outstanding example ofPiedmont Federal architecture. Built c. 1815for Dr. George Cabell, the house is distin-guished by its octagonal facade and finelycrafted interior woodwork. Dr. Cabell (1766-1823) was a prominent Virginia surgeon andPatrick Henry’s close personal friend and phy-sician. He married Sarah Winston, Henry’scousin, in 1792. It has been the home of someof Lynchburg’s most prominent citizens. Inher-ited by William Lewis Cabell upon the death ofhis mother in 1826, the mansion was renovatedin 1828. He and his wife, the former ElizaDaniel, lived there until their deaths in 1830.

Eliza’s father, Judge William Daniel, then in-herited the property. The mansion has beenrestored to its original appearance and is fur-nished with period pieces. In 1977-78, withproceeds from Historic Garden Week, theGarden Club of Virginia restored the grounds.A Virginia Historic Landmark, Point of Honoris administered by the Lynchburg Museum.Open 10 a.m. until 4 pm. Admission is free ofcharge on Lynchburg’s tour day.

4935 Mountain Laurel Drive. Assembled usingelements from historic downtown Lynchburgbuildings that no longer exist, this 1970s Palla-dian style house is truly distinctive. Thought tobe inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s nearby Pop-lar Forest, the house is built around a largecentral room illuminated only by skylights. Theflooring throughout most of the house is mar-ble, as are the three mantels. Ceilings rangefrom 12 to 26 feet in height, adding to itsgrandeur. The present owners added a Penn-sylvania blue stone entrance court with foun-tains, and a library at the back of the house thatoverlooks the marble and blue stone swimmingpool and terrace. Bold colors enliven the inte-rior, which features several Serape rugs, acollection of Chinese export armorial andWorcester porcelain, American and European

4935 Mountain Laurel Drive

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paintings including two portraits by TaylorHarbison and landscapes by ChristopherBurch, and numerous pieces of Georgian fur-niture. Open for the first time for HistoricGarden Week. Geri and Lamar Cecil, owners.

4924 Mountain Laurel Drive. This elegant colo-nial home built in 1997 features an Englishgarden with views of streams and woods. Thehouse skillfully blends family heirloom furni-ture dating back to the late 1800s with an arrayof Mackenzie Child accessories arranged in thekitchen. The living room includes two hand-painted ostrich eggs which were a gift from afriend in South Africa, and the family roomfeatures a restored 1909 Seth Thomas mantelclock. P. Buckley Moss prints, collected over a40-year period, adorn the patio room walls.The garden has a raised blue slate patio andhighlights the family’s love of azaleas andhydrangeas. Block walls have been erected todraw attention to flowering trees, shrubs andbushes. At the back of the patio, visitors willdelight in a bell dating back to 1850 that wasoriginally located on the owners great-grandfa-ther’s Indiana farm. Open for the first time forHistoric Garden Week. Motsy and Jack Hanna,owners.

Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, 1542 Bate-man Bridge Road, Forest. One of only two

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homes Thomas Jefferson designed for personaluse, Poplar Forest is the private villa where,beginning in 1809, he retreated to find rest andspend time with his grandchildren. The designof the house is highly idealistic. Exterior wallsform an equal-sided octagon. Inside, the spaceis divided into four elongated octagons sur-rounding a perfect 20 foot cube lit from a 16foot skylight. Jefferson integrated manmadeand natural features into his landscape designfor Poplar Forest. In addition, he interpreted afive-part Palladian plan: a central structureflanked by two wings ending in pavilions, butJefferson substituted double rows of papermulberry trees for the wings and earthenmounds for the pavilions. Restoration began in1983. Since that time, 616 acres have beenacquired of the original 4,000 acre plantation.In 2009 the exterior restoration was completed.Interior restoration is currently underway. Vis-itors will experience the landscape restoration,officially adopted by the Garden Club of Vir-ginia in 2010, from the beginning as they viewthe newly restored west “wing” of mulberrytrees and talk to the archaeologists as theyexcavate the landscape elements in front of thehouse. (434) 525-1806 or www.poplarforest.org.

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Other places of interest:

Sweet Briar House, located on Rte. 29, 12 mi.north of Lynchburg. The 8,000-acre plantationwas once the home of Indiana Fletcher Wil-liams, founder of Sweet Briar College and herfather, Elijah Fletcher, who purchased theproperty in 1831. The central portion was builtin the early 1790s. The house contains manyoriginal and period furnishings and is home tothe president of Sweet Briar College. Of inter-est are the boxwood circle in front of the houseand the extensive boxwood gardens surround-ing it. In 2005 the Garden Club of Virginiarestored the arrival court in the front of SweetBriar House with funding from Historic Gar-den Week tours. Open 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. onLynchburg’s tour day. No admission fee.

Old City Cemetery, 401 Taylor Street. Historyand horticulture abound in this beautifullyrestored 26-acre public cemetery, established1806, which was a Garden Club of VirginiaCommon Wealth Award project. There is aConfederate section with over 2,200 graves ofsoldiers from 14 states and four small museumslocated on the grounds. Described as a “gravegarden,” the cemetery is an arboretum of his-toric plants with specimens botanically labeled,including over 200 antique roses, medicinal

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herbs, a butterfly garden and pond, shrubgarden, antique daffodils, and hundreds ofnative and ornamental trees. The cemetery, aVirginia Historic Landmark on the NationalRegister of Historic Places, is open withoutcharge from dawn to dusk.

Miller Claytor Gardens, 2200 Miller ClaytorLane. Lynchburg’s only remaining 18th centurytownhouse was originally located in downtownLynchburg and moved to Riverside Park in

1936. The garden was designed by noted land-scape architect Charles F. Gillette. The gar-dens are a project of the Lynchburg GardenClub.

Awareness Garden, 1700 block of LanghorneRoad. Located at the Ed Page Entrance to theBlack Water Creek Trail, this public gardenhonors the families, friends and caregiverswhose lives have been touched by cancer. Lal-la’s Bell rings to celebrate the end of treat-

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ments, to remember a loved one or to bringhope for a cure.

Sandusky, 757 Sandusky Drive. Built c. 1808 byVirginian Charles Johnston, it is named afterthe area in Ohio where he was captured byShawnee Indians and narrowly escaped execu-tion. Thomas Jefferson was a guest in 1817 andUnion General David Hunter used the housein the Battle of Lynchburg in 1864. Two unionofficers who were at Sandusky later becameU.S. Presidents: Rutherford B. Hayes and Wil-liam McKinley. The house is undergoing res-toration and is open on Lynchburg’s tour day.(434) 832-0162. Admission charged.

The Anne Spencer House and Garden Mu-seum, 1313 Pierce Street. A Virginia HistoricLandmark on the National Register of HistoricPlaces. Built in 1903, the Queen Anne stylehome of Anne and Edward Spencer is inLynchburg’s newest Historic District. AnneSpencer (1881 – 1975) was a noted poet of theHarlem Renaissance and hostess to many lu-minaries such as Langston Hughes, GeorgeWashington Carver and Martin Luther King,who frequently visited. Anne’s husband Ed-ward, the City’s first African American parcelpostman, built the home as well as the cottage,

Edankraal, which is behind the home. This wasAnne’s retreat where she worked and wrote.The renowned garden was the source of inspi-ration for many of her poems. It has beencarefully restored and maintained over the pastthree decades by the Hillside Garden Club andhas twice received the Garden Club of VirginiaCommon Wealth Award. The most recent ren-ovations include the grape arbor and wisteriapergola, as well as the three towering bird-houses. The garden is free and open daily. Thehome is open by appointment only.

MartinsvilleA Stroll in Historic Uptown

Sponsored byThe Garden Study Club and

The Martinsville Garden Club


Chairman:Gail V. Mitchell (Mrs.)(276) 956-2221 or [email protected]

Co-Chairman:Becky Farrar (Mrs.)(540) 576-4130 or [email protected]

Tickets: Full ticket is $15. Single site is $8.Children ages 6-12 are half price; ages 5 andunder are free of charge. Tickets may bepurchased on tour day at any of the tour sites.For internet tickets, please access www.VAGARDENweek.org. Children under 17 mustbe accompanied by an adult.

Advance Tickets: May be purchased at the fol-lowing locations from April 9 through April 23:Piedmont Arts Association, located at 215Starling Avenue, Tuesday through Friday10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sat 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (276)632-3221; and The Southern Virginia ArtisanCenter/Visitor Center located at 54 WestChurch Street, Monday through Friday 9 a.m.to 5 p.m. (276) 632-0066.

Luncheon: $12 per person by advance reserva-tion only, at Piedmont Arts Association, 215Starling Avenue from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.Reservations may be made by contacting

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Donna Lawhon at (276) 638-4852 [email protected], or Lynne Beelerat (276) 638-1030 or [email protected] nolater than Friday, April 20.

Directions to Tour Area: All tour locations are inthe 300 block of East Church Street, withinHistoric Uptown Martinsville, zip code 24112.The Carriage House is located behind thechurch on Scuffle Hill. Because of the centrallocation of the homes, parking once will pro-vide a short walk to each location. Signs willdirect visitors to these locations, and desig-nated parking areas. From Danville take 58West/Church Street. At city limit sign go 1.4mi. to all homes on tour. (58 turns into EastChurch Street). From Greensboro take 220North Business. From city limit sign go .7 mi.and take a right onto Starling Ave. Go 1 mileand turn left onto East Church St. Tour loca-tions will be on the right. From Stuart take 58East and follow the Martinsville exit sign. Atthe city limit sign go .7 mi. and make a right onStarling Ave. Go 1 mile and turn left onto EastChurch St. Tour locations will be on the right.From Roanoke take the Martinsville 220 Busi-ness exit and go 5.4 miles on 220 South. Turnleft on Church Street and go 1.2 miles. Houseswill be on left side of street. (If you take theby-pass, follow the Stuart directions.)

Parking: There is ample parking in the tourarea; follow the parking signs.

Restroom: Available at Piedmont Arts Associa-tion, 215 Starling Avenue.

Please note: All locations on the tour arewithin the East Church St. /Starling Ave. His-toric District which is on the National Registerof Historic Places and on the Virginia Land-marks Register. Homes may be visited in anyorder:

Full ticket price includes admission to thefollowing 4 locations:

The Ketchie House, 331 E. Church St. Thisstately two-story Colonial Revival house builtin 1922 is situated in the center of Martins-ville’s Historic District. It was recently pur-chased and renovated by the current ownerwho resides on the first floor and maintains twobed and breakfast suites above. A spaciousfront porch radiates hospitality. Inside aremany of the features that characterize a turn-of-the century home, including high ceilings,numerous fireplaces and pocket doors. Notablefamily treasures include a lithograph locatedabove the living room mantel which depictsGeorge Washington’s inaugural ball. Signifi-

cant guests at the ball are identified by name inan adjacent print. Other heirlooms include asilver tea service, a pair of Italian vases and anantique walnut chest in the living room. In thefirst floor bedroom, a collection of antiquebotanical prints complements the room’sbright decor and act as counterpoints to thework by local artists. The kitchen makes themost of a compact space, and features a com-mercial bakery tray that was turned into abreakfast table. In the dining room, a mahog-any table coordinates with the Aubusson nee-dlepoint rug and soft green walls. Open forHistoric Garden Week for the first time. Mrs.Susan Critz, owner.

The Townes House, 327 East Church St. Thisbungalow style home with a beautifully verdi-grised roof, was built in 1922 by BenjaminTownes and is believed to be the largest of thisstyle in Martinsville. The front porch, paved inmarble salvaged from the original Martinsvillepost office, leads to a solid oak front doorframed by a beveled, leaded glass surroundwith an arched transom. The spacious interiorfeatures coffered ceilings, a central staircasewith straight spindles, elegant paneling and fiveoriginal fireplaces. In the family room, a sixth

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stone fireplace was added by Mr. Townes in1924. It was crafted by Scottish stone masonsworking on Fieldcrest Lodge in nearby Fieldaleusing rock from the Smith River, as is theadjoining side porch. The owners’ varied artis-tic talents are evident throughout the homeand reflected in the art, china, antiques andcollectibles displayed throughout. A remodel-ing by previous owners created an attractivekitchen from three smaller rooms and a porch.Boxwood planted by the Townes in the 1920sanchor the formal garden filled with hydran-geas, tulips, roses, herbs, a fountain and classi-cal accents. Mr. and Mrs. Jerry D. Blankenship,owners.

The Carriage House, 21 Scuffle Hill. This charm-ing residence was built in 1905 by BenjaminStevens as “a damn good garage” for thethree-story mansion he built on the imposingproperty facing Church Street. Although hisoriginal mansion burned in 1917, the two-storycarriage house remained and has been home tonumerous residents, including Stewart Miller,an avid cook who always had his cheese strawson hand for visitors to his home, which wascommonly referred to as “The CarriageHouse.” Many Virginians will be familiar with

The Carriage House

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Carriage House Cheese Straws. This home isthe original Carriage House! In the spaciousliving room, decorated in earth tones, is aneclectic collection of art, family photos, an-tiques and travel souvenirs. Of note are theportrait of the owner’s three sons by NickHufford, a handmade walnut cocktail table, anantique Pennsylvania tall-case clock and apre-WW II German cuckoo clock. A display ofantique metal miniatures including joustingknights and a model of Napoleon’s coronationcarriage adorn the hallway leading to the light-filled master bedroom addition. A hand-painted 1869 Shrunk wardrobe is but one ofmany pieces the family collected while residingin Germany. In a corner of the well-appointed,modern kitchen is an antique corner cupboardfrom Mr. Gardner’s family. Throughout thehouse, visitors will note a similar harmoniousblending of the old with the new. A doorwayopens to a spacious patio and walled gardenwhich provide unexpected privacy and tran-quility in a home so close to the center of town.Open for Historic Garden Week for the firsttime. Mrs. Benjamin R. Gardner, owner.

Christ Episcopal Church, 321 East Church Street.Founded in 1841, the church moved to itscurrent location in 1901. Built in the Gothic-

Revival style, it is a keystone in Martinsville’sHistoric District. In the sanctuary, originalstained glass windows restored in 1981 providelight from three directions. Four wall sconces,echoing the design of the Gothic windows,further contribute to the soft lighting. Note-worthy are the Maltese Cross outlined on thesanctuary ceiling, a chandelier that blends con-temporary and historic design features, and analtar in the chancel with a semi-circular rail. Anextensive 1998 renovation added new mapleflooring with a four square pattern of walnutinlay, symbolizing the four gospels, at the altar.In front, a sunburst inlay represents the Res-urrection. Greek alpha and omega symbols areinlaid in walnut on either side. Kneeling cush-ions at the altar rail, designed and constructedin needle point by church members, depict tenevents in the life of Christ. Visitors may alsowish to visit the undercroft to view a detailedhistory of the church, the chapel and thecolumbarium outside.


Studio 107, 105 East Church Street. Commu-nal arts studio that provides space for thecreation and display of artwork. See localartisans working. (276) 632-3221.

Historic Henry County Courthouse and Heri-tage Center and Museum, 1 East Main Street.Home to the Martinsville-Henry County His-torical Society. The oldest part of the buildingwas built in 1824 and was restored to its 1929appearance. Recently the Garden Club of Vir-ginia provided funds for the renovation of theCourthouse grounds.

Virginia Museum of Natural History, 21 Star-ling Avenue. Contains more than 10 millionscientific specimens and has a reputation forsignificant research. Admission is free with paidHistoric Garden Week ticket. www.vmnh.net

The Southern Virginia Artisan Center/VisitorCenter, 54 W. Church Street. Opened in 2005as a home to more than 40 area and regionalartists and an outlet for showcasing their work.Focus on fine craft. www.southernvirginaartisanccenter.org

Piedmont Arts Association (PAA), 215 StarlingAve. A non-profit art museum and educationaloutreach center that has been part of theMartinsville community since 1961. Free ad-mission. On exhibit is Norman Rockwell’s TomSawyer and Huckleberry Finn. PAA is a state-wide partner of the Virginia Museum of FineArts. www.piedmontarts.org

Middleburg and Upperville104

Middleburg andUpperville

Gardens with Views of thePiedmont Landscape

Sponsored by theFauquier and Loudoun Garden Club

Sunday, April 22, 2012from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. andMonday, April 23, 2012from 10 a.m. to 5p.m.

Chairman:Bailey Davis(540) 687-3210 or [email protected]

Co-Chairman:Jean Perin(540) 592-3950, (703) 727-2661 [email protected]

Tickets: $40 per person. Single site $20. Chil-dren 13 and older, full price; ages 6-12, half

price; children 5 and under, free. On tour days,tickets will be available at our headquarters:The Middleburg Community Center, 300 W.Washington Street, Middleburg, VA, as well asat individual homes. Children under 17 mustbe accompanied by an adult.

Information Centers and Advance Ticket Sales:Tickets purchased in advance are $35 perperson. They are available at the followinglocations: The Pink Box in Middleburg, theWarrenton Fauquier Visitor’s Center in War-renton or at the Loudoun Convention andVisitor’s Center in Leesburg. Available by mailthrough April 15th by sending a check payableto FLGC with a stamped, self-addressed legalsized envelope to: Daphne Cheatham (Mrs.John H. III), Middleton, P.O. Box 324, Middle-burg, VA 20118. For information, contact Mrs.Cheatham at [email protected]. Ticketsmay also be purchased online in advance atwww.VAGardenweek.org.

Lunch: Boxed lunches are available for $15each for the Monday, April 23 tour only.Lunches must be ordered and paid for inadvance. Orders will be taken until April 16th,and lunches may be picked up between 10 a.m.and 2 p.m. on tour day at the Middleburg

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Community Center. Please send a check forthe number of lunches to: Daphne Cheatham(Mrs. John H. III), Middleton, P.O. Box 324,Middleburg, VA 20118. For information, con-tact Mrs. Cheatham: [email protected].

Important Transportation Information: This tourtakes visitors deep into very scenic country, butour beautiful country roads are very narrow inplaces. For the safety and convenience of all,please follow the route, as designed by theFauquier and Loudoun Garden Club. We re-gret that no motor coaches or buses can beaccommodated. Groups may wish to attend inseveral smaller, family-sized vehicles.

Directions to tour headquarters at the MiddleburgCommunity Center: From the East, take Rte. 50West through the traffic light; the MiddleburgCommunity Center is on the right, directlyacross from the intersection of Rte. 50 and ThePlains Rd. (Rte. 626). From the West, head-quarters is on the left at the intersection of Rte.50 East and The Plains Road (Rte. 626), beforereaching the traffic light. From the South, take“The Plains” exit off Interstate 66. At the stopsign in The Plains, go right on Hwy. 55, thenimmediately left on Rte. 626, The Plains Rd.As you arrive in Middleburg, bear left toremain on Rte. 626. Headquarters is in front of

you as you reach the intersection with Rte. 50.Park on the street, in the paved lot behindheadquarters, or in the gravel lot across thestreet behind headquarters.

Please note: No high heels, smoking, cellphones, cameras or strollers inside houses.Babes in arms are welcome, but no backpacks.This tour requires considerable walking and isnot suitable for handicapped persons. For yourcomfort and safety, please wear flat, comfort-able shoes.


Oakwood, Pleasant Vale Road, Delaplane, VA20144. Located in the heart of the CrookedRun Valley in the northern Piedmont, Oak-wood is an excellent example of an early 19th

century farm complex. Most of the buildings onthe property reflect the current owners’ inter-est in early Americana and have been restored,including the main house, a stone Colonial, astone kitchen house filled with period culinarytools, an unusually large stone meat storagehouse, a dairy, a twelve sided wooden barn,and a stone and wood bank barn. Spring ushersin the blooms of dogwood, serviceberry andweeping cherry trees, together with drifts ofdaffodils along the driveway. The stone walls

Oakwood

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are lined with peonies, while the parking areaby the carriage house is hedged with old fash-ioned lilacs and boxwood. Tucked on the east-ern side of the dairy is a cluster of camelliasthat brightens the perennial garden in latespring. In the pool area, the outdoor shower iscovered with Carolina jasmine, and a row ofpink shrub roses provides dazzling color. Ahedge of American boxwood and crepe myrtlesenclose the pool area without obstructing themagnificent vistas of the countryside.

Edgewood, 1676 Rokesby Road, Upperville,VA 20184. Created as a series of outdoorrooms, the gardens at Edgewood provide atranquil retreat of woodlands and open viewswith a soft monochromatic color palette. Theywere designed by the owner in 2005 after thecompletion of renovations and additions to theoriginal log cabin, circa 1790 (to which addi-tions, but no gardens, had been made in the1930s and the 1950s). Predominantly green andwhite, with strong Italian influences, the vari-ous garden rooms that wrap around the houseprovide vistas from the interior that feature alarge reflecting pool, a thatched stone cottage“folly,” urns, bird baths, a pebble mosaic walk-way, and sculpture. Especially noteworthy arethe hornbeams trained in an allee formation, aTurkish Iznik tile panel with boxwood plantedto either side mimicking it, and a stone sculp-ture of wild horses by Marjorie Applegate ofCincinnati surrounded by hellebores, ferns andwhite vinca. The views sweep beyond a terraceover fields to the Blue Ridge Mountains on thewest and the Little and Big Cobbler Mountainsto the south. Outside the master bedroom is abird oriented feeding terrace of cobblestonewith standard Koreanspice viburnum.

Poke, 3284 Whiting Road, Marshal, VA 20115.Described as “Second Generation Arts andCrafts,” the house was designed by Warrentonarchitect Albert P. Hinckley, Jr. and sits on the

foundation of the original house, which wasrebuilt in 2001. One of the owners is descendedfrom Confederate supporters, as well as Uniongeneral and publishing magnate A.C. McClurgfrom Chicago, and the many family antiques,portraits and memorabilia reflect both of thoseinfluences. The gardens, designed by the otherowner, noted garden designer Dana ScottWestring, sit on a hill facing east to the BullRun Mountains and offer beautiful views.These gardens are a series of “rooms” orga-nized loosely in color groupings with a water-course descending to woodland plantings andponds. The gardens have been created over thelast 25 years with massings of herbaceous pe-rennials and flowering shrubs and offer interestin every season. The spaces throughout aredefined by their “bones” of stonework andgarden structures, some functional, others fol-lies, all designed to create outdoor living spacesfor the house. They include an obelisk in themillennium garden from the Welsh bordercountry made of early Coade stone, a sylvanamphitheatre with a round stage of cherry andoak logs, raised boardwalks, bridges, stonewalls, pergolas and pavilions.

Woodslane Farm, 3213 Five Points Road, Mar-shal, VA 20118. Enter through an untamedwood, setting the tone for this serene property.The wild wood transitions into a semi-culti-vated parkland of mixed deciduous hardwoodtrees underplanted with drifts of Virginia blue-bells and shade tolerant narcissus. The house,at its core, is an 1800 log cabin and corncrib,which were expanded in the 1980s. Respect forindoor to outdoor flow dictates much about thecolor and texture choices of plant material.Blooming plants outside repeat the prevailingcolors within the home. A heavy use ofevergreen and berried plantings ensures con-tinual winter interest. Sculpture reinforcesthis effect and punctuates each garden as itdraws the viewer’s eye outside when inside the


home. An herb garden near the kitchen en-trance provides an abundant supply of cookingingredients. A pair of Contorted Beech treesacts as delicate anchors in the bold plantersflanking the pool house while the park like areato the north features mature white and redoaks. Spring fed ponds produce wonderfulreflections in the afternoon light and theirborders are planted with native vegetation:Black haw Viburnum, Burr Oak, Bald Cypress,Cardinal Flower, Joe Pye Weed, water iris,cattails, native daylilies and ferns.


Historic Goose Creek Bridge, Rte. 50 betweenMiddleburg and Upperville. Built in 1801, theFauquier and Loudoun Garden Club hasowned and overseen its ongoing preservationsince 1974.

The Caleb Rector House, 1461 Rectors Lane,just off Rte. 50 at Atoka Road. Located in an

historic area, c. 1800, known as Rectors Cross-roads, it is the site of Col. John SingletonMosby’s 43rd Battalion of Virginia Calvary andthe location of Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuartencampment on the eve of his advance towardsGettysburg. It is currently the headquarters ofthe Atoka Preservation Society and the MosbyHeritage Area Association.

Oatlands. Located 5.5 mi. south of Leesburgon Rte. 15. A Greek Revival mansion, c. 1805,Oatlands was once the center of a thriving3,400 acre plantation. It includes exquisite ter-raced gardens, a portion of which were re-stored by the Garden Club of Virginia withfunding from Historic Garden Week tours.

Dodona Manor, 217 Edwards Ferry Rd., NE,Leesburg. A National Historic Landmark, builtin first half of the 19th century, Dodona Manorwas the home of Gen. George C. Marshallfrom 1949 to 1959.

Middlesex County –The Middle Peninsula

Civil War History alongour Waterways

Sponsored byThe Garden Club of the

Middle Peninsula

Friday, April 27, 2012from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Chairman:Marilyn South (Mrs. W. David)(804) 776-6983 or [email protected]

Co-Chairmen:Linda Parker (Mrs. F. Byron)(804) 758-8091or [email protected]

Kris Scherrer (Mrs. Robert W.)(804) 776-7117 or [email protected]

Bus and Tour Group Chairman:Carolyn Wake (Mrs. John B.)(804) 776-9541or [email protected]

Tickets: $30 per person. Children 13 and older,full price; ages 6-12, half-price; ages 5 and

under, free of charge. Tickets may be pur-chased on tour day at any of the houses. Forinternet tickets, please access www.VAGardenweek.org. Children younger than age 17must be accompanied by an adult.

Advance Tickets: $25 per person by mail to Ms.Anne Bland, P.O. Box 31, West Point, VA23181. For questions, (804) 843-2731. Pleaseinclude a self-addressed, stamped envelopewith check payable to The Garden Club of theMiddle Peninsula by April 18. No refunds onadvance tickets.

Luncheon: Box lunches available for $15 eachat the Church of the Visitation, 8462 GeneralPuller Highway, Topping, VA 23169 (Rte. 33E0.7 miles from the light at the intersection ofRte. 33 and Rte. 3) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.Reservation required by April 20. Send checkmade out to the Church of the Visitation andindicate your choice of either chicken or sea-food to Marie Suyes (Mrs. David R.), 1172North End Road, Deltaville, VA 23043. Forquestions, (804) 776-0666.

Refreshments: Beverages served from 10 a.m. to4 p.m. at the Church of the Visitation.

Restrooms: Open at the Church of the Visita-tion and the Middlesex County Museum andHistorical Society (Rte. 17 at intersection of

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Middlesex County – The Middle Peninsula110

Rte. 17 and Rte. 33 in Saluda) from 10 a.m. to4 p.m.

Directions: Saluda is located 53 miles fromRichmond (I 64E to Rte. 33E); 80 miles fromFredericksburg (Rte. 17S); 28 miles fromYorktown (Rte. 17N); 24 miles from Kilmar-nock (Rte. 3 to Rte. 33W). Tour propertiesmay be visited in any order.

Tour at a Glance:

Visit Middlesex County during its 2012 Sesqui-centennial Commemoration of the Civil War.Step back in time and enjoy the views andhistory from the silent sentinels, our river fronthomes. Walking shoes are advised.

Ticket price includes admission to thefollowing 6 properties:

31 Shell Court Road, Urbanna 23175. FollowRte. 17 to Rte. 603/Warner Rd. (if comingfrom Tappahannock turn left, if coming fromYorktown turn right) and travel 2.3 miles; turnleft onto 602/Old Virginia Rd. and travel 0.3miles; turn right onto 676/Remlick Rd. andtravel 1.3 miles; turn left onto Anchor Reef; atdead end turn left onto Shell Court; house is


first driveway on right. Whimsical animal stat-uary decorate the winding garden trails andmanicured paved drive to this contemporaryFrench country home facing LaGrange Creekand looking into the Rappahannock River. Thegardens feature native Virginia and CoastalHonshu Japanese plants suited to the microcli-mate of Middlesex County. Many of the spec-imens are labeled with their botanical names.A sandy beach and pier extend the waterfrontlawn and invite recreational activities or just arelaxing afternoon in a chair. Constructed in2003 by local craftsmen, the home was de-signed by the owners for comfort and lowmaintenance. An open floor plan accommo-dates large groups including family, friends andthe many foster children to whom they haveopened their home. The formal blends with theinformal to feature new Shenandoah Valleyfurniture along with Philadelphia antiques in-cluding an early 1800 dining room suite. Col-lections of Art Deco prints by Icart, oysterplates and nautical sailboats and lighthousesdecorate this six bedroom home. Movie fanswill enjoy the theater room posters, whilesports enthusiasts will appreciate the collectionof signed baseballs, footballs and an auto-graphed home plate. Open for the first time forHistoric Garden Week. Mr. and Mrs. DavidCryer, owners.

Urbanna Light, 105 Mariner’s Way, Saluda23149. Go back to 602/Old Virginia Rd. Take aleft, and travel 2.5 miles; turn right onto Rte.227 (Rte. 602 becomes Rte. 227) and Cross St.and travel 0.9 miles through town and over thebridge; turn left onto 1070/Molly’s Way; takethe first left onto Skip Jack; take the first leftonto Mariner’s Way; house is last house in thecul-de-sac. Standing majestically over the har-bor of Urbanna, this lighthouse home appearsto be a landmark from the past. Completed in2005, the house is modeled after a lighthouseon a St. Lawrence Seaway island. The 650pound Fresnel lens in the lighthouse once litAustralia’s Perth Harbor. The main house andgarage/guest house is made of bricks rescuedfrom an old warehouse and have colorful slateroofs. Anchored on one side of the octagonalpool is a stone sculpture of a fisherman’sdaughter searching the harbor. Hollies, naturalgrasses and evergreens lend privacy to theproperty. An open floor plan with limestoneflooring and high ceilings invites visitors to theblended living room, dining room, kitchen andporch. Noteworthy is the massive travertinemantel surrounded by fieldstone and cherrycabinets designed by the sculptor and wood-working artist who also crafted the kitchencabinetry. Nautical collections and an extensivecollection of John Barber originals, several of


which are commissions, meld with antiques,such as the Dutch cabinet-on-chest in thefoyer. Open for the first time for HistoricGarden Week. Mr. and Mrs. David Cottrell,owners.

Christ Church Parish, 56 Christ Church Lane,Saluda 23149. Go back to Rte. 227, turn left,and travel 1.9 miles; at light turn left onto Rte.33 East/General Puller Highway and travel 1.2miles; turn left onto Christ Church Lane. Thechurch was founded in 1666. The originalstructure was probably wood and was replacedby the present brick building “to be finished in1714,” according to the Vestry Book of ChristChurch Parish, 1663-1767. The churchyard in-cludes a number of colonial tombs and issurrounded on three sides by a brick walldonated by the Garden Club of Virginia in1942 with proceeds from Historic GardenWeek tours. Christ Church is listed on both theVirginia Historic Landmarks Register and theNational Register of Historic Places. For cen-turies, parish churches in England have cou-pled the beauty of their churches with thebeauty of flowers. Christ Church Parish followsthis tradition. Especially for Historic GardenWeek, enjoy beautiful floral arrangements cel-ebrating the theme “Beauty and Holiness” and

vestments reflecting the colors of the churchliturgical year. Handicapped accessible. TheRev. Paul J. Anderson, Rector of Christ ChurchParish, presiding.

Millmont, 987 Mill Wharf Road, Wake 23176. Goback and turn left on Rte. 33 East/GeneralPuller Highway and travel 6.9 miles, turn leftonto 626/Regent Rd. and travel 0.4 miles; turnright onto 626/Wake Rd. and travel 1.3 miles;at the Wake Post Office bear right onto 625/Wake Rd. and travel 0.7 miles; turn left onto627/Mill Wharf Rd. and travel 0.3 miles; houseis on the left in 1 mile. The first of two historichomes on the tour, Millmont, built in 1810,derives its name from its location on a hill(mont) overlooking Mill Creek. The originalfour story one over one half frame house wasbuilt to take advantage of the spectacular viewsof the Rappahannock River, Chesapeake Bayand a private pond. Today, the shade trees andgardens still dot the long expanse of lawnwhere a hand-pegged barn is located near thehouse. A few remaining shrubs of forsythia andlilac mark the site of a former nursery. Over itsmore than 200 year history, the home hasevolved. Original paintings on display depictthese phases. The sixteen foot long runningheart pine floors in the dining room are origi-


nal, as are many 1810 window panes. FollowingWorld War II, a living room was added. Re-cently, a new kitchen, sitting area and screenedporch replaced an old addition. Noteworthyare the many hand-hewn pieces of furniture,some of which were made by a Berkley Plan-tation craftsman from family walnut trees.Open for the first time for Historic GardenWeek. Mr. and Mrs. W. David South, owners.

1411 Wilton Creek Road, Hartfield 23071. Goback to 625/Wake Rd., turn left, and travel 0.7miles; at stop sign turn right onto 628/MillCreek Rd. and travel 0.9 miles; turn right ontoRte. 33/General Puller Highway and travel 0.1mile; turn left onto Wilton Creek Rd., house ison the left (1.4 miles). This private, contempo-rary farm house has a circular drive screenedwith mature trees, hollies, dogwood and waxmyrtles. The 11 acre property is situated on abluff overlooking the Piankatank River facingthe Chesapeake Bay. The gardens have beendesigned to display color all year. The summergarden is resplendent with hydrangeas androses and features a pool. The river gardenincludes a sunken overlook, as well as plantsselected to attract birds and butterflies. Anopen floor plan takes advantage of the home’snatural surroundings. This three level, low

maintenance home built in 1978 was rede-signed by the current owners to provide spacefor their family and pets. Renovations includethe living/family room, the library, the largemaster suite, an open kitchen, a basementworkshop, a large office, a fitness room andguest suites. Clever storage spaces concealessentials, even a fully decorated Christmastree. Featured are treasured mid 1800s familyantiques and a collection of bird prints. Openfor the first time for Historic Garden Week.Mr. and Mrs. Robert LeBoeuf, owners.

Providence, 2 Bland Point Road, Deltaville 23043.Go back to Rte. 33/General Puller Highway,turn right, and travel 2.5 miles; turn right onto633/Providence Rd. and travel 0.8 miles; turnright onto 633/Providence; continue on 633and the house is directly ahead. Fronting thePiankatank River, this original one and onehalf story home is one of the oldest brickhomes in Middlesex County. A brick locatedabove the riverfront porch as well as countyrecords dating back to the 1760s indicate thisproperty once belonged to the William Morganfamily. The approach to Providence is impres-sive. The tree-lined drive leads to ever bloom-ing, formal, sun and shade gardens that boastover 40,000 bulbs, an array of perennials and

2 Bland Point Road


100 hydrangeas. This beautifully restoredhome features two new wings with massivebrick walls and chimneys, as well as a new guestcottage, pool and dock. Inside, this classicTidewater house fully utilizes its originalrooms, stairs and hand-hewn beams, whileaccommodating a modern family. Appointedwith Southern antiques, china and a muralmoved from the owners’ home in Richmond,Providence features intimate details such assmall needle point pillows handmade by theowners’ daughter. The day of the tour, visitorscan meet with Master Gardeners and a docenton a restored boat from the Deltaville Mari-time Museum and Holly Point Park. There isno charge to tour the boat, which is open from10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Open for the first time forHistoric Garden Week. Mr. and Mrs. WilliamR. Cawthorn, owners.


Middlesex County Museum and Historical So-ciety, 777 General Puller Highway, Saluda23149. Rte. 17 (business) near the intersectionof Rte. 33. Opened in 1935 and located in thecenter of Saluda, it is the oldest county mu-seum in the state. Originally located in the OldClerk’s Office on the grounds of the court-house, it closed in 1942 and did not open againuntil 1974 in anticipation of the nation’s bicen-tennial celebration. In 1988 it was moved to alarger, renovated building one block down thestreet.

Lower United Methodist Church, 120 LowerChurch Rd., Hartfield 23071. Follow Rte. 33E/General Puller Highway 2.6 miles from thelight at the intersection of Rte. 33 and Rte. 3;turn right onto Lower Church Rd. Founded inthe 1650s as the Lower Chapel of ChristChurch in Middlesex County, the presentbuilding dates from 1717. It is one of foursurviving colonial churches in Virginia withEnglish bond brick work masonry and has adistinct Dutch-styled roof. The church is on theNational Register of Historical Places and theVirginia Historical Landmark Register. It iswheelchair accessible. Only the sanctuary isopen.

Kelly House, 16966 General Puller Highway,Deltaville 23043. Rte. 33 in the center ofDeltaville 1.2 miles east of Providence Rd. Thehouse is a typical Virginia planter’s house ofthe 1840s period. After more than 75 years ofneglect and decline it was refurbished in 2006by descendants of William Henry and NancyMitchell Hancock Kelly. The house contains

family furnishings and is open to the publicduring Historic Garden Week.

Deltaville Maritim Museum and Holly PointPark, 17147 General Puller Highway, Del-taville 23043. Follow Rte. 33E past the Kellyhouse to 660/Jackson Creek Rd., the museumis the second driveway on the left. Opened in2004, this museum records the history of thecounty and its watermen. Among its exhibits isone about the Civil War in Middlesex County.View the boats being built in the Boat Shopand walk through the nature park and alongthe shoreline.

Newport News –Hampton

Sponsored byThe Hampton Roads Garden Club and

The Huntington Garden Club


Chairman:Sandy Parks (Mrs. William R.)(757) 595-5438 or [email protected]

Co-Chairman:Mary Gibson Waddill (Mrs. Samuel E. III)(757) 599-6557 or [email protected]

Website:www.newportnewshamptongardentour.org

Information Centers:Newport News Visitor Center13560 Jefferson AvenueNewport News, VA 23603(757) 886-7777 or www.newport-news.org

Hampton Visitors Center120 Old Hampton LaneHampton, VA 23669(757) 727-1102 or www.visithampton.com

Tickets: $28 per person on the day of tour.Available at any of the houses. Single-siteadmission is $10. Children 6-12 half-price; chil-dren 5 or younger, free of charge. Childrenyounger than age 17 must be accompanied byan adult.

Advance Tickets: $25 per person through April22. Available in Newport News at Anderson’s

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Home & Garden Showplace, TowneBank onWarwick Blvd. and Chaffin Interiors. In Hamp-ton at Old Point National Bank, CountrysideGardens and TowneBank on Settlers LandingRoad. Advance tickets may also be purchasedby accessing www.VAGardenweek.org.

Luncheon and Restrooms: Box lunches for $12each and beverages available from 11:30 a.m.to 1:30 p.m. for carry-out dining or dining in atThe Mariner’s Museum, 100 Museum Drive,Newport News, Virginia 23606. Please reservein advance by Friday, April 20 by calling (757)591-7707 or online at [email protected]. A limited number of box lunchesmay be available the day of the tour withoutreservations. Luncheon site will be the Hun-tington Room; please use the business en-trance to the Museum.

Special Activities: This private flower farm, TheGardener’s Workshop, owned by LisaZiegler, supplies cut flowers through localfarmers’ markets, grocery stores and to cus-tomers who buy shares of their annual crop.Newport News Historic Garden Week ticketholders are invited for a special visit on April25. Lisa will give a continuous tour from10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and her books, seeds, andgarden supplies will be for sale to benefit theGarden Club of Virginia. www.shoptgw.com

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for more details. The Mariner’s Museum: Thispark is the largest privately owned and main-tained park in the country. It was at one timehome to a collection of over 100 varieties oftrees, shrubs, and plants indigenous to Vir-ginia. Informational displays are in the Hun-tington Room, where Historic Garden Weekvisitors can also take a break and enjoy lunch.www.marinersmuseum.org.

Directions to Tour Area: From the west take I-64E to exit 258A. Merge onto US-17 S, J. ClydeMorris Blvd. Proceed to intersection with War-wick Blvd. and look for the green arrows. Fromthe east take I-64 W to exit 258A. Merge ontoUS-17S, J. Clyde Morris Blvd. Proceed tointersection with Warwick Blvd. and look forthe green arrows.

Please note: While all homes are concentratedin one area, this tour is not a walking tour.Please visit www.newportnewshamptongardentour.org for more information concerningparking and transportation.


Cedar Grove, 15 Museum Drive, Newport News.Named after its long drive of cedar trees


leading to the James River, this Colonial styleframe home is the oldest freestanding house inNewport News. John N. Maffitt, Captain of theCSS Florida, which was sunk in the JamesRiver during the Civil War, is thought to havebuilt the home, which was originally calledShelly Hill. Due to the loss of county records, ithas been difficult to trace the history earlierthan 1850. In 1857 the grandfather of CaptainNelson Smith, the immediate former owner,purchased the property and renamed it CedarGrove. During the Civil War the homesteadwas occupied many times by the NorthernArmy, but Captain Smith saved it from de-struction through official intervention. Theproperty originally consisted of 411 acres. Sixtyacres were acquired by the Mariner’s Museum,and other smaller parcels have been sold. Fiveacres remain. The remodeled home has 12rooms with a central hallway. French antiques,paintings, and needlework by the owner lendcharm and character. A large verandah com-mands a breathtaking view of the James River.The grounds feature original cedar trees and achildren’s playhouse. Mrs. Nan Leigh Smith,owner.

24 Spottswood Lane, Newport News. In 1938 Mr.and Mrs. Randolph P. Scott created a familyenclave on 24 acres. Their grandson, Samuel E.

Waddill, III and wife have restored the remain-ing 4 acres of the property, including the pondsand dams, drawing upon memory and vintagephotographs. Their home was newly built in

15 Museum Drive


2000 and includes a large front porch, openingto an impressive foyer. The house is furnishedwith family heirlooms and antiques. Of specialnote are the Gammon desk and sideboard andEnglish antique cellaret. Artwork includesfamily portraits, as well as an architecturaldrawing made by local architect, EdwinShumate, Mrs. Waddill’s father; a painting byThomas Skinner, artist for Newport NewsShipbuilding and work by the homeowners’son. A World War II framed American flatfrom PT Boat 493, removed from the sinkingship by the owner’s father, and is displayed inthe game room. The home’s outdoor livingspace, completed in 2008, features a spa-likepool and a pool house that includes a paintingfrom Belize, as well as framed maps of familytravels. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel E. Waddill, III,owners.

36 Spottswood Lane, Newport News. The homeoverlooks the 18th hole of the golf course of theJames River Country Club. Originally built in1952 by the parents of Charles Wornom, twoadditions have enabled continuous, multigen-


erational living. The master suite, upstairskitchen and sun room were added in 1988. Theoriginal kitchen remains in the basement ad-joining the media/family room. Talent runsthrough this family. The home features hand-made furniture crafted by uncles. The stairwellwas carved by Mr. Wornom’s father. Familyheirlooms include pieces collected by an auntwho did missionary work in China and Mr.Wornom’s prize-winning waterfowl decoys thatare displayed against a mural depicting themarsh. Newport News Shipbuilding Appren-tice School memorabilia, including a ship insig-nia from the shipyard foundry, objects col-lected from a milk house originally located inDare, Virginia and now on the property, andworks by local artists are special treasures. Theproperty contains hundreds of azaleas anddozens of large shade trees, as well as a brickpatio decorated with vintage wrought iron fur-niture located beside a tidal creek. Mr. andMrs. Charles Wornom, owners.

815 Riverside Drive, Newport News. Enter thisimpressive home via its circular drive sur-rounded by crepe myrtles. This restored Geor-gian home was first featured on Historic Gar-den Week in the mid-1960s when it was newlybuilt by Mr. and Mrs. C. D. West, Jr., parentsof the present owner. The property was part ofthe Jones farm in what was then WarwickCounty. The current West Family enjoys sportsand are avid outdoor enthusiasts. Featuresinclude a putting green with a sand trap over-looking the James River, a boat house/dockand a bluestone veranda compete with anoutdoor kitchen and gas fire pit for entertain-ing. The foyer displays a family antique grand-father clock. The River Room features cherrypaneling, coffered 10 foot ceilings and a wetbar with a bronze sink. The owners haveblended the old and new sections of the homeusing details such as random width oak peggedflooring and a similar color scheme through-out. The indoor kitchen includes appointmentsbefitting the owners’ interest in cooking: aViking stove, warming oven, twin single drawerdishwashers and beverage coolers. Well-ap-pointed bedrooms and baths are generous insize. The master bath features an open walk-inshower. The grounds include newly plantedboxwood, limelight hydrangeas, Knockoutroses and climbing wisteria vines. Mr. and Mrs.C. Dwight West, III, owners.

1211 Riverside Drive, Newport News. This 5,500square foot, five bedroom home is poised onthe bank of the James River. A terraced yardleads to the boat dock below. The river sidefeatures an all glass wall overlooking a pool


and references the rectangular lines of themain house. The lines of the pool deck are alsorepeated in the limestone flooring of the inte-rior main floor where a 150 gallon living reefaquarium featuring exotic fish is a centralfeature. Contemporary furnishings blend withChinese pieces. Artwork includes an acryliclandscape triptych by the owner and one of thedaughters. Its frame and other frames in thehome were handmade by Dr. Snyder from afallen walnut tree. A daughter’s pen and ink ofthe home, in the kitchen, was a present to herfamily soon after moving into the house. Otherartwork includes a four walled marine mural inthe main floor bath, which playfully depictsPortofino, a favorite vacation spot of the fam-ily. The kitchen includes a long counter, per-fect for entertaining and sharing preparation ofmeals. The lower level includes a pool table, abuilt-in bar and bookcases housing the familylibrary. Open for the first time for HistoricGarden Week. Dr. and Mrs. Robert J. Snyder,owners.


The Peninsula Fine Arts Center, 101 MuseumDrive, Newport News, VA 23601. Formed in1962 as a chapter of the Virginia Museum ofFine Arts, the Center is celebrating its 50th

anniversary. A community art center, it pres-ents exhibitions of historic works as well ascontemporary art and is surrounded by beau-tiful gardens. www.pfac-va.org or (757) 596-8175.

The Virginia Living Museum, 524 J. ClydeMorris Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601. In1987 it became the first living museum east ofthe Mississippi, combining the elements of anative wildlife park, science museum, aquar-ium, botanical preserve and planetarium. Acertified Virginia Green attraction. www.thevlm.org or (757) 595-1900.

Lee Hall Mansion, 163 Yorktown Road, New-port News, VA 23603. This Italianate brickhome was once owned by Richard D. Lee andis now a historic house museum featuringperiod decor and furnishings. Three years afterits completion in 1859, it served as Confederateheadquarters during the 1862 Peninsula Cam-paign. An exhibit gallery includes Civil Warartifacts. The grounds were a restoration proj-ect of the Garden Club of Virginia with fund-ing from Historic Garden Week tours. Admis-sion fee. www.leehall.org or (757) 888-3371.


NorfolkStay the Day

Sponsored byThe Harborfront Garden Club and

The Garden Club of Norfolk

Thursday, April 26, 2012from 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

Chairmen: The Harborfront Garden ClubHannah Brewer (Mrs. Stephen W.)(757) 489-4746 or [email protected]

Beth Williams (Mrs. Rolf)(757) 489-4504 or [email protected]

Co-Chairmen: The Garden Club of NorfolkAnne Barr (Mrs. Stanley)(757) 489-1799 or [email protected]

Judy Carraway (Mrs. James)(757) 451-0771 or [email protected]

Website:www.norfolkgardentour.org

Information Centers:AAA Tidewater Virginia5366 Virginia Beach Blvd.Virginia Beach, VA 23462(757) 633-1600

Norfolk on the Virginia WaterfrontNorfolk Convention and Visitors Bureau232 East Main St.Norfolk, VA 23510(757) 664-6620

The Ocean View Visitor Information Center9401 4th View St.Norfolk, VA 23503(757) 441-1852

Tickets: Full ticket price is $35 on the day of thetour. Single home admission is $10. The com-bination Virginia Arts Festival concert andtour ticket is $45. Combination Concert andTour tickets are only available at the VirginiaArts Festival Box Office and must be pur-chased in advance. Tickets may be purchasedon tour day at any of the private houses on tourand at The Hermitage Museum and Gardens.

Advance Tickets: $30 in advance. Available bymail from Kathy Protogyrou, 1519 Common-wealth Ave., Norfolk, VA 23505, and at thefollowing locations in Norfolk: Mary Barnett

Unique and Decorative Accessories, TheWhite Rabbit/The Wild Hare, Norfolk Botan-ical Garden Gift Shop, Changes, Changes CitySpa, Gardens in a Flowerpot, Virginia ArtsFestival Box Office, The Hermitage Museumsand Gardens and Prince Books. In Chesa-peake: Wild Birds Unlimited. CombinationTour and Concert tickets are available at Vir-ginia Arts Festival Box Office, (757) 282-2822.Checks should be made payable to “The Nor-folk Home and Garden.” Internet tickets maybe purchased by credit card at www.VaGarden-week.org and picked up on April 26 at TheHermitage Museum and Gardens.

Combination Tour and Concert Ticket. Availablein advance only. With the purchase of a com-bination ticket from the Virginia Arts Festival(VAF) Box Office, tour goers may also enjoy aboxed dinner (available at 5:30 p.m.) anddrinks from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The Virginia ArtsFestival Concert featuring Town Mountain islocated on The Hermitage waterfront over-looking Norfolk’s Lafayette River and starts at6:30 p.m. Combo Tickets are $45 per person.Concert Ticket alone is $20 per person. VAFBox Office, 440 Bank St. Norfolk. (757) 282-2822 or www.vafest.org

Luncheon: At Norfolk Yacht and CountryClub, 7001 Hampton Blvd. A 1 p.m. lunch ofchicken salad and accompaniments for $15 perperson will be served in the Club’s ballroom,with views of the marina. Reservations arerecommended. (757) 423-4500.

Refreshments: Complimentary refreshments atThe Hermitage Museum and Gardens in theestate’s renovated stables from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Special Activities: Experience a range of activi-ties taking place on the grounds of The Her-mitage Museum and Gardens, celebratingtheir 75th anniversary and featured on the frontcover of this guidebook, beginning at 9 a.m.and concluding with music under the stars onthe banks of the Lafayette River. All activitiesare included in the tour ticket price unlessotherwise noted. Bird Watching Walks from10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with area experts Bob Akeand David Hughes. Bring your binoculars. Art-ist Studio Open House from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.Ongoing pottery demonstrations in the VisualArts Studio. Flower Arranging Demonstra-tions by experts at The New Leaf from 11:30a.m. to 2 p.m. Lecture and Book Signing from2 p.m. to 4 p.m. with Peter Hatch, Director ofMonticello’s Gardens and Grounds, in theVisual Arts Studio. “Wetlands and Water-sheds” lecture. Meet in the Hermitage CircularGarden at 3 p.m. to hear speakers from

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NOAA, the City of Norfolk, the ChesapeakeBay Foundation and the Elizabeth River Proj-ect. This session includes a tour of the newlycreated wetlands garden, rain garden and oys-ter bed. Combination Tour and ConcertTicket. Available in advance only. With thepurchase of a combination ticket from theVirginia Arts Festival (VAF) Box Office, tourgoers may also enjoy a boxed dinner (availableat 5:30 p.m.) and drinks from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.The Virginia Arts Festival Concert featuringTown Mountain is located on The Hermitagewaterfront overlooking Norfolk’s LafayetteRiver and starts at 6:30 p.m. Combo Ticketsare $45 per person. Concert Ticket alone is $20per person. VAF Box Office, 440 Bank St.Norfolk. (757) 282-2822 or www.vafest.org

Restrooms: Available at the Hermitage Mu-seum and the Norfolk Yacht and CountryClub.

Parking: On-street parking is availablethroughout the tour neighborhood, The Her-mitage Museum, 2nd Presbyterian Church onthe corner of Hampton Blvd. and North ShoreRd. and at the neighboring Norfolk Yacht andCountry Club. Please make note of all parkingsigns in the neighborhood. Handicapped park-ing spaces will be available at each tour loca-tion.

Please note: This is a walking tour and spansapproximately a half mile. Guests may visitproperties in any order. Please wear flat-heeled, comfortable shoes to allow for unevensurfaces and stairs and to protect floors. Nophotography, sketching or cell phone use per-mitted inside the tour homes as a courtesy toall. Tour is offered “rain or shine.” No refundsare available.

Directions: From North/Richmond, take I-64East through the Hampton Roads Bay BridgeTunnel. Exit to the right via exit 276/NavalBase/Terminal Blvd. Merge immediately to theright onto 406/Terminal Blvd. Proceed 2 milesto the stoplight at Hampton Blvd. Take a left.The main gates to Lochhaven at North ShoreRd. will be on your right. For parking andrestroom facilities, turn left into the SecondPresbyterian Church lot or proceed to theHermitage Museum. The first tour home islocated on Glencove Pl. just past the church, orfollow North Shore Rd. as it curves left toreach the Hermitage Museum and Gardens.From East/Eastern Shore, travel the Chesa-peake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Take a right onNorthampton Blvd. and travel approx 5 milesto I-64 West. Take I-64 West to a left exit at406/Terminal Blvd. and continue as previouslynoted. From Chesapeake/Virginia Beach, takeI-64 West to a left exit at 406/Terminal Blvd.and follow as noted. From West/Suffolk, takeRoute 58 East through the Midtown tunnel.Proceed onto Hampton Blvd. for approxi-mately 2 miles. Turn left onto North Shore Rd.through the main entrance into Lochhaven.For parking and restroom facilities, turn leftinto the Second Presbyterian Church lot orproceed to the Hermitage Museum. The firsttour home is located on Glencove Pl. just pastthe church.

Historical Background on Lochhaven and TheHermitage Museum and Gardens:

The meandering streets of Lochhaven, locatedin Norfolk, are lined with towering trees shad-ing elegant homes. Water views at every turnmake this an especially desirable family ori-ented neighborhood. Initial development ofthe area was encouraged by the relocation ofthe Norfolk Yacht and Country Club to thenearly inaccessible north shore of the LafayetteRiver in 1896. The addition of a trolley bridgeleading from Larchmont in anticipation of the1907 Jamestown Exposition spurred furtherdevelopment. A few summer homes sprang up,followed quickly by permanent residences builtby Norfolk’s most prominent citizens. Thesestately brick grand dames still decorate thecurved riverbanks. Their spacious gardens lend

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an unexpected air of privacy to these citydwellings. The centerpiece of the neighbor-hood is the Hermitage Museum and Gardens,a Tudor mansion located on a 12 acre water-front peninsula and featured on the front coverof this guidebook. Constructed in 1908, theHermitage was the first home in Lochhaven.Donated as a museum in 1937, the Arts andCrafts style mansion houses an expansive col-lection of art and antiques, secluded woodlandpaths, wetlands, formal gardens, a workingartists’ cottage and a municipal playground.


7401 Glencove Place. The current owners, whoare only the second in the home’s history,purchased this waterfront Colonial Revival in1976 and have orchestrated a series of nearlycontinuous renovations to this substantial5,300 square foot brick home constructed in1937. The wide foyer welcomes guests into agracious interior where modern amenitiesblend seamlessly with traditional appoint-ments. Warm tones of yellow and red areechoed in paint colors, floral wall coverings andfabrics. Paintings and sculptures foundthroughout reflect the couple’s passion fornature. Among the many paintings of specialnote are early 20th century landscapes by

American Impressionist Eliot Clark and morecurrent landscapes by Christa Pleasants, GregOsterhaus and Charles Sibley. Turner Foundrybronzes of sea birds are perched in the foyerand the garden beyond. During the past sixyears a series of exterior renovations havecentered on the surrounding gardens, whichnearly doubled in size with the 2005 purchaseof an adjoining lot located behind 2nd Presby-terian Church. Landscape architect AnnStokes worked on the design of both the orig-inal and newly added gardens, crafting a seriesof unique spaces including a pergola, patio anda “sunken” garden that is actually at groundlevel. Until recently the Shumadines main-tained the extensive gardens themselves andcontinue to spend countless hours on its up-keep and continual improvement. Venture pastthe formal plantings near the house, the or-derly vegetable garden and a wide expanse oflawn to discover the tiny secret garden tuckedat the end of the property. Conrad and AnneShumadine, owners.

7409 Glencove Place. This example of GeorgianRevival architecture, built in 1928 for the Bar-ron Black family, resides along the banks of theLafayette River. The red brick residence is oneroom deep so that windows on both front andback capture the sun’s progress and deliver

7401 Glencove Place

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garden and water views to nearly every room.The garden, redesigned in 2009, transitionsfrom formal areas near the house to a series ofinformal beds and trees beyond. The approachto the house is lined with Little Gem magno-lias. Annuals and perennials punctuate thecurving row of Shamrock hollies along thewalkway leading to a front entrance flanked bymature boxwood. On the water side a patiorimmed with intricate wrought iron from NewOrleans, original to the home, leads to a lushlawn and flower beds. Original details includ-ing intricately carved millwork, a leaded glassfanlight, and additional wrought iron havebeen retained during a series of renovations. Aspacious 1995 family room and kitchen addi-tion was tucked behind the breezeway andgarage to preserve the original lines of thefront facade. Colors utilized throughout rangefrom eggshell to pale blue, silver grey, and goldproviding a delicate backdrop for the Reis’collection of art and antiques. Many of thefurnishings are family heirlooms, including a19th century demilune chest and 18th centuryblack oak desk. Other pieces of note are a pairof gilded mirrors sporting gazelles and a crystalchandelier in the dining room. Rob and LilyReis, owners.

7600 North Shore Road. Situated on a slight riseaffording expansive views of the LafayetteRiver and wooded Hermitage Museumgrounds, this brick Colonial Revival home builtin 1935 exhibits exceptional craftsmanship. Afloating spiral staircase takes center stage inthe spacious foyer. Heirloom antiques, objetsd’art, vintage photographs and collectionsthroughout the house are testament to theowners’ discerning eye. Daguerreotypes, Toleboxes, antique botanical and ornithologicalprints and Chinese export porcelains add to thevisual feast. The former kitchen now serves asa butler’s pantry for the recently completedkitchen and family room addition. Wide plankcherry floors, black and green soapstone coun-ters and a Delft tile backsplash reflect Mrs.Wyatt’s flair for combining diverse design ele-ments into a cohesive whole. A newly addedscreened porch extends family space to theoutdoors. Rick and Randy Wyatt, owners.

7622 Argyle Avenue. A curved brick walkwayand porch beckon visitors past the groomedgarden to this Dutch Colonial home built in1926. Black shutters and white trim contrastwith the dove gray clapboard exterior andmultihued architectural shingle gambrel roof.Inside, vibrant paint colors and fabrics add zestto formal rooms appointed with family an-tiques, oriental and Dutch porcelains andeclectic artwork. Nautical blue walls in the

dining room reference the family’s love ofboating evident throughout the first floor. Ofnote are the restored table and fourth genera-tion marble topped chest. The living roomfeatures a heavily carved mirror, a trio oforiental rubbings and a large travertine fire-place. The family room addition and kitchenhave been updated. The sunlit library is deco-rated with mementos, maps and photographscollected during family trips. Banks of mul-lioned windows and doors in the family roomopen to an expansive lawn, informal gardensand the patio area. Michael and Cathy Burnette,owners.

7720 Argyle Avenue. Behind the staid red brickfacade of this Georgian Colonial house is aninterior awash in light and color. The sophisti-cated entry hall, papered in black brocade withwhite paneled wainscoting and trim, serves as aneutral transition between the lemon livingroom and the rich red walls of the dining room.The interior features traditional furnishingsand family heirlooms, as well as many familyphotographs and colorful artwork. Grandchil-dren’s masterpieces coexist with beautiful bo-tanicals and framed artwork. The antique Li-moges china service is especially noteworthy.The Clarks purchased the 1950 home from theoriginal owner in 2001 and began a majorrenovation in 2005. Their thoughtful planningresulted in a kitchen and den addition withplenty of space for family and friends to gather,and for grandchildren to work on art projectsand homework. Grasshopper green walls, abuttery ceiling and views of the garden makethis spacious addition especially appealing.Mrs. Clark tends the informal back “MemoryGarden” and adds to it with plants she selects fortheir names: Immortality irises, Big Smile hy-drangeas, Lipstick impatiens, Forever Memoriesday lilies are just a few examples. The garden isalso an inspiration for Mrs. Clark’s photography.Geoff and Sandy Clark, owners.

7721 Argyle Avenue. This brick center hallGeorgian Colonial house built in 1924 recentlyunderwent a major renovation that includedreconfiguring the kitchen and creating a familyroom addition from a former garden room.The owners concentrated on maintaining theoriginal integrity of the home while addingenvironmentally friendly updates includinggeothermal heating, wood storm windows, in-stant hot water systems and water saving land-scaping. Original copper gutters and down-spouts, white oak floors, picture molding andthe egg and dart molding surrounding thefireplace reflect the fine craftsmanship evidentthroughout. New appointments, including theItalian Mojave honed travertine floors and

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marble counters in the kitchen, reflect thesame quality and attention to detail. A mutedinterior palette of cream, celadon and silverserves as the perfect foil for colorful works ofart acquired during trips to other countries.Works of art from closer to home include aPeter Max print purchased in New Orleans andpaintings by Kathy Miller and Rebecca Shererfrom Ms. Henderson’s hometown of Auburn,AL as well as works by local artist AndyMason. Of note are the beautiful rugs foundthroughout the first floor, also purchased dur-ing travels abroad. Walt Sobczyk and DonnaHenderson, owners.

The Hermitage Museum and Gardens, 7637North Shore Road. Situated on a 12-acre estatein a wooded setting along the Lafayette River,the Arts and Crafts style house graces the coverof the 2012 Historic Garden Week guidebook.It features a combination brick and wood ex-terior with carved eaves and wrought-iron ac-cents. Originally built to be the summer retreatof William and Florence Sloane in 1908, theresidence became their year-round home andlater became the permanent location of theHermitage Museum. The museum was estab-lished in 1937 by the Sloanes to increase publicawareness and appreciation of the arts and tooffer encouragement and support for artisticendeavors. The house is a work of art in its ownright. The expert carving and detail of mastercraftsmen C.J. Woodsen, Karl von Rydings-vard and M.F. McCarthy resulted in a home ofuncompromising craftsmanship and an appro-priate showcase for displaying treasured art-work from around the world. Among the manyworks of art and furnishings on display on thefirst floor is a collection of 17th, 18th, 19th andearly 20th century silver including works byFaberge and Tiffany & Company. Inspired byintricate patterns found in nature, a series ofwhimsical paintings and mixed-media works byErin Schwinn will be on view in the ChangingGalleries April 20-29. The Museum is wheel-chair accessible. (757) 423-2052 or www.thf-m.org. Open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for tour ticketholders and from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. forconcert ticket holders.

The Hunter House Victorian Museum, 240 WestFreemason St., Norfolk, 23510. In 1894, Bos-ton architect W.P. Wentworth designed a newRichardsonian Romanesque townhouse forJames Wilson Hunter Sr., a banker and prom-inent Norfolk merchant, his wife Lizzie andchildren James Wilson Hunter, Jr., HarriettCornelia and Eloise Dexter. In the 1960s,Eloise, the last surviving family member, re-quested that her estate be used in part toestablish a museum, preserving the home’s

architecture, furnishings and decorative arts.Rich in architectural details, it displays thefamily’s collections, including an unusual Ingle-nook, a Renaissance Revival bedchambersuite, a nursery of Victorian playthings,stained-glass windows and an elaborately em-broidered crazy quilt. Lavish period reproduc-tion floor and wall coverings and drapery treat-ments complement the collection. There is alsoa collection of 20th century medical memora-bilia that belonged to Dr. James WilsonHunter, Jr. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Moses Myers House, 331 Bank St., Nor-folk, 23510. Owned and maintained by theChrysler Museum of Art. Built in 1792 for aprominent Norfolk resident, this structure is afine example of Federal style architecture. Thehouse contains nearly 70 percent of its first-generation furnishings, including the GilbertStuart portraits of Mr. Myers and his wife,Eliza. Much of the family’s cut glass, furniture,silver and china are on display. The house washome to five generations of the Myers familybefore it was sold in 1931 to become a privatelyoperated museum. The Garden Club of Vir-ginia renovated the gardens in 2002 with pro-ceeds from Historic Garden Week to reflecthistorically accurate late-18th-century gardendesign. (757) 333-1087 to schedule a tour.

Norfolk History Museum at the Willoughby-Bay-lor House, 601 East Freemason St., Norfolk23510. Owned and maintained by the ChryslerMuseum of Art. It was built in 1794 by CaptainWilliam Willoughby, a descendant of Englishimmigrant Capt. Thomas Willoughby I, whowas the recipient of a 1636 royal grant of 200acres, fifty of which would become the town ofNorfolk in 1682. The house remained in thefamily until 1890 when it was sold. It subse-quently fell into decline and was slated fordemolition until it was bought and restored bythe Norfolk Historic Foundation in 1964. Thecurrent exhibition showcases various aspects ofNorfolk’s architectural, commercial, maritime,and military history through objects from thecollections of the Chrysler Museum, other in-stitutions and private citizens. The garden,designed by Siska Aurand Landscape Archi-tects, was installed in 1991 and represented themost current understanding of Colonial gar-dens at that time. The recent addition of anoyster-shell paving is appropriate to the period.(757) 333-1087 to schedule a tour.


The Chrysler Museum of Art, 245 W. OlneyRd., Norfolk, 23510. Described by The WallStreet Journal as one of the top 20 museums in

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the country, the Chrysler is home to one ofAmerica’s premier permanent collections with35,000 pieces spanning more than 5,000 yearsof history. Its 62 galleries highlight many of theworld’s greatest artists and one of the finestglass collections in the United States. ThisItalianate building on the Hague inlet of Nor-folk’s Elizabeth River also houses the largestart reference library in the Southeast. Admis-sion is free. (757) 664-6200 or www.chrysler.org.

Norfolk Botanical Garden, 6700 Azalea Gar-den Rd., Norfolk, 23518. Began as a WorksProgress Administration project in the 1920s,the Garden is 155 acres and includes 12 milesof pedestrian pathways surrounded on threesides by Lake Whitehurst. Located adjacent toNorfolk International Airport, it contains oneof the largest collections of azaleas, camelliasand rhododendrons on the East Coast anddisplays more than 20 theme gardens includingthe Virginia Native Plant Garden (Founder’sFund Award, Garden Club of America), Bicen-tennial Rose Garden and World of Wonder

Garden. Visitors may tour the Garden by foot,tram or boat. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admissionfee. (757) 441-5830 or www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org.

The Arthur and Phyllis Kaplan Orchid Con-servatory at Old Dominion University, 4500block of Elkhorn Avenue. This $2.1 millionstructure houses the orchid collection of thelate Norfolk physician Arthur Kaplan. One ofthe largest collections in the Tidewater area, itincludes more than 375 species in 72 differentgenera housed within six climate controlledgreenhouses, a potting room, orchid propaga-tion lab and research facilities. In the glassdisplay house, a waterfall, pool and rock wallserve as the backdrop for a display of approx-imately 100 blooming orchids and tropicalplants. Among the trees is an endangeredCosta Rica Osa, of which there are only eightplants known to be living in the wild. Parking islimited. Admission is free. Will be open 10 a.m.to 2 p.m. on April 26 by appointment. (757)683-5839.

Northern Neck –Lancaster County

Lancaster Legacies

Sponsored byThe Garden Club of the

Northern Neck


Co-Chairmen:Mary Hoerneman (Mrs. Leonard R.)(804) 462-5146 or [email protected]

Dana Smith (Mrs. Norman G.)(804) 438-6559 or [email protected]

Tickets: $30 per person; $15, single-site admis-sion. Children 13 and older, full price; ages6-12, half-price; ages 5 and under, free ofcharge. Tickets may be purchased on tour dayat any of the houses open and at the Infor-mation Center located at St. Mary’s White-chapel Parish House. For internet tickets,please access www.VAGardenweek.org. Chil-dren younger than age 17 must be accompa-nied by an adult.

Advance Tickets: $25 per person. Available bymail until April 11th. Please send check pay-able to the Garden Club of the Northern Neck.Include a stamped, self-addressed, letter-sizedenvelope to: Carol Hughes, P.O. Box 775,Irvington, VA 22480. For questions, pleasecontact Carol Hughes at [email protected]. Available locally until April 23rd atthe following locations: The Pedestal, Kilmar-nock; The Dandelion, Irvington; and Mary BallMuseum and Library, Lancaster.

Information Center, Parking and Box Lunches:St. Mary’s Whitechapel Parish House, 5940White Chapel Road, Lancaster, VA 22503.Box lunches are $15 per person and must bereserved before April 16. Please send checkspayable to St. Mary’s Whitechapel, 5940 WhiteChapel Road, Lancaster, VA 22503. JanieSmith, (804) 462-5908 or [email protected] more information. Box lunches may bepicked up at St. Mary’s Whitechapel from11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Limited eat-in seating isavailable.

Refreshments: Complimentary, and served atthe Monaskon Post Office and Store, from11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A free trolley will run tothe site every 15 minutes from the InformationCenter.

Restrooms: Available at St. Mary’s Whitecha-

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pel. Portable outdoor facilities available at theMonaskon Post Office and Store.

Directions to the Information Center at St. Mary’sWhitechapel: From Richmond or Norfolk takeI-64 to West Point exit #220. Follow Rte. 33through West Point to Rte. 17. Turn left onRte. 17 to Saluda. Turn right on Rte. 33 inSaluda toward White Stone/Kilmarnock. Con-tinue on Rte. 33 to Rte. 3 N across the RobertO. Norris Bridge, through Kilmarnock toLively. Turn left on Rte. 20l in Lively andcontinue to Rte. 354. Turn right on Rte. 354.The entrance to parking at St. Mary’sWhitechapel is on the right. From Fredericks-burg take Rte. 3 through Warsaw to Lively.Turn right at Rte. 201 in Lively and continue toRte. 354, following the previous directions.

Please note: Due to uneven surfaces at therural properties, locations are not handicappedaccessible. Properties are not accessible togroup tour coaches. Cars and vans are wel-come. Wear comfortable, flat-soled shoes forwalking. Please, no sharp-heeled shoes, cellphones or photography (including cell phoneimages) inside the homes. Properties may bevisited in any order. All houses are within zipcode 22503 with the exception of one in 22528.

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Historical Background on Lancaster County:

The southernmost of the four counties thatmake up the area known as the Northern Neck,Lancaster County has maintained the sereneand quiet beauty that attracted our early set-tlers. The tour focuses on upper LancasterCounty, and takes the visitor through lush,rolling farmland along the RappahannockRiver, and the creeks of the Rappahannockand Corrotoman. In 1608, Captain John Smithreferred to this land as “a place heaven andearth never agreed better to frame man’s hab-itation.”

Ticket includes admission to the following 5properties:

Mitchell’s Manor, 525 Colinbrook Way, Lan-caster, VA 22503. From the Information Cen-ter take Rte. 201 to Lively (Rte. 3). Turn rightand continue 0.6 mi. to Old Orchard Drive(Rte. 620). Turn right and continue 1.2 mi. toColinbrook Way. Turn left and go to 525Colinbrook Way. This elegant Georgian homeoverlooking the Western Branch of the Corro-toman River is built on a tract of land owned bythe same family since 1721. Mitchell’s Manor,completed in 2006, includes details typical of a

prosperous landowner’s home of the 18th Cen-tury and is named for the original propertyowner, William Mitchell. The red brick exte-rior, English basement, boxwood landscaping,gazebo and formal garden are reminiscent oflife in an earlier century. Antiques, both inher-ited and acquired, and collections and accesso-ries ranging from English to Southeast Asian,reflect the travels and expatriate lives of theowners. All these furnishings blend to create arefined atmosphere throughout the interior. Ofnote are the loft of a 2-story sun room thatprovides panoramic views of the river, a fire-place in the kitchen that contains an operatingcrane and period accessories, and the Englishbasement, which perfectly accommodates theauthentic pub reassembled there. Open for thefirst time for Historic Garden Week. Mr. andMrs. Norman E. Tadlock, owners.

Monaskon Post Office and General Store. Due tominimal parking, a free trolley will run fromthe Information Center every 15 minutes to theMonaskon Post Office and general store. Com-plimentary refreshments served 11:30 a.m. to4:30 p.m. Purchased in 1920 by Raymond E.Dobyns, Sr., this property was originally re-ferred to as “Monaskon Wharf and Bluffield.”


The steamboat stopped here to take on cannedtomatoes and oysters processed at plants builtby Mr. Dobyns. In 1937, the store was com-pleted in the style typical of these establish-ments located along the Rappahannock River,featuring gray siding, a tin roof and a frontporch. Stores like this flourished from the early1900s until the early 1960s. The MonaskonP.O. operated here from 1937 until 1959, whenthere ceased to be a P.O. for the village. Postoffice and general store memorabilia help torecreate the atmosphere of community andcommerce embodied in the small villages alongthe Rappahannock. The store’s interior ofbeaded wainscot walls and ceilings are original,as well as most of the shelving and several ofthe counters. The post office section remains asPostmistress Jennie Mae Towles Dobyns left it50 years ago. Upon her death the store passedto her children, Lorena Dobyns Conner andRaymond E. Dobyns, Jr. Open for HistoricGarden Week for the first time. Raymond E.Dobyns, Jr. and Anita Conner Tadlock, grand-daughter of Postmistress Jennie Mae TowlesDobyns, owners.

Summerfield, 125 Westwood Road, Lancaster,VA 22503. From the Information Center, takeRte. 354 N for 0.8 mi. to Old Airport Road

(Rte. 711), turn left and proceed for 1 mi. toWestwood Road. This country-French inspiredhome is situated on property that has been inthe owner’s family for seven generations.County records document the purchase of thisproperty, which was then known as “Maidly,”by Henry Stoneham in 1774. Construction ofthe current house was completed in 2003. Itwas designed by the owner. The spacious, openkitchen and great room take full advantage ofthe spectacular view, and an expansive deckextends the interior space, which is especiallyinviting for watching sunsets across the Rappa-hannock. The combination of family antiquesand custom cherry cabinetry create an invitingspace for entertaining, and a handsome cof-fered ceiling provides an intimate atmospherein the dining room. Original fashion illustra-tions, drawn by the owner’s mother, as well asa number of other pieces collected specificallyfor this “dream” home, personalize the decor.“Green” technology in the form of geothermalheat and tankless water heaters has been in-corporated into the home’s plan. Visitors arealso welcome to wander through the guest-house referred to as The Cottage, and Sum-merfield Stables, home to Tiny and Ringo, theequine residents. Open for the first time for

Mitchell’s Manor


Historic Garden Week. Kendall Stoneham,owner.

Deep Creek Farm, 38 Meadowbrook Lane, Lan-caster, VA 22503. From the Information Cen-ter, take Rte. 354 N for 2.3 mi. to Deep CreekRoad, turn left and continue to MeadowbrookLane. Located just off the RappahannockRiver on scenic Deep Creek, this property wasa thriving plantation throughout most of the18th and 19th centuries. Several prominentNorthern Neck families live there. A house has

been sited on this property since 1650-52, whenThomas Cooper received a patent for theoriginal 200 acres at Deep Creek. The presenthome is a classic Virginia one-room deep,wood frame house with Colonial, Federal andVictorian farmhouse features. The center sec-tion of the home (two rooms over two rooms)dates to 1750. A two-story octagon wing, with aparlor below and bedroom above, was addedaround 1900, by John Weaver, the son of aformer slave who had lived and worked on theproperty. Deep Creek Farm was purchased by


the current owners in 2001, and major renova-tion work was completed in 2009. The homefeatures lovely English and American furnish-ings of mahogany and burled walnut from themid 18th and 19th centuries. A Hepplewhitesideboard in the dining room is an exact replicaof George Washington’s sideboards in his din-ing room at Mount Vernon. A large, architec-turally interesting post and beam barn withspacious upstairs living area, and invitingchild’s playhouse are also on view. Open forHistoric Garden Week for the first time. LyleBeckwith and Maureen Flanagan, owners.

The Oaks, 1362 Morattico Road, Nuttsville, VA22528. From the Information Center take Rte.354 N, turn at the first right onto Nuttsville Rd.(Rte. 618). Continue 1.2 mi. to the intersectionof Morattico Rd. (Rte. 622), turn right and go1.3 mi. The Oaks is on the left. A post CivilWar farmhouse with high ceilings, tall win-dows, screened porch and original paintedwood floors, the current farm was carved fromEpping Forest, land owned by Joseph Ball,father of Mary Ball Washington and grandfa-ther of George Washington. In 1703, Ball gavepart of his land, named Oakley, to his daughterEsther and husband Raleigh Chinn. The Peircefamily acquired this acreage in 1831. The ex-isting house was built by Robert Tunstall


Peirce, a leading farmer, businessman and CivilWar veteran. The name “The Oaks” was in-spired by a grove of 13 oak trees circling thehouse, the last of which was taken down in2010. Robert Peirce and his wife Mary AliceTapscott Peirce offered the home to theiryoungest son and doctor, Chichester TapscottPeirce, if he would return home and practicemedicine in upper Lancaster County. Dr. Pei-rce was a much loved and respected physicianfor 64 years. His wife, Bessie Combs Peirce,was a noted civic leader and historian. Theirgrandson and family continue to own the prop-erty and use it as a favorite gathering place, asit has been for five generations. The Oaks isfurnished in farmhouse-style decor with Vir-ginia antiques featuring an exceptional cornercupboard made in Stafford County, and late19th century pieces from the Green SteamFurniture Company in Alexandria. Open forthe first time for Historic Garden Week. R.Page Henley, Jr. and family, owners.


St. Mary’s Whitechapel, 5940 White ChapelRd., Lancaster, VA 22503. This church,founded in 1669, is believed to have beennamed for White Chapel Parish in London and


the Mother Church of that Parish, St. Mary’sChurch. The original altar tablets in the churchare dated 1702, the silver chalice is dated 1669and the font dates to 1718. By decree of theHouse of Burgesses, White Chapel Parish wasincluded in the Parish of Christ Church (nowreferred to as Historic Christ Church inWeems, Virginia) in April, 1752. The burialgrounds are several centuries old with theearliest gravesite dated 1698. Interred thereare the remains of many of the Ball family,George Washington’s maternal kin, as well asother early Lancaster County settlers and theirdescendants. Visitors are encouraged to walkup the road behind the Parish House to visitthe “Labyrinth in the Woods.” A labyrinth is anarrow meandering path, with one entranceand a single route that winds in a circularpattern to the center, and from the centerpoint, back out again. The labyrinth at St.Mary’s Whitechapel is based on the ChartresCathedral design, and is used as a placefor contemplation and prayer. Guided toursof the church, burial grounds and labyrinthare available. Handicapped accessible. (804)462-5908.

Morattico Waterfront Museum, 6584 Morat-tico Rd, Morattico, VA 22523. The museum is


situated in the heart of this watermen’s villageon the north shore of the RappahannockRiver. The village takes its name from theMoraughtacund Indians of the Algonquian Na-tion who were encountered in the area byCaptain John Smith in 1608. This all volunteermuseum was established in 2003 to preservethe cultural history of the village and to main-tain a community center. Visitors will find acomprehensive collection of artifacts, photosand documents related to activities in a work-ing watermen’s settlement. Open April 25 es-pecially for Historic Garden Week from10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donation suggested. www.moratticowaterfrontmuseum.org

Mary Ball Washington Museum and Library,8346 Mary Ball Rd. (Rte. 3), Lancaster, VA22503. This center for local history and gene-alogy, located in the Lancaster Court HouseHistoric District, was named in honor ofGeorge Washington’s mother who was born inthe County. Tour the jail, clerk’s office andLancaster House and the grounds that includea restored formal garden, herb garden and theoriginal 1742 courthouse green. Open 10 a.m.to 4 p.m. Admission $3. (804) 462-7280 orwww.mbwm.org

The Steamboat Era Museum, 156 King CarterDr., Irvington, VA 22480. Preserving the his-tory of the romantic era of the steamboats, themuseum illustrates the period in video, arti-facts, photos and artwork. Five current exhibitson display. Open April 25 especially for His-toric Garden Week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.(804) 438-6888. Donation suggested. www.steamboateramuseum.org

Historic Christ Church, 420 Christ ChurchRoad, Weems, VA 22576. Considered one ofthe most beautiful colonial churches in NorthAmerica, visitors will find it essentially un-changed since its completion in 1735. Built byRobert “King” Carter, a wealthy tobaccoplanter and merchant who held numerous pub-lic offices in the Virginia Colony, it was built inthe Georgian style, embodying design elementsof classic proportion, balance and simplicity. ANational Historic Landmark and a VirginiaHistoric Landmark, the grounds were land-scaped by The Garden Club of Virginia in 1967using funds from Historic Garden Week. In-cludes a newly expanded museum. Open10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donation suggested. (804)438-6855 or www.christchurch1735.org

Orange CountyMr. Madison’s Neighborhood

Sponsored byThe Dolley Madison Garden Club

Saturday April 28, 2012from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Co-Chairmen and for questions regardingBus Tours:Therese Iverson and Mary Beth Wells(540) 661-9941 or [email protected]

Tickets: $30, are available at each location onthe tour. No single site admissions. Children6-12 half price; children 5 and under free ofcharge.

Advance Tickets: $25, may be purchased at thefollowing locations in Orange until 3:30 pm onFriday April 13: Elmwood at Sparks, The ArtsCenter of Orange and the Corner HouseGallery. In Culpeper: Museum of CulpeperHistory and Pepperberries. In Gordonsville:Laurie Holladay Interiors. In Madison: Green-

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scapes. Advance tickets may be purchased bymail through April 13 by sending a checkpayable to DMGC with a stamped, self-ad-dressed legal sized envelope to: Mary BethWells, P.O. Box 1017, Orange, VA 22960. ForInternet ticket sales please visit www.vagardenweek.org.

Luncheon: Box lunches will be available forpick up at the tent in front of the WilliamDuPont Gallery at the Visitor Center at Mont-pelier. All lunches must be pre-ordered andpaid for before April 4 by calling (540) 672-2728, ext. 140. The cost of the lunch is $13.08including tax. There are two lunch choices:smoked turkey and Swiss croissant with appro-priate accompaniments and a bottled water, orchilled toasted orzo salad with Kalamata olives,tomatoes, red onions and capers with appro-priate accompaniments and bottled water.

Directions: Tour properties are within a radiusof 10 miles of each other, with Orange, VA asthe center. The recommended order for visit-ing coming from Charlottesville and Rte. 29 isSomerset Plantation, Montpelier, MayhurstInn and then Woodley. Reverse this order iftravelling from Richmond and I-64. From

Charlottesville: To reach Somerset Plantation,take Rte. 29 north to Ruckersville, then take aright onto Rte. 33 east. At Barboursville, take aleft onto Rte. 20 north toward Orange. Go 5.5miles and take a right onto the property whichis at the top of the hill and can be seen fromRte. 20. For Montpelier, resume travel on Rte.20 north and go 3 miles to the entrance on yourright. Follow signs to Visitor Center. Exit rightto Orange, Rte. 20 for Mayhurst Inn. Followsigns to Orange, four miles, take right ontoCaroline St. heading south on US15 for onemile to entrance to Mayhurst Inn on right. Exitright onto US 15S and go 3 miles to Woodleyon right. From Richmond: Take I-64 west toZions Crossroads. Exit onto Rte. 15 north toGordonsville and Orange. In leaving the Gor-donsville circle, continue on Rte. 15N to Or-ange. Woodley is 5.5 miles north on your left.Mayhurst is 3 miles north of Woodley on Rte.15, on the left. Montpelier is four miles west ofOrange and Somerset Plantation is three mileswest of Montpelier.

Please note: Properties may be visited in anyorder. No smoking, sharp-heeled shoes, cellphones or photography inside the houses.Wear comfortable shoes for walking on uneven

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surfaces. An adult must accompany childrenage 17 or younger. No pets. Dolley MadisonGarden Club, the Garden Club of Virginia andparticipating property owners are not respon-sible for accidents occurring on the tour. Assome of these are private properties, not alllocations are handicapped accessible.


Somerset Plantation, 8479 Old Somerset Rd.,Somerset, VA 22972. This brick country manorbuilt in the Federal style (c. 1803) was designedby Dr. William Thornton, the architect of theU.S. Capitol, and built for Sarah Catlett Mad-ison, sister of our fourth President, JamesMadison, by her husband, Thomas Macon.They developed Somerset into a great planta-tion. This Federal home sits on the crest of ahill commanding spectacular views of the BlueRidge Mountains to the west. It is two storieshigh over an English basement which con-tained the original kitchen, with a hipped roofcovered with slate shingles and four, tall, brickchimneys at each corner. Virtually all of theoriginal woodwork, including mantelpieces,wainscoting, cornices and carved archways ispreserved. In the southeast chamber, now a

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sitting room, is a concealed staircase indicatingthe influence of Thomas Jefferson’s designs.After Thomas Macon’s death in 1838, the landwas sold to Ebenezer Goss. During the Warbetween the States Goss provided agriculturalsupplies and monetary aid to the ConfederateArmy. He served as a private under GeneralLee. It is believed that during the Civil War theproperty was used as a lookout point by bothsides, and cannon emplacements were set onthe front lawn. The Goss family owned theproperty for 123 years. In 1971, Donald Gin-gery bought Somerset and drained fields,cleared fence rows and modernized production

on the plantation. The terraced gardens on thesouth side are a fine example of nineteenthcentury Virginia landscaping and consist ofthree levels of boxwood and flowering trees.The Gingery Family, owners.

Mayhurst Inn, 12460 Mayhurst Ln., Orange VA22960. John Willis, a Colonel in the Confeder-ate militia and a great nephew of James Mad-ison, began building Mayhurst in 1859, as ahome for his wife and eight children. Thisfour-story plantation manor was constructed inthe latest style of its time, Italianate Victorian.During the Civil War, Colonel Willis was a

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generous supporter of the Confederacy. It washome to Generals A.P. Hill, Robert E. Lee andStonewall Jackson. The tree in the front of themanor that shaded confederate troops as theyrested from battle in 1862 is still standing. Oneof the eight guest rooms offered at its currentincarnation as an Inn is called The GeneralsRoom. Also on view is a contemporary paint-ing by Mort Kunstler that portrays the chris-tening in 1864 of Lucy Lee Hill, the daughterof General and Mrs. A.P. Hill in the arms ofher godfather, General Robert E. Lee. Enjoybeautiful gardens, the original outdoor kitchenand a one-room schoolhouse which remains onthe grounds. Furnishings are mainly from the1850s-60s. Mayhurst Inn is on the NationalRegistry for Historic Places and is a VirginiaHistorical Landmark. Mr. and Mrs. John North,owners.

Woodley, 13305 Woodley Dr., Orange, VA22960. The manor home of Ambrose Madison,brother of President James Madison, was partof the original patent of 4,675 acres granted totheir grandfather in 1723. Following the deathof their father, Col. James Madison, Sr., Am-brose received Woodley and James Madison,Jr. received the original homestead of Mont-pelier. Ambrose built the original section, astory and a half dwelling, in 1783. After hisdeath in 1793, Woodley passed to his daughter,Nelly Conway Madison, who married Dr. JohnWillis. She added the north and south wings in1840. Nelly was a favorite niece of PresidentMadison and was with him when he died in1836. The President visited her home so fre-quently that the large tree in her front yard wascalled “the President’s oak” because his horsewas often tied there while he visited. Havingundergone an extensive restoration, it standsmuch as it did during the occupancy of theMadisons and Willises. Most of the glass, pan-eling, chair rails, mantels and stairways remainin their original condition. The original tenfireplaces have been restored and all work. Inaddition to the home and grounds, visitors willhave access to the original summer kitchen,now a two bedroom guest cottage, and a re-stored smoke house. Woodley comprises 40acres with three ponds and two streams. Thegrounds are landscaped with mature boxwood,towering magnolias and a lovely variety ofshade trees. Mr. and Mrs. Stephen R. Sanford,owners.

Montpelier, 11395 Constitution Hwy., Montpe-lier Station, VA 22960. Montpelier is the life-long home of our fourth president, Father ofthe Constitution, and architect of the Bill ofRights, James Madison, and his beloved wife,

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Dolley, grand dame of Washington society,who created the role of First Lady. Start at thenew Visitor Center, then tour the mansion tosee newly installed furnishings. Upstairs areeight costumes used in a PBS documentaryabout Dolley. The main house has undergone anationally acclaimed restoration to return it toits 1820 design. Past Historic Garden Weekproceeds have enabled the Garden Club ofVirginia to assist in restoring Montpelier’stwo-acre formal terraced Annie duPont Gar-den. In addition, visitors can view the Madisonfamily cemetery, the slave cemetery, framedoutlines of slave quarters in the South Yard,active archaeological digs, the Landmark For-est, James Madison’s Temple and the Montpe-lier train depot. Walk the Confederate Camp& Freedman’s Farm Trail and see rebuilt Con-federate huts and the Gilmore Cabin, of par-ticular interest during this 150th year of theCivil War. The Grills Gallery in the VisitorsCenter features The Treasures of Montpelierexhibit. Lunch is available in the CourtyardCafe, with dining inside or in the courtyard.


James Madison Museum, 129 Caroline St.,Orange. The first museum to fully commemo-

rate the Father of the Constitution providesinsight into the life and legacy of PresidentJames Madison. Significant documents, familyportraits, furnishings and Dolley Madison’slace, lockets and letters are all on display alongwith an original 1733 patent house and ruralVirginia farming artifacts. Open from 10 a.m.to 5 p.m. Admission fee.

Arts Center of Orange, 129 E Main St., Or-ange. The Center owns a 1911 brick buildingwhich houses rotating displays of local artists.Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. No admission fee.

Exchange Hotel Museum, 400 S. Main St,Gordonsville. Before the Civil War, the Ex-change Hotel welcomed passengers from tworail lines. When war broke, troops, suppliesand wounded were transported to Gordons-ville and the hotel became a hospital, whichprovided care for both Confederate and Unionsoldiers. During Reconstruction, it served thenewly freed slaves as a Freedman’s BureauHospital eventually returning to its role as ahotel. Now fully restored, it is a museumdedicated to the Civil War era. The museumwill be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Montpelier

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PetersburgDown the Garden Path

Sponsored byThe Petersburg Garden Club

Thursday, April 26, 2012from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Chairman:Marilyn T. Walker (Mrs. Robert C.)(804) 733-6646 or [email protected]

Co-Chairman:Molly Sammler (Mrs. William)(804) 861-1307 or [email protected]

Website: www.pgcvirginia.org

Tickets: $25, day of tour, includes all tourproperties, gardens, refreshments and Peters-burg’s historic sites. Children ages 6 to 12 halfprice; 5 and under, free of charge. Anyone 17and younger must be accompanied by an adultor guardian. Tickets available on April 26 ateach tour site. Tickets are non refundable.

Advance Tickets: $20 through Wednesday April25. Available at the Boulevard Flower Gardensand Windows ‘N’ Walls in Colonial Heights,The Cordial Cricket in Chester, and PalmoreDecorating Center, the Petersburg VisitorsCenter Farmers Bank and The Siege Museum,all in Petersburg. Send requests for tickets bymail by April 16 with a check made payable tothe Petersburg Garden Club, to Mrs. R. C.Walker, 9200 Ft. Dushane Rd., Petersburg, VA23805. Enclose a stamped, self-addressed busi-ness size envelope. For internet tickets, pleaseaccess www.VAGardenweek.org.

Refreshments: The Petersburg Garden Club’sannual tea for Historic Garden Week will beserved at The Marks House, 517 High Street,Petersburg from noon to 4 p.m.

Luncheon: The Cockade City Garden Club isoffering a gourmet lunch for $12 per person,fashion show and boutique by Ann’s DressShoppe of Waverly, music and a geranium saleon Thursday, April 26 at Historic St. Paul’sEpiscopal Church, 110 N. Union St. from 11:30a.m. to 2 p.m. Geraniums for sale for $5 atthe lunch site. To order in advance, [email protected] or call (804) 768-0758. Proceeds benefit the Historic BlandfordCemetery in Petersburg to help repair thetombstones and ironwork. Lunch tickets avail-

able in advance at Boulevard Flower Gardens,Blandford Church and Reception Center, TheCordial Cricket in Chester, Palmore Decorat-ing Center and the Petersburg Visitors CenterFarmers Bank. Lunch tickets can be purchasedthe day of the tour at St. Paul’s EpiscopalChurch. Built in 1856, Historic St. Paul’s Epis-copal Church will be open from 10 a.m. to5 p.m. on tour day. The sanctuary containshistorically significant stained glass windows.Robert E. Lee and his staff worshiped hereduring the Siege of Petersburg. Lee attendedthe wedding of his son here in 1867.

Directions: From I-95, take exit 52/W. Wash-ington St., travel two blocks west, turn right onN. Jefferson St., go one block, turn left onFranklin St., go 1⁄2 block and turn right ontoCentre Hill Ave. Parking is available in frontand back of Centre Hill. Maps and tour infor-mation will be available at Centre Hill. LeavingCentre Hill, return to Franklin St., turn right,go 1⁄2 block and turn left at light onto AdamsSt., at next light turn right onto E. WashingtonSt. Travel 5 blocks to Lafayette St. Turn right.Park at Second Presbyterian Church on right.Visit 435 W. Washington St. From parking,take a right on Lafayette St., travel to the

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second stop sign and turn left onto High St.Travel one block and visit 602 High Street onleft. Retracing your steps, travel one block andvisit 517 High St./The Marks House. Continuetraveling on High Street, proceed a block and ahalf and visit 311 High Street/Dodson Tavern.Continue to the stop light at Market St. Turnleft and go one block. Turn left onto Old St./Grove Ave. Travel two blocks and turn leftonto Cross St. Travel one block to Low St. andturn left. Proceed to and visit 274 Low St.Upon leaving, continue to N. Market Streetand turn right. Travel two blocks to signs onleft for St Paul’s Episcopal Church, historicchurch tour and luncheon site.

Please note: All homes and the church arewithin zip code 23803. Properties may be vis-ited in any order. As a courtesy to the home-owners, no high heels, interior photography orsmoking.


Centre Hill Mansion Museum, 1 Centre HillCourt. Centre Hill has been called a “symbol ofthe grandeur that characterized the aristocracyof Virginia in the 19th century.” The house wasbuilt in the Federal style by Robert Bolling IVin 1823. Subsequent owners remodeled thebuilding and in the 1840s, the house was up-dated by Robert Buckner Bolling (the originalowner’s son) to incorporate Greek Revivalelements. In 1901, Charles Davis added Colo-nial Revival style features to the interior. In1937, he sold the house to W. J. Miller. EdgarS. Bowling purchased it from Miller and do-nated the property to the National Park Ser-vice in honor of his wife, the former JoeClaiborne McIllwaine of Petersburg. It wasused as a Red Cross headquarters duringWWII. Afterwards, the government deeded itto the Petersburg Museum Corporation. In1972, the house and grounds were conveyed tothe City of Petersburg with the stipulation thatthe house be used as a museum. Following thetransfer of ownership, the Garden Club ofVirginia restored the grounds with proceedsfrom Historic Garden Week. Two UnitedStates presidents have visited. After the fall ofPetersburg, President Abraham Lincoln ar-rived on April 3, 1865, to meet with the Uniongeneral who was occupying the mansion. OnMay 19, 1909, President William H. Taft wasthe guest of honor at Centre Hill. City ofPetersburg, owner.

435 W. Washington Street. Purchased in 1998 foronly $10,500, this Italianate 19th century clap-board home had been divided into apartments

and was later vacant and boarded up. A con-tractor from Powhatan purchased the homeand began its restoration and renovation. In2005, it received a Petersburg Historic Buildingplaque, and in November of that year thecurrent owners moved into the 3,618 squarefoot dwelling. Joseph Carr, a pharmacist, builtthe stately two story home in 1883. The exte-rior features three porches and five entrances.There is a spacious patio in the rear with alarge built-in barbeque. The lovely gardenshave been recreated out of what was once aback-yard dump. A Colonial inspired herbgarden was added in 2010 on the owners’ lotfacing Lafayette Street. The interior featuressix fireplaces, twelve foot ceilings and hard-wood floors with walnut inlaid patterns. Theowners have a love of American history andhave amassed a collection of early Americanantiques and primitives. Of note are theMeakin ironstone, yellow ware, antique Biblesand books, pewter, artwork by P. BuckleyMoss, as well as numerous Civil War era printsand memorabilia. Mr. and Mrs. Bob Kennedy,owners.

602 High Street. This clapboard Victorian-stylehouse was built in the 1890s and purchased bythe current owner in 2005. The home boastsfour original coal fireplaces, heart-of-pinefloors throughout and all of the original win-dows. An empire-style chest with a secretdrawer is a special feature of the entrance hall.Recently built floor-to-ceiling book shelvesflank the doorway of the living room where anantique Chinese chest is the spotlight piece. Awall between the dining room and the kitchenwas removed and replaced with a large island.This is now an attractive open space withsaffron colored walls, a stained glass windowand exposed brick with plaster accents over thefireplace’s mantle. Upstairs is the master bed-room, guest room and a newly renovated bathand dressing room. The front and back gardensinclude extensive beds with flowering bulbs andplantings. Creative container gardening is thehomeowner’s special interest and there aremany examples. Open for the first time forHistoric Garden Week. Patrick Hagerich,owner.

The Destiny Inn – The Marks House, 517 HighStreet. Built in 1894, this clapboard home in theOld Towne Historic District of Petersburg isbelieved to be of the Victorian/Eastlake style.Records indicate that it was originally ownedby Martha and F. E. Marks. Five other familieshave lived there, many of whom maintainedmany of its architectural features. Dr. BollingJones, a well-respected Petersburg physician,used the first floor as his office and surgery.

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During World War II this residence was usedto board soldiers. It was purchased in 2003 bythe current owners, who made extensive reno-vations and opened it five years later as a B&B,the Destiny Inn. Many of the materials used inthe restoration were recycled from buildingdemolitions. The Inn features stained glasswindows, elaborately painted moldings andceiling medallions, ten original fireplaces andmany antiques. Off the kitchen is a spaciousdeck and patio with an outdoor kitchen. Thecarriage barn has been transformed into arecreation room and home theater. An herbgarden is incorporated into the lawns andborders. Open for the first time for HistoricGarden Week. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Pradia,owners.

Dodson’s Tavern, 311 High Street. Built c.1785-92 by Daniel Dodson, Sr., the tavern wasactually an “up-scale” boarding house, similarto Williamsburg’s Raleigh Tavern. This framehouse is considered to be one of the fewFederal structures in the Petersburg area withan interior that has remained basically un-changed for more than 200 years. Randomwidth floors, a stairway with delicate Federalmotifs and wrought-iron supports, as well the

double doors at the end of the hallway are alloriginal to the house. Furnishings are in keep-ing with the period, yet reflect the lifestyle ofthe current owner. In the dining room, awatercolor of the house by William Simpson,Sr. is of special interest. Simpson and his familylived in the house during the 1830s. The newlyremodeled kitchen features a copper repousseof Dodson’s Tavern commissioned by an artistin California. The frame dependency at therear of the house sits on the stone foundationof the early kitchen and slave quarters. Built in1973 and later expanded, the 2007 renovationcreated a living room/office with a workroom,small kitchen and a bath. The garden slopessteeply down to Low Street. It includes Knock-Out roses, a boxwood parterre featuring a largefountain, numerous shade plantings and a largelawn bordered by a stone wall. Mr. RobertWhite, owner.

The Worker’s Cottage, 274 Low Street. What wasonce an early 20th century “worker’s cottage”has been transformed into a vision of Victorianwhimsy. Originally, the cottage had four roomswith two separate entrances. There were tworooms on each side of the downstairs, with twosets of ladder-style stairs leading to the two

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rooms upstairs. Purchased in 1999, the resto-ration began as a labor of love and determina-tion, and today it is a charming single familydwelling. Decorated with collections of majol-ica, fruitwood and dogwood twig furniturefrom the mountains of Virginia and Victorianfurniture, the interior also features imaginativeuses of salvaged materials. One example is theold porch railing, complete with stiles, that hasbeen turned into a shower rod for the down-stairs bathroom. The exterior features old-fashion plantings, several garden structuresand a playhouse furnished with Lady Kenmoreproducts with a pink and white color scheme. Agarden shed, tool shed, pergola and a fairygarden complete the functional, yet magicalcountry garden. Opened for the first time forHistoric Garden Week.

Marie Bowen Gardens. From the rear parkinglot of St. Paul’s Church, turn left and proceedto Wythe St. Turn left. At Sycamore St. turnright, proceed to Tuckahoe St. Go one blockand turn left onto Fairfax Ave. Petersburg’sgarden clubs have had a lengthy history ofpreserving native specimens and enhancing thenatural beauty of their surrounding landscapes.The Raleigh Parish Garden Club, founded in1960, selected as its project what is now knownas the Marie Bowen Gardens. The gardens area naturalized woodland park with walking trailsfilled with azaleas, flowering trees and shrubsand native plants. Owned by the City of Peters-burg, these gardens have been maintained bythe Raleigh Parish Garden Club for 30 years.The scenic park is nestled in the Walnut Hillarea between Fairfax Street, Arch Street andArch Circle. It was named in honor of MarieBowen, a member of the Club who was instru-mental in taming a large overgrown ravine byspending countless hours propagating and es-tablishing native plants. The Club remainscommitted to further enhancing the gardensfor public enjoyment, education and conserva-tion.


Siege Museum, 15 West Bank Street. Housedin the ca. 1839 Exchange Building, the museuminterprets civilian life before, during and im-mediately after the Civil War. Emphasis is onthe 10 month siege of Petersburg (June 1864-April 1865), the longest period of time than anAmerican city has been under military siege.www.petersburg-va.org

Historic Blandford Church, 111 RochelleLane. Built in 1735, work was begun in 1901 torestore the building for use as a Confederate

Memorial chapel. There is a stained glasswindow in memory of Confederate soldiersfrom Virginia and 15 memorial compass win-dows that were commissioned by Tiffany’s stu-dio. www.petersburg-va.org

PortsmouthStrolling Through

Olde Towne Portsmouth

Sponsored byThe Elizabeth River Garden Club and

Nansemond River Garden Club


Chairmen:Elizabeth River Garden ClubLelia Graham Webb (Mrs. George Randolph)(757) 399-2497 or [email protected]

Nansemond River Garden ClubPamela Taylor Pruden(757) 961-7384 or [email protected]

Co-Chairmen:Elizabeth River Garden ClubMaggie Sue Creamer (Mrs. Ronald W.)(757) 393-7840 or [email protected]

Nansemond River Garden ClubStephie G. Broadwater (Mrs. Charles)(757) 356-1248 or [email protected]

Ticket Chairmen:Elizabeth River Garden ClubMartha McLean (Mrs. A. P.)(757) 238-3113 or [email protected]

Nansemond River Garden ClubStephie G. Broadwater (Mrs. Charles)(757) 356-1248 or [email protected]

Tickets: $35; single-site admission, $15. Chil-dren ages 6-12, half-price; ages 5 and under,free of charge. Strollers not permitted. Ticketsmay be purchased on tour day at any listed toursite. Children younger than age 17 must beaccompanied by an adult.

Advance Tickets: $30 for full tour. No single-site advance tickets available. Tickets may bepurchased beginning March 1 and ending at

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noon on April 20 at the following locations inPortsmouth: Bowman’s Garden Center, WayBack Yonder Antiques and the PortsmouthVisitor’s Center. In Chesapeake: 18th CenturyMerchant. In Suffolk: A. Dodson’s. Ticketsmay be purchased with cash or by check madepayable to ERGC and are also available fromthe Chairmen listed. For internet tickets,please access www.VAGardenweek.org.

Refreshments and Special Activities: A scheduleof events occurring between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.is available at each tour site. These include

skits performed by Civil War re-enactors, pe-riod music and dance presentations. Admissionto the following Portsmouth museums is free totour ticketholders on April 21. These includethe Children’s Museum of Virginia, the Light-ship Portsmouth Museum, the Portsmouth Na-val Shipyard Museum and the 1846 Court-house Galleries, located at the corner of Highand Court Streets, where complimentary re-freshments will be served from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Directions: Homes are located in the OldeTowne Historic District, where the oldesthouses date from the late 18th century. OldeTowne is located on the Elizabeth River at thefoot of High St. From I-264, take the Down-town Portsmouth exit, which is the closest exitto the Downtown Tunnel and follow CrawfordSt. into Olde Towne.

Parking: Limited street parking in Olde Towne.Free parking available in the municipal parkinggarages located on the corner of London Blvd.and Middle St., and in the first block of CountySt. behind the Children’s Museum.

Please note: This is a walking tour. Wear flat,comfortable shoes for your own safety and as acourtesy to homeowners. No interior photog-raphy is permitted. Properties may be visited inany order.

Ticket includes admission to the following 5properties and 2 private gardens:

The Hill House, 221 North Street. Imagine afamily leaving their home and all their belong-ings and never returning. The Hill House is anEnglish basement home that remains intactafter 150 years, including original belongingssuch as clothing that hangs in one of thearmoires. Headquarters to the PortsmouthHistorical Association, this property providesan opportunity to observe how the restoration

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of an untouched 1800s home unfolds. Whilethe original garden layout is unknown, we doknow the Hills were avid gardeners. Displayedare many photos and award certificates frominternational flower shows. Elaborate plans forthe last garden renovation in 1964 still existand have helped with the selection of heirloomplantings in the current restoration. At theentrance is a formal garden with a brick linedpath through old boxwood and camelliassurrounding a majestic magnolia. The pathleads to the tombstone of the Hill’s favoritepet, Spuds. Portsmouth Historical Association,owner.

430 Court Street. The home was built in 1830 byCharles A. Grice, president of Portsmouth GasWorks, who lived there with his family until1870. It is a 4-story brick, Federal, Englishbasement style home. The second owner wasWilliam Parker, a prominent Portsmouth busi-nessman with 16 children who occupied thehome in 1875 for several years and added theItalianate facade to the classic structure. Fromthe 1920s to 1941 the dwelling was used as aboarding house. In 1941, it became the LodgeHome, Local 441 of the International Associ-ation of Machinists. Vacant from the 1980s to1997, it was restored to a private residence in

1998. This home boasts original heart pinefloors, 11 foot ceilings and 12 inch baseboards.Green marble mantles grace three fireplaces inthe twin parlors and dining room along withoriginal “Cross and Bible,” or 6 panel, interiordoors. The interior features an authentic 1830scolor palette. Viewed from the kitchen is the“Tell me a story” garden that includes anironwork canopied bed. Upon leaving the gar-den, notice the “speakeasy” gate, a possiblereference to the Machinists Union Bar, oncelocated in the basement of the house. Open forthe first time for Garden Week. Valerie Cos-notti, owner.

412 London Street. This historic home was builtaround 1740 as a “salt-box” (one story in theback and two in the front). Its original stair-case, wide pine floors and three fireplacesremain. The basic 18th century floor plan stillexists. A kitchen and powder room was addedat a later date. It is furnished with periodantiques, most of which originally belonged tothe owner’s parents and grandparents. Thegrandmother clock in the foyer was made bythe owner’s grandfather using the wood fromhis great grandfather’s desk. Of note are thecollections of pewter displayed in a corner

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cupboard and artwork by Cape Cod artists.Visitors will enjoy the brick patio with a wiste-ria covered arbor and a landscaped garden ofboxwood, crepe myrtles, Confederate jasmineand a Lady Banks rose. Opened for the firsttime for Garden Week. Tom Branton, owner.

497 North Street. This turn of the century housewraps a corner in Olde Towne and holds thedistinction of once having an address on twostreets. Built as a single family home, it wasconverted into a duplex in the 1930s. What isnow the kitchen was a doctor’s office with aDinwiddie Street entrance. The current ownersconverted it back into a spacious single familyhome. There is a rosewood square grand pianoin the living area. The space flows into thedining room and then a modern kitchen.Rooms feature large, well adorned windows,attractive moldings, original artwork and ma-ple floors covered with Oriental rugs passeddown from the couple’s families. The home hasfour bedrooms, including the master with anadjoining sitting area with antique wardrobesused to supplement closet space. Of note is themirror at the top of the staircase. An informalcourtyard garden features a wall of Confeder-ate jasmine. Dia Duvernet and Pierce Tyler,owners.

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331 Middle Street. Located near the ElizabethRiver, this late 1880s Victorian duplex is thefifth home the owners have renovated. Therecently restored kitchen with cabinetry madeby Mark Woodland (the owner) is especiallynoteworthy. A spacious window looks throughto an enclosed porch which has been convertedinto a sitting area. Mark’s award winning pho-tography of travels at home and abroad isdisplayed throughout. The original floors andtrim were salvaged and repurposed in everyroom except one. The home is furnished forfamily living. Enter a private garden through aside entrance and continue to Mrs. Woodland’snewly completed art studio. The landscapeincludes flowers, herbs and vegetables, andeven an outdoor shower, which is almost hid-den from the garden walk. Antique ironworkadds to the atmosphere of this gated retreat.Open for Historic Garden Week for the firsttime. Mr. and Mrs. Mark Woodland, owners.

362 Washington Street (garden only). Tuckedbehind a handsome mid-1800s duplex is aprivate shade garden designed by the currentowners. A Victorian framed gate leads to anentrance lined on one side with white azaleasand climbing hydrangeas. There is a fountain ina small pond bordered by stones from theirgrandparent’s home in Indiana. The family’syoung son assisted in the design of the pondwhich contains an array of water plantsamongst the goldfish. The garden acts as anoutdoor room and is enhanced by raised bedsfilled with perennials, ferns and evergreens. AVictorian bench is tucked away for brief re-spites. Open for Historic Garden Week for thefirst time. Mr. and Mrs. Patrick J. Small, owners.

367 Washington Street (garden only). This inti-mate backyard garden has undergone signifi-cant renovation over the last six months. Itmeasures only 20 feet by 25 feet, and was firstopen for Historic Garden Week in 2004. Sev-eral of the shrubs were fine when initiallyplanted, but eventually outgrew the yard.These plants have been replaced with slowgrowing, miniature or small specimens. Severalyears ago a fence was added, with a gate to theoff street parking. The fencing was recentlystained white. The owner wanted more spacefor entertaining, so the patio was expanded aswell. Sharon Knowles, owner.

Place of Interest:

1846 Courthouse Galleries, at the corner ofCourt and High Streets, The Garden Club ofVirginia, with funding from Historic GardenWeek tours, restored the grounds of this his-toric courthouse in 1984. Exhibits inside.

RichmondAmpthill/Wilton Area

Sponsored byThe Boxwood Garden Club,

The James River Garden Club,The Three Chopt Garden Club and

The Tuckahoe Garden Clubof Westhampton

Tuesday, April 24, 2012from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Chairmen:Mrs. Holly Braden (Mrs. Peter K.)(804) 282-5533 or [email protected]

Mrs. Ruthie Cogar (Mrs. William R.)(804) 355-2403 or [email protected]

Mrs. Elizabeth Wallace (Mrs. D. Fleet)(804) 358-8850 or [email protected]

Transportation Chairmen:Ms. Cammie Furber(804) 288-4466 or [email protected]

Mrs. Kitsie Garland (Mrs. Robert)(804) 359-0024 or [email protected]

Tickets: $35 in advance; $40 on day of tour;single-site ticket $20. Children ages 5 andunder, free of charge; ages 6-12, $20; childrenage 17 and under must be accompanied by anadult. Tickets may be purchased on tour day atany of the houses open for the tour and atdesignated Advance Ticket Locations.

Advance Ticket Sale Locations for Tuesday,Wednesday and Thursday Richmond tours: On-line at www.VAGardenweek.org. J. Taylor Ho-gan, Fraiche, The Shops at 5807, Kelley’s GiftShop, Pink Palm, Rivah Flowers, Janet BrownInteriors, Roan, The Virginia Center for Ar-chitecture, The Museum of the Confederacy,Sneed’s Nursery & Garden Center, Yves De-lorme, Williams & Sherrill, Posh, The GardenPlace, Plow & Hearth, Tweed, Strange’s Flo-rist, Greenhouse & Garden Center, LewisGinter Botanical Garden. No credit cards andno refunds on advance tickets purchased lo-cally. Cut-off date for advance ticket sales atlocal locations is Monday, April 23, at 12 noon.

Luncheon: Wilton House Museum, 215 S. Wil-ton. By reservation only. Enjoy lunch in theDependency at historic Wilton House Mu-seum, headquarters for The National Society

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of The Colonial Dames of America in theCommonwealth of Virginia and situated on abluff overlooking the James River. Lunch willbe served from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at a costof $14.00 per person, which includes admissionto the historic house and grounds. Menu op-tions are posted at www.wiltonhousemuseu-m.org. For individual reservations, please com-plete the online Individual Order Formindicating your menu choice, quantity, andinclude a check payable to NSCDA-VA. Forgroup tour lunch reservations, complete theonline Group Tour Order Form, proceeding asabove. Mail to the attention of Elizabeth Flem-ing, Wilton House Museum, 215 South WiltonRoad, Richmond, VA 23226 postmarked nolater than April 13. Confirmations will be pro-vided by email only, unless otherwise requestedon reservation form. Tickets are to be pickedup at the door. For questions, please contactElizabeth Fleming at 804-282-5936, ext. 3 or [email protected]. Limitedbus and car parking is available for luncheononly.

Refreshments: Refreshments will be served,weather permitting, at the home of Mr. andMrs. T. O’Connor Johnson, 5301 KenmoreRoad, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.


Special Activities April 24, 25 and 26: The Kent-Valentine House, 12 East Franklin Street.Headquarters of the Garden Club of Virginiaand Historic Garden Week in Virginia. Openonly during Historic Garden Week from10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Complimentary refreshmentsserved in the Gothic Revival style dining room.No admission fee. www.gcvirginia.org. WhiteHouse of the Confederacy, 1201 East Clay St.,Historic Garden Week ticket holders admittedto the Museum and the White House free ofcharge. Regular admission fee is $15. (804)649-1861, ext. 32. Virginia House, 4301 Sul-grave Rd. Owned and operated by the VirginiaHistorical Society, this impressive Englishmanor was transported in 1925 from Warwick-shire, England, to the Windsor Farms neigh-borhood where it was reconstructed as a fineprivate residence. The expansive gardens over-looking the James River were designed bynoted landscape architect Charles F. Gillette.Gardens open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. forHistoric Garden Week. The house museum isopen by appointment only. No admission fee.(804) 353-4251 or www.vahistorical.org.

Directions: From the West: From 1-64, take exit186 onto I-195 South (Powhite Parkway). Take


the Cary Street Rd./Grove Ave. exit and followsigns to Cary Street Rd. Turn right onto CaryStreet Rd. and travel west approximately 1.5miles. Tour to the left, signs will be posted.

From the North: From I-95 South, take exit 79to I-195 south (Powhite Parkway). Take theCary Street Rd./Grove Ave. exit and followsigns to Cary Street Rd. Continue with direc-tions above.

From the South: From I-95, take exit 74A ontoI-195 (Downtown Expressway). Please notethat this is a toll road ($0.70). Take Cary StreetRd./West 147 exit. Turn right onto Thompson

St. Turn right onto Cary Street Rd. Continuewith directions above.

From the East: From I-64, take I-95 south toexit 74A onto I-195 (Downtown Expressway).Take the Cary Street Rd./Grove Ave. exit andfollow signs to Cary Street Rd. Continue withdirections above.

Parking: On-street parking will be availablethroughout the tour district and on the streetsto the north of Cary Street Rd. There will be acrossing guard at the intersection of CaryStreet Rd. and Wilton Rd. and one at theintersection of Cary Street Rd. and Tuckahoe


Blvd. to facilitate pedestrian street crossing.Although this is primarily a walking tour, lim-ited shuttle service will be available.

Notes: As a courtesy to homeowners and foryour safety, please wear walking shoes. A mapof the tour area, including restroom facilities,will be on the back of the Garden Week ticketfor this day. No interior photographs or sketch-ing please, and no use of cell phones withinthe tour homes. Tours are generally lesscrowded after lunch. Properties may be visited

in any order and all homes are within zip code23226.

Bus Information: Coordinators of large bustours are asked to contact Kitsie Garland at(804) 359-0024 or [email protected] transportation instructions and tickets.

Historical Information on the Neighborhood:

The lovely neighborhood of rolling hills wasone of the first attempts at residential develop-ment in the “suburbs” of Richmond. After


helping finance the extension of a streetcar linefrom the city to an amusement park at Wes-thampton Lake in 1902-1903, Richmond finan-cier John Skelton Williams bought this tract ofwhat was then rural land from Cary StreetRoad to the river. On the highest crest, he builthis brick mansion “Paxton” which was lateroccupied by Marymount School, and thenrazed at the end of the century. In 1929 themanor house of Ampthill Plantation which wasnear Fall Creek on the James River, wasdismantled, moved and reassembled at its cur-rent site at the bottom of Ampthill Road.Similarly, an imperiled Wilton House, origi-nally the center of a two-thousand-acre to-bacco plantation on the James River, wasmoved in 1936 by The National Society of TheColonial Dames to its current location at thebottom of Wilton Road. This magnificent ex-ample of Colonial American architectureserves as both a museum and headquarters forthe Dames.


203 Ampthill Road. The facade of this 1936traditional brick Georgian Revival home

evokes a feeling of timelessness that sets thestage for the riches within. Of particular inter-est among the collection of European, pedi-greed antiques are a 1920s porcelain factoryclock and a 1720 Louis XV limestone mantel.The current owners have expanded the home,adding a spacious family room, sunroom, mas-ter bedroom and bath suite, office, rear cov-ered terrace, and a three-story garage. Al-though the impressive renovation tripled thesize of the first floor, careful planning pre-served the original scale and architecture mak-ing the addition almost undetectable from thestreet. The barrel vault of the center hallfeatures a Palladian window that was preservedfrom the original hall and relocated. This cre-ates a dramatic presence that incorporates theback staircase replicated as a mirror reflectionof the original in the front hall. Also of note area custom hand railing depicting the family andthe original pine paneled library. The terracedgardens span three acres with a picturesquelanai featuring travertine floors, reclaimed an-tique beams and custom cut radius stairs. Awaterfall provides definition between this ele-gant outdoor living room and the pool. Dr. andMrs. Scott D. Gullquist, owners.

203 Ampthill Road


215 Ampthill Road. A boxwood lined drive leadsto this 1937 Colonial Revival home, impeccablyfurnished with Italian paintings, modern land-scapes, antiques, Picasso lithographs andAmerican handmade pieces, many of whichwere acquired in New Orleans. A grand frontto back hallway offers a clear sightline to the2004 solarium. Generous expanses of glasssupported by simple columns give an open airquality to the room. Red and white oaks pro-vide a lovely canopied view of the James Riverand Williams Island below. A terrace, fur-nished with elegant clipped boxwood and sea-sonal white flowers, extends the entertainingspace. The view to the river is breathtaking,with a series of terraces which were originallycarved into the slope by Charles Gillette. Theydescend gracefully, a level at a time, toward theriver below. The central space is enlivened by ahandsome bronze statue of Mercury whoproudly surveys his surroundings. Recent alter-ations to the plan by Charles J. Stick emphasizeGillette’s garden rooms which are threadedtogether by brick pathways. One leads to ahidden, boxwood parterre garden, full of springbulbs and peonies, offering an intimate andprivate retreat. Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. John-son III, owners.

5301 Kenmore Road. This approachable Geor-gian home, built in 1951, happily marries tra-ditional decor with the casual ease befitting alarge family. Nestled slightly below street leveland handsomely framed by boxwood, thestately clapboard facade is matched by anequally appealing interior. Well proportionedrooms are laid out in a delightfully unexpectedplan with a long hall spanning the front of thehouse and a sunken living room just beyond.Decorated in a palette of reds, browns, andyellows, the house exudes great warmth whilegrasscloth, nubby sisals, and the plush tapestryof oriental rugs enhance the cozy livability ofthe house. Attractive milled bookcases hostseveral decorative collections such as paper-mache chinoiserie and an assemblage of pew-ter vessels. Original Charleston works comple-ment the sweetgrass baskets from SouthCarolina. Though the house was originally builtto combine formality with utilitarianism, thecurrent owners have gone a step further byadding a guest room, laundry room, mudroomand garage. The new outdoor living space nowlends itself to easy entertaining with a kitchen,terrace, and outdoor fireplace. The ownersenjoy an expansive back lawn with beds edgedin stacked stone and bordered by various typesof hollies. Mr. and Mrs. O’Connor Johnson,owners.


118 Paxton Road. Built in 1948, this paintedbrick farmhouse is on tour for the first time. Inthis elegant but comfortable family home, theaesthetic is largely traditional as suits the ar-chitecture. The rooms are rich in color andpattern and are furnished with antiques ofsignificant pedigree, including a Pembroke ta-ble that was once in Wilton House. Interestingcollections include antique English chintzchina, Nantucket woven baskets, and paintings.Noteworthy is the portrait of the owner’sgrandmother by prominent New York artist,Molly Dee. Light floods into the casual roomsat the back of the house through an expanse ofFrench doors and windows. While the kitchenand den are spacious and utterly livable, thesymmetry of the fenestration in this additionand the formality of the millwork echo theelegance of the original front rooms. The frontlawn is lush, shaded by a huge willow oak, andis bordered by spectacular pink, purple, andblue hydrangeas, some brought back fromNantucket by the owner. Transplanted peonieswere also brought from her childhood home.Nellie Stevens Hollies border three sides of theshade garden, flourishing under a large horsechestnut tree. Mr. and Mrs. G. Scott Hetzer,owners.


206 South Wilton Road. Although built in 2008,the authentic natural and reclaimed materialsused in the construction of this French Countryhome make it look as though it has inhabitedthis site for centuries, creating a sense ofagelessness and history. When steppingthrough the rustic oak doors and into thelimestone foyer, the visitor feels that she hasfollowed generations of friends, family andguests into this Provencal dwelling. A pair ofcustom built corner cabinets flank an antiquebench in the dining room, papered in a heavilypatterned Scalamandre toile. Creamy whiteand soft grey colors are carried throughout thehouse, and the restrained palette creates aserene and restful haven. The clean lines of thefurniture and the simplicity of the breezy linendraperies enhance the defining aesthetic, whichis both classic and understated. Quirky acces-sories, such as the reclaimed laboratory over-head light that serves as a ceiling fixture, add tothe unpredictable and delightful decor. Thehome is enlivened by a carefully selected as-semblage of artwork by contemporary artists.Three sets of French doors in the living roomopen to a covered porch and a French cottagestyle garden, lushly planted with hydrangeas,peonies and camellias. Mr. and Mrs. James T.Clark, owners.


4 South Wilton Road. This 1939 Colonial clap-board home, open to the public for the firsttime, is a testament to inspired renovation. In2010, the current owners embarked on a highlycreative reimagining of original spaces. Theyendeavored to preserve the home’s originalpleasing proportions and to retain the hand-some coffered arches that mark the transitionsbetween rooms. While the dining room becamean open library, the ceiling of the family roomwas removed to create a magnificent vaultedspace with windows at two levels. In an addi-

tion to the rear of the home, the owners gainedspace for an Old World, European stylekitchen with Carrera marble countertops,clerestory windows and painterly finishes. Thefeel throughout this home is indeed quiteFrench, due in part to the European antiquesthat the owners have inherited or found intheir travels, such as the French trumeau Em-pire secretary, the Directoire settee, the walnutfarm table, and the 18th century vitrine that hasbeen in the family since its origin. The slopingyard and garden also make reference to


Provence, especially in the stone hardscapeand the rustic stone fountain made from ma-terials salvaged during renovation. Mr. andMrs. Leo John McDermott Boyd, owners.

If you have additional time while visiting in theRichmond area, you might enjoy some of theother Places of Interest, which are listed at theend of the Richmond tour descriptions.

The Boulevard Tour

Co-sponsored by The Council of HistoricRichmond Foundation and

The Garden Clubs of Richmond

Wednesday, April 25, 2012 from10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Chairmen:Darcie Nelson(804) 662-5511 or [email protected]

Lally Jennings(804)285-9534 or [email protected]

Tickets: $35 in advance; $40 on day of tour;single-site ticket $20. Children ages 5 and

under, free of charge; ages 6-12, $20; childrenage 17 and under must be accompanied by anadult. Tickets may be purchased on tour day atany of the houses open for the tour and atdesignated Advance Ticket Locations.

Advance Ticket Sale Locations for Tuesday,Wednesday and Thursday Richmond tours: On-line at www.VAGardenweek.org. J. Taylor Ho-gan, Fraiche, The Shops at 5807, Kelley’s GiftShop, Pink Palm, Rivah Flowers, Janet BrownInteriors, Roan, The Virginia Center for Ar-chitecture, The Museum of the Confederacy,Sneed’s Nursery & Garden Center, Yves De-lorme, Williams & Sherrill, Posh, The GardenPlace, Plow & Hearth, Tweed, Strange’s Flo-rist, Greenhouse & Garden Center, LewisGinter Botanical Garden. No credit cards andno refunds on advance tickets purchased lo-cally. Cut-off date for advance ticket sales atlocal locations is Monday, April 23, at 12 noon.

Bus Information: Coordinators of bus groupsare asked to make arrangements for parkingand tickets with Trudy Porter at (804) 355-0604.

Luncheon: The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts(VMFA), 200 N. Boulevard; Pre-packed boxedlunches are available by reservation only for

Richmond – The Boulevard176

$16 before April 18. Box lunches will be servedfrom 11a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Marble Hall ofthe VMFA. For reservations and to chooseyour lunch entree contact Debbie Scott (forWednesday lunch only) at (804) 355-4801 orat [email protected]. Make your check(please include phone number) payable toHistoric Richmond Foundation Council andmail to Debbie Scott, 3805 Sulgrave Rd., Rich-mond, Virginia 23221.

Refreshments: 500 Block N. Boulevard—TheTuscan Villa Condominiums. The Tuscan Villawas designed in 1928 by Richmond architect

Bascom Rowlett, the architect of other well-appointed apartment buildings such as RixeyCourt on Monument Avenue and The EnglishVillage on Grove Avenue. It was converted tocondominiums in the 1980s. The building isone of the best examples of Mediterraneaninfluenced architecture in Richmond. It is athree-story building with a plain stucco finishand a low-pitched clay tile roof. Four ellscreate three courtyards with crepe myrtle andliriope lined paths. Decorative sculpture, re-cessed loggias, iron balconies, cartouches, andthe sun-scorched yellow stucco and verdigristrim paint add to the building’s Italian allure.

Richmond – The Boulevard 177

The five building segments are named forregions in Tuscany: The Lucca, The Siena, TheLeghorn, The Florence, and The Pisa. TheTuscan Villa Condominium Association is gra-ciously allowing complimentary refreshmentsto be served from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. in thecourtyard.

Special Activities: Tours of the grounds at TheVirginia Museum of Fine Arts. The originalVMFA building was designed by the Virginiaarchitecture firm of Peebles and Ferguson in1936. The new award-winning museum expan-sion completed in 2010 was designed by Lon-don-based architect Rick Mather, in partner-ship with SMBW, a Richmond architecturalfirm. Included in the expansion was a redesignof the 13.5 acre grounds and the E. Claiborneand Lora Robins Sculpture Garden. The gar-den serves as a stage for performances andoutdoor gallery space to display permanentand temporary works from the VMFA sculp-ture collection. Among the up to a dozen largesculptures on display at any time is the JunKaneko totem-like figure which was part of theinaugural exhibition of the remodeled mu-seum. The grounds feature century-old trees, areflecting pool surrounded by water lilies andcattails, and a terraced slope with a waterfall


staircase. Tours will be given from atop thewaterfall staircase on the hour starting at10 a.m. and with the last at 3 p.m. These willhighlight the century and a half of neighbor-hood architecture and gardens that can beviewed from that vantage point. Tour guidesinclude volunteers from neighboring VirginiaDepartment of Historic Resources. The Kent-Valentine House, 12 East Franklin Street.Headquarters of the Garden Club of Virginiaand Historic Garden Week in Virginia. Openonly during Historic Garden Week from10 a.m. to 3 p.m., April 24, 25 and 26. Compli-mentary refreshments served in the GothicRevival style dining room. No admission fee.www.gcvirginia.org. White House of the Con-federacy, 1201 East Clay St., Historic GardenWeek ticket holders admitted to the Museumand the White House free of charge April 24,25 and 26. Regular admission fee is $15. (804)649-1861, ext. 32. Virginia House, 4301 Sul-grave Rd. Owned and operated by the VirginiaHistorical Society, this impressive Englishmanor was transported in 1925 from Warwick-shire, England, to the Windsor Farms neigh-borhood where it was reconstructed as a fineprivate residence. The expansive gardens over-

looking the James River were designed bynoted landscape architect Charles F. Gillette.Gardens open April 24, 25 and 26 from 10 a.m.to 4 p.m. for Historic Garden Week. The housemuseum is open by appointment only. Noadmission fee. (804) 353-4251 or www.vahistorical.org. The Galleries of West Main willremain open until 7 p.m. in support of HistoricGarden Week. Located inside the southernboundary of the Historic Fan District in Rich-mond is a concentration of upscale art galler-ies, regarded as some of the finest in the area.Many are housed in renovated historic homes,storefronts and redesigned warehouses. Ad-mission is free. Participating galleries are lo-cated between the 1300 and 2500 block of WestMain Street. They are: Uptown, 1509 MainStreet, Reynolds, Ginger Levit Atelier, MainArt, Artemis, Red Door, Brazier, Studio Two-Three, Glave Kocen, Page Bond, The VisualArts Center of Richmond and Laura Loe.

Directions: From the west: From I-64 take I-195South via exit 186 toward Powhite Pkwy. Takethe Hamilton St. exit toward US-33/US-250/Broad St. Take the ramp toward Broad St. andturn slightly right on to N. Hamilton St. Turn


left onto Broad Street and go approx. 1.3 mi.turn right onto The Boulevard. This historicBoulevard neighborhood begins after thestatue of Stonewall Jackson at the intersectionof Monument Avenue and The Boulevard.

From the east: From I-64 west, take exit 78toward The Boulevard. Take a slight left totake the ramp toward VA 161. Turn left ontoHermitage Road. Take a right onto RobinHood Road. Take a left onto The Boulevard.Go about 1.2 miles.

From the south: From I-195N/Downtown Ex-pressway (note this is a toll road), take theBelvidere St. exit and turn right onto S. Belvi-dere St. Turn left onto Main St. Go approx. 1mi. to The Boulevard.

From the north: From I95 South take I-195Svia exit 79 toward US-60W/Powhite Pkwy.Take the Hamilton Street exit toward US-33/US-250/Broad St. Take the ramp toward BroadStreet and turn slightly right on to N. HamiltonSt. Turn left onto Broad Street and go approx.1.3 mi. turn right onto The Boulevard.

This historic Boulevard neighborhood beginsat the statue of Stonewall Jackson at the inter-


section of Monument Avenue and The Boule-vard.

Parking: Parking is available on the neighbor-hood streets in the tour area. Members of theVirginia Museum of Fine Arts park for free attheir parking deck at 200 N. Boulevard. Formore information on VMFA membership andparking visit www.vmfa.state.va.us.

Restroom: Available at the Virginia Museum ofFine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard.

Notes: This is a walking tour. Please wearcomfortable, low-heeled shoes as a courtesy tohomeowners and for your safety. No interiorphotography or sketching, please. No use ofcell phones in the houses. Tours are generallyless crowded after lunch. Properties may bevisited in any order. All houses are within zipcode 23220 and are between Monument Ave-nue and Cary Street.

Historical Background on The Boulevard:

The Boulevard is a grand avenue dividingRichmond’s Fan District and Museum District.It is on the National Registry of HistoricPlaces, is a Virginia Historic Landmark, and isrecognized as an Old and Historic Neighbor-


hood in Richmond. In 1875 this country roadthen called “Clover Street” was widened dur-ing plans for a park and reservoir, now calledByrd Park, where horse races and fairs wereheld. In 1884 the city purchased The RobinsonFamily Farm on Clover Street at Grove Ave-nue to create the R.E. Lee Camp #1 forConfederate Veterans. Around 1900, CloverStreet became known as The Boulevard andwhen the downtown streetcars were extendedto the area around 1909, a neighborhoodbloomed. Over the next 30 years houses,churches, museums, and residences for veteranwidows lined the picturesque street. Over thepast decade The Boulevard has seen a renais-sance with residents reclaiming the architectur-ally diverse houses, and investors restoringgrand apartment buildings. In 2010, The Vir-ginia Museum of Fine Arts completed a na-tionally acclaimed contemporary wing and re-designed its gardens. The result is a fun, livelyand creative street that is home to passionatecity-dwellers, families, art, architecture, andhistory.


7 S. Boulevard. This stucco and brick house isone of several on The Boulevard built in the


Tudor Revival-gone miniature style. It featuresdecorative brickwork and half timbering overthe arched entrance door. A sweeping gablegives the house a gingerbread cottage quality.The owners retired to the city from the westend, but both lived in the neighborhood aschildren and their home is full of inheritedtreasures. A drawing of the Uffizi gallery on anoversized wooden triptych by the Milaneseartist Piero Fornasetti hangs over an early 19th

century French library table in the entry. Mrs.DeBiasi’s great grandparents’ matching chairscirca 1860 sit around the fireplace in the livingroom. An Italian traveling trunk with decora-tive metal latches and leather handles which

arrived in this country with Dr. DeBiasi’sgrandmother serves as a table in the secondsitting room. The kitchen features a cork floorand hickory cabinets that store glassware fromMrs. DeBiasi’s grandparents. The family’s artcollection includes many pieces by the ownerhimself. Outside is a brick and stone patiofilled with holly, jasmine and a pink quansoncherry tree. Dr. and Mrs. Gilbert DeBiasi, own-ers.

1 N. Boulevard. This Colonial Revival town-house with a mansard roof and two storyCorinthian columned front porch was built in1914. It served as a doctor’s office and apart-


ments before being returned to a single familyhome and a bed and breakfast. The owner ofthe home is in the lighting business as isevidenced by the varied and beautiful lightingthroughout the house. The living room has anoriginal turned staircase and fireplace. Thedining room features an entertaining-friendlycustom curved banquette. The original butler’spantry was turned into a surprising “hall” bath.The inviting kitchen has a lively mural depict-ing the family members as vegetables! Theback portion of the upstairs serves as a bed andbreakfast appropriately named “The One,” inreference to the house address and the beau-tiful stained glass transom over the front door.There are two suites with a shared parlor and aseparate entrance for guests. The gardens wraparound the side and front of the house and areenclosed by a wrought iron fence. Mr. and Mrs.Sean Brooks, owners.

6 N. Boulevard. This house, along with the twoon either side of it, was designed in 1921 byarchitect Marcellus Wright, the architect whodesigned Richmond’s Landmark Theater. Al-though the three houses have identical floorplans, each was given a unique facade withdifferent brick types and tile roofs. The current


owners worked with a historical preservationistto locate the original plans, which are stored atthe Library of Virginia, and renovated thehouse back from a tenement to its originalstate. They added a half bath in the originalservant’s room off the kitchen, a third floormaster suite, and a finished basement makingroom for their young family.

A commission depicts an artistic interpretationof a written legal opinion argued (and won) bythe owner in front of the Washington SupremeCourt. The dining room sports a collection ofNative American art including oil paintings,folk art and a ceramic tobacco store-style In-dian. The black and white kitchen with Anjoupear walls dares to have all open cabinetrycreating a lively family space. The kitchenoverlooks a patio and play yard for the childrenshaded by a Japanese maple. Mr. and Mrs. EricB. Martin, owners.

10 N. Boulevard—Garden Only. Enter from thealley after touring 6 N. Boulevard and discoveran urban garden used to its full potential.Gardenias, nandina, crepe myrtle, oak leafhydrangea, foster holly, camellia, and hostasare complemented by colorful annuals yearround. The trellises are adorned with a combi-


nation of Lady Banks roses and Carolina jas-mine. Atop the carriage house the owners havecreated a full vegetable, flower and herb gar-den with walkways along boxed planters and abuilt-in irrigation system. The long yard’s step-ping stones, porch and patio are fun for theowners and the two canines who call it home.Exit the garden along the right side alley to thefront porch and yard with cherry laurels, gar-denia, crepe myrtle, nandina and potted annu-als. Mr. Brian W. Spencer and Mr. Matthew W.Ziehl, owners.

105 N. Boulevard. This 1915 brick vernacularhome with Tuscan columns is a true Cinderellastory. A decade ago the house was nearlycondemned from neglect and the gardens werea tangle. Current owners purchased the housefrom a builder/renovator who could see thebeauty in the original columns, leaded glass,moldings, oak floors and diamond paned win-dows. Fresh and fun interior design completesthe transformation. The art collection includeswork by Eastern Shore, regional and Rich-mond artists. The lady of the house is theresident chef and her studio is the gorgeousgranite and stainless steel kitchen with deepred walls. The basement was recently finishedas a family room with separate exercise and

laundry rooms accessible from the garden orfirst floor. The serene, comfortable stone-floored screened porch overlooks a rare doublelot with a brick patio, seating areas and gardenwith a woodland park feel. Hydrangea, fern,azaleas, Japanese maple, and a ring of dwarfmagnolias surround the main attraction, anapproximately 100-year old holly tree. Mr. andMrs. Saul G. Glick, owners.

2900 Grove Avenue—The Confederate War Me-morial Chapel (behind the VMFA building). Thegrounds of the VMFA were once home to theRobert E. Lee Camp #1 for ConfederateVeterans also called The Confederate Soldier’sHome. The camp chapel was erected in 1887 inmemory of the more than 260,000 Confederatedead and as a chapel for the Confederateveterans. Marion J. Dimmock, Sr. designed theAmerican Gothic Revival structure and JosephF. Wingfield built it. The chapel was usedregularly for meetings, Sunday services, and“Last Roll Call Services.” More than 1,700funeral services were held here until the lastresident veteran died in 1941. The home wasthen closed and the camp buildings were de-molished, except for the chapel and the Rob-inson House, the original farmhouse on theproperty. The chapel was restored in 1960-1961


and is granted the same status as a Confeder-ate monument. The stained glass windows areoriginal and depict themes from the war andmemorials to fallen soldiers including GeneralJohn Pegram. The Chapel is open today as partof Historic Garden Week until 4 p.m. and hasbeen decorated as a Victorian wedding cour-tesy of The Friends of the Confederate WarMemorial Chapel.

The Robinson House Grounds—200 Block of N.Boulevard, next to the new VMFA wing. In the1830’s Anthony Robinson, Jr. purchased 170acres of land west of the planned developmentof “Sydney” (the present day Fan neighbor-hood). Robinson built a two-story Italianatehouse in the mid 1850s for his family and livedthere until after the Civil War. In 1865, Rob-inson’s widow Rebecca housed Union soldiershere in exchange for protection from looters.In 1883 Robinson’s son Channing sold theproperty for use as the Confederate Soldier’sHome grounds. The house was used as anadministrative building and a war museum forthe camp. During this time, the third floor andcupola were added to the house. The houseoriginally had an additional small porch on thewest side and a full length porch on the eastside. An image of the historical garden thatexisted around 1884 and spanned from the eastfacade to The Boulevard is located in front ofthe building today. The Robinson House isowned by the VMFA.

409 N. Boulevard. This 1908 townhouse con-structed of coursed ashlar stone rounds out thearchitectural offerings of the street as the onlymodified Queen Anne style townhouse onBoulevard. A 1999 interior fire led to a sensi-tive rebuilding which retained many originalfeatures but opened the space for modernliving. The current owners have lived here lessthan one year, but were no strangers to oldhomes or Richmond. They relocated from a100 year old house in Washington D.C. and arecollectors of Richmond art. In the living roomis a print of Hollywood Cemetery and an 1860sengraving of the same scene. An oak chinacupboard in the dining room houses a greataunt’s Royal Crown Derby “Mikado” chinaand a grandmother’s cut glass collection. Thechef’s kitchen with marble countertops andblack walls is accented by colorful pottery anda bright oil painting of a Fan neighborhoodscene. Uninterested in composting in a cityyard, the avid gardeners house a worm farm intheir basement to nourish the teeming gardenlandscaped with herb, vegetable and perennialgardens, and a miniature crabapple tree shad-ing an outdoor room complete with a fireplacemantel. Mr. and Mrs. J. Stanley Austin, owners.


509 N. Boulevard, # 14 at The Tuscan Villa.Small is the new glamorous in this under 1,000square foot first floor condominium. The own-ers downsized five years ago and edited theircollections of 16th to 20th century art andantiques to only their best and most cherishedbelongings. The formal dining room wasmoved to the front parlor to take advantage oftheir private loggia and Tuscan Villa courtyardview during dinner parties. The remainingspace is used efficiently and every area ismasterfully designed and decorated creating asophisticated but comfortable home. A sam-pling of the antiques includes an 18th centuryEnglish Chippendale grandfather clock, late19th century campaign chest, and a collectionof religious artifacts including carved woodenSantos, a 16th century Corpus, and an oil-on-tinangel painting from a monastery. Significantworks, including an oil by the French artistVernier, joins notable local art. The graniteand cherry wood kitchen with a collection ofOld Paris tea and coffee pots leads to a creativesmall garden situated on a 4’ x 10’ back porch.Mr. B. Howard Wells and Mr. William BoydClements, owners.

2701 Park Avenue. Tucked between MonumentAvenue and Boulevard this 1928 mansion wasdesigned by architect Isaac Skinner. Originalblueprints have been passed to each of the onlyfour owners who have lived here. The Geor-gian Revival’s front door has Ionic pilasterswith a neat pediment. Formal first floor roomshave the opulent yet comfortable style of anEnglish country house. Stand-out antiques in-clude an 18th century breakfront bookcase anda bronze jardiniere located in the living roomfrom Jacqueline Kennedy’s estate where youwill also see the original electric servant bell.The library’s mantel and corner cupboardswere antiques when built into the room andnow share space with a dog themed art collec-tion. A new kitchen incorporates the originalglass-front cabinetry and telephone in itsbuilt-in nook. The dining room features a1920sFrench opera chandelier and overlooks a dou-ble lot garden purportedly designed by CharlesGillette. Although no plans remain, someplantings including a holly tree allee, arethought to be original. An arbor with wisteriaconnects the kitchen door with outdoor seatingarea. The garden’s crowning glory is the double

2701 Park Avenue


Charleston-style porch with striped awnings, afavorite spot of the owners. Mr. Robb Moss andMr. Michael Maddix, owners.

If you have additional time while visiting in theRichmond area, you might enjoy some of theother Places of Interest, which are listed at theend of the Richmond tour descriptions.

Three Chopt/Westhampton Area

Sponsored byThe Boxwood Garden Club,

The James River Garden Club,The Three Chopt Garden Club and

The Tuckahoe Garden Clubof Westhampton

Thursday, April 26, 2012from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Chairmen:Mrs. Holly Braden (Mrs. Peter K.)(804) 282-5533 or [email protected]

Mrs. Ruthie Cogar (Mrs. William R.)(804) 355-2403 or [email protected]

Mrs. Elizabeth Wallace (Mrs. D. Fleet)(804) 358-8850 or [email protected]

Transportation Chairmen:Ms. Cammie Furber(804) 288-4466 or [email protected]

Mrs. Kitsie Garland (Mrs. Robert)(804) 359-0024 or [email protected]

Tickets: $35 in advance; $40 on day of tour;single-site ticket $20. Children ages 5 and

under, free of charge; ages 6-12, $20; childrenage 17 and under must be accompanied by anadult. Tickets may be purchased on tour day atany of the houses open for the tour and atdesignated Advance Ticket Locations.

Advance Ticket Sale Locations for Tuesday,Wednesday and Thursday Richmond tours: On-line at www.VAGardenweek.org. J. Taylor Ho-gan, Fraiche, The Shops at 5807, Kelley’s GiftShop, Pink Palm, Rivah Flowers, Janet BrownInteriors, Roan, The Virginia Center for Ar-chitecture, The Museum of the Confederacy,Sneed’s Nursery & Garden Center, Yves De-lorme, Williams & Sherrill, Posh, The GardenPlace, Plow & Hearth, Tweed, Strange’s Flo-rist, Greenhouse & Garden Center, LewisGinter Botanical Garden. Cut-off date foradvance ticket sales at local locations isMonday, April 23, at 12 noon. No creditcards and no refunds on advance ticketspurchased locally.

Luncheon: The Country Club of Virginia, 6031St. Andrews Lane. By reservation only beforeApril 11 and served from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00p.m., at a cost of $13.50 per person. Enjoylunch on the terraces overlooking the golfcourse and swimming pools. If the weather isinclement, lunch will be served inside in theBallroom. Menu options and an order form areposted at www.vagardenweek.org under theRichmond April 26 tour description. Completethe Individual or Group order form indicatingmenu choice and quantity, and include a checkpayable to Richmond Garden Week and mailto the attention of Mrs. Betty Jenkins, 4228Kingcrest Parkway, Richmond, VA 23221.Confirmations will be provided by email. Tick-ets are to be picked up at the door. Forquestions, please contact Liza Cabell at 804-355-5011 or [email protected]. Bus and carparking are available.

Richmond – Three Chopt/Westhampton Area 191

Refreshments: Weather permitting, at the homeof Mr. and Mrs. M. Alexander Kempe, 6615Three Chopt Road, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Special Activities April 24, 25 and 26: The Kent-Valentine House, 12 East Franklin Street.Headquarters of the Garden Club of Virginiaand Historic Garden Week in Virginia. Openonly during Historic Garden Week from10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Complimentary refreshmentsserved in the Gothic Revival style dining room.No admission fee. www.gcvirginia.org. WhiteHouse of the Confederacy, 1201 East Clay St.,Historic Garden Week ticket holders admittedto the Museum and the White House free ofcharge. Regular admission fee is $15. (804)649-1861, ext. 32. Virginia House, 4301 Sul-grave Rd. Owned and operated by the VirginiaHistorical Society, this impressive Englishmanor was transported in 1925 from Warwick-shire, England, to the Windsor Farms neigh-borhood where it was reconstructed as a fineprivate residence. The expansive gardens over-looking the James River were designed bynoted landscape architect Charles F. Gillette.Gardens open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. forHistoric Garden Week. The house museum isopen by appointment only. No admission fee.(804) 353-4251 or www.vahistorical.org. LewisGinter Botanical Garden will have extendedhours on Thursday, April 26 until 9 p.m. From5 p.m. to 7 p.m. guests can enjoy wine tasting,dining, live music, and a tour of historic Blo-emendaal House. www.lewisginter.org for feesand more information. The house and gardensof Tuckahoe Plantation, the boyhood home ofThomas Jefferson, will be open in celebrationof Historic Garden Week on April 26 for $15.Information at www.tuckahoeplantation.com.

Directions: From the West: From 1-64, take exit186 onto I-195 South (Powhite Parkway). Takethe Cary Street Rd./Grove Ave. exit and followsigns to Cary Street Rd. Turn right onto CaryStreet Redland travel west approximately 2miles. At fork in the road, turn right ontoThree Chopt Rd. Turn left into the CountryClub of Virginia. Proceed to Caddie Hill park-ing lot to pick up shuttle bus.

From the North: From I-95 South, take exit 79to I-195 south (Powhite Parkway). Take theCary Street Rd./Grove Ave. exit and followsigns to Cary Street Rd. Continue with direc-tions above.

From the South: From I-95, take exit 74A ontoI-195 (Downtown Expressway). Please notethat this is a toll road ($0.70). Take Cary StreetRd./West 147 exit. Turn right onto Thompson

Richmond – Three Chopt/Westhampton Area192

St. Turn right onto Cary Street Rd. Continuewith directions above.

From the East: From I-64, take I-95 south toexit 74A onto I-195 (Downtown Expressway).Take the Cary Street Rd./Grove Ave. exit andfollow signs to Cary Street Rd. Continue withdirections above.

Parking/Shuttle Information: Parking will beavailable at the Country Club of Virginia(CCV). Please follow valet directions to desig-nated areas. Shuttle pick up and drop off willbe available at the Caddy Hill parking area.Bus tours may also drop off and pick up at theCaddie Hill lot. This tour is primarily a shuttletour due to the location of several houses onbusy Three Chopt Road. The Country Club ofVirginia is the main drop off/pick up locationfor the tour. The first shuttle bus will leaveCCV at 9:50 a.m., and the last shuttle will leaveCCV at 3:30 p.m. There will also be overflowstreet parking in the Levering Road neighbor-hood and the Towana/Roselawn neighbor-hood. Visitors may park in these areas andboard the shuttles for a round trip tour of thehouses.

Bus Information: Coordinators of large bustours are asked to contact Kitsie Garland at(804) 359-0024 or [email protected] transportation instructions and tickets.

Notes: A map of the tour area, including rest-room facilities, is on the back of the GardenWeek ticket for this day. Please wear comfort-able, low-heeled shoes as a courtesy to home-owners and for your safety. No interior pho-tography or sketching, please. No use of cellphones in the houses. Tours are generally lesscrowded after lunch. Properties may be visitedin any order. All houses are within zip code23226.

Historical Information on the Neighborhood:

This tour encompasses beautiful homes andgardens along Three Chopt Road and some ofthe neighboring streets of the Westhampton/Three Chopt area. Three Chopt Road wasoriginally an Old Indian Trail. Maps of thecounty dating back to colonial times show thisroad marked as “Three Notch’d Road” due tothe markings of three notches cut into the treesto blaze the trail. By 1853, on one of JohnSmith’s maps, the spelling changed to what it istoday. As you tour this area, keep in mind that


you are traveling down what was once a majoreast-west route across central Virginia used bynotable individuals such as Cornwallis, Wash-ington, Jefferson and Lee.


602 Levering Lane. This cedar shake Englishcottage, built in 2000, is the original design ofthe current owners. The foyer and living roomare enhanced by elegant wainscoting and de-tailed millwork. A seamless tranquility is main-tained by the use of discreet doors; slidingpanel doors in the living room conceal themedia and bar areas on either side of a colonialfireplace while a home office in the den ishidden behind raised panel doors. Rooms havebeen beautifully appointed by the owner, whois a designer. Living areas are harmonized by apalette of warm hues and the rich, burnishedtones of treasured antiques, both Americanand European. Richly traditional, with a liberaluse of pattern in the Oriental rugs, fabrics, andwallpapers, this home is sophisticated yet re-laxed, providing a pleasing dichotomy betweenthe formal and informal. A comfortable, openporch with a bluestone floor, fitted out innatural stained wicker and primitive antiques,

overlooks a private garden space planted withcrepe myrtles, boxwoods, roses and hydran-geas. A vigorous New Dawn rose clambers overan arched trellis, a detail that underscores theowners’ precise understanding of aesthetics.Mr. and Mrs. Henry M. Massie, Jr., owners.

6310 Three Chopt Road. This charming clap-board cottage, built circa 1905, was one of thefirst country retreats for city dwellers in theWesthampton area. The casual facade beliesthe stylish interior which boasts 11’ ceilings,handsome millwork, and fireplaces in all theoriginal rooms. A series of arches punctuatethe long view from the front to the back of thehouse. The current owners’ extensive andeclectic collection of works by local artists addsvitality to the traditional spaces. The art andfurnishings provide a fascinating study in con-trasts, between the old and new, the abstractand realistic, the rarified and the ordinary.Thoughtfully renovated by the previous own-ers, the cottage now has a spacious master wingconnected to the house by a curved, fenes-trated gallery. A curvilinear chandelier hangs,jewel like, within the eight sided cupola ceilingof an octagonal family room addition. Here,and in the adjacent office area, long Frenchdoors offer a vista onto the expansive backgrounds. Shaded by towering ancient oaks, thedeep and shaded lawn feels like an Englishpark. Hidden surprises are a charming pottingshed and a vegetable garden concealed behindmixed annuals and perennials. Mr. and Mrs.Charles K. Fox, owners.

6426 Three Chopt Road. This fairytale house istucked away on Three Chopt Road, hiddenbehind hollies and towering evergreens. A gen-erous bluestone walk leads to the coveredporch of this 1935 cottage. Light washed andneutral in palette, the first floor is tranquil butrich in the sensual textures of sisal, linen, andvelvet and in the varied finishes of wood. Coloris provided by the splendid paintings by notableartists, separated by disparate cultures andcenturies of history. Spectacular antiques fromacross the globe, such as the Argentineantrumeau mirrors and the gilded Italian chan-delier give the space elegance. Such objectscomplement other unconventional, statesidefinds including a pair of art deco sconces onceused in the Barnum and Bailey Circus. In thebreakfast area, the family gathers around atransparent dining table made from temperedglass laid over an antique Italian marble urn.Seen from the warm sanctum of the library is asecond antique European urn, the centerpieceof the side courtyard. The English style gardenhas been planted for continuous blooming


throughout the growing season with roses, pe-onies, tulips, hyacinths, foxglove, irises, andsmoke bushes. In the deep back yard, a largeboxwood circle surrounded by perennial bedsis visible from an elevated, L-shaped terrace.Mr. and Mrs. Peter W. Van der Wolk, owners.

6615 Three Chopt Road. The generous architec-tural scale of this clapboard Georgian house iswelcoming and stately. The ceilings float at 11feet, and the openings between rooms are wideand expansive. Despite its dimensions, thehouse feels big-hearted and open-armed ratherthan forbidding. This effect is due in part to thefarmhouse features throughout, such as verti-cal v-groove painted paneling and the vintagestyle kitchen with its flat panel cabinet doorsand exposed hinges. A pair of Palladian doorsin the study opens onto an open air, bluestoneside porch with a ceiling fan, carriage lanterns,wicker and ferns. It serves as the perfect spotfor lemonade and the newspaper. From here itis but a short walk across the lawn to theoriginal 1920s swimming pool that has beenspectacularly renovated with a bluestone sur-round. The owners recently built a matchingpair of delightful clapboard pool houses withcopper roofing and cerulean doors. They arejoined by a pergola and situated on either sideof a large limestone outdoor fireplace. One ofthese delightful dependencies serves as achanging and shower area, the other is a pool-side kitchen for entertaining. Mr. and Mrs. M.Alexander Kempe, owners.

30 Old Mill Road. The charming Flemishbonded facade of this 1930s Cape Cod beliesthe contemporary eclecticism inside. Therooms are beautifully defined by their ArtDeco flair and French accents as well as theirdeparture from architectural norms. Floor-to-ceiling French windows and exposed brickwalls meld the old with the new in an inspiredaddition and renovation. A glass floor on theredesigned upper level allows light to pour intoone of the many living spaces on the main floorbelow. Paintings by notable local artists can befound throughout the house while the owners’appreciation of the unexpected is seen in aself-portrait oil by musician John Mellencampand in dreamily evocative photographs by aJapanese artist. Rare pieces such as the drop-leaf, wake table in the dining room and anantique French Enfilade complement the so-phisticated design. An open-air porch withcolumns, segmented archways and balustradesprovides a stunning view to the sunken gardenslandscaped in an abundance of magnolia, box-wood, crepe myrtle, and hydrangea. A sidegarden enjoys an allee of sweeping crepe myr-tle branches over a bed of columbine and

hellebores. This is the only house where theupstairs bedrooms will be open for touring. Mr.Raymond McKinney and Mrs. Tasha Tolliver,owners.

25 Towana Road. This white frame charmer wasbuilt by Mary Wingfield Scott, noted preserva-tionist, from recycled beams, iron railings, andother salvaged materials to house the TopKnot Nursery School in the 1940s. Grooves leftwhen the child size bookshelves were removedare still visible in the living room while thecellar retains paint splatters from art classes.Adroit renovations have preserved the cottagefeel of the original structure. The enlargedfamily home now encloses three sides of afriendly, central courtyard. The current owner,with an endowed eye for mixing styles, periods,and colors into lighthearted compositions, hastopped storied antiques with stylishly modernlamps. A freewheeling attitude is also reflectedin the art collection which includes severalportraits and pieces by prominent artist BillSullivan of New York City. A long loggia runsacross the back of the home and overlooks theterraced garden below which has a whimsical,natural feel. A series of bridges leapfrogs fromone part of the meandering stream to another.From above, one can see a mad amalgam ofcrooked little paths and stepping stones in a


variety of different colors, shapes and sizes. Mr.and Mrs. Kevin M. O’Hagan, owners.

53 Towana Road. Situated high on a steeplysloped lot, this English stone farmhouse over-looks the dovetail of Towana and RoselawnRoads. The elevation affords the residents afine view, lavish light and ample privacy. Thehouse sits on the property in a quiet way; the 18inch thick stone walls and bluestone pathsseem to emerge naturalistically from the earththat supports them. Accordingly, the manymature trees, shrubs, and plants that surroundthe home are largely native and informal intheir arrangement. At a back entry to thekitchen, the owners designed a deep and shadystone portico that leads, via a steep staircasesunk between stone walls, to the lower leveland a cluster of glazed pots. Inside the house, asense of history and refinement is underscoredby a beautiful simplicity and restraint. Theinteriors are relatively spare of accessories,rugs are few, and decoration is limited toessentials. The amplitude of natural light andthe artwork take center stage. While the own-ers disclaim having a “collection” per se, theassemblage is vibrant and energizes the space.A 2010 update to the farmhouse kitchen in-

cluded the installation of a zinc-topped island.Mr. and Mrs. James E. Cain, owners.

Other Places of Interest in the RichmondArea:

Agecroft Hall, 4305 Sulgrave Rd. Sections froma 15th century manor house in England werebrought over and reconstructed as a privateresidence in 1928, designed as the centerpieceof the newly developed, English-themed Wind-sor Farms suburb. On a 23-acre site overlook-ing the James River, Agecroft is surrounded bygardens designed by Charles F. Gillette, one ofwhich is reminiscent of the Pond Garden atHampton Court Palace near London. Severalof Agecroft’s gardens are inspired by 17th

century models: the knot garden, the herbgarden and the fragrance garden. (804) 353-4241 or www.agecrofthall.com.

Edgar Allan Poe Museum, 1914-1916 EastMain St. A garden inspired by Poe’s lovepoems is nestled amid the five-building mu-seum complex which includes the Old StoneHouse built in 1737, the oldest surviving dwell-ing from the original city of Richmond. Themuseum features objects owned by Poe and his

53 Towana Road


family, as well as letters, manuscripts, booksand periodicals written or edited by Poe, and apanorama of Richmond as it was in his day.(804) 648-5523 or www.poemuseum.org.

Executive Mansion, Capitol Square at the in-tersection of 9th and Grace Streets. A NationalHistoric Landmark, the Executive Mansion hasbeen the home of Virginia’s first families since1813 and is the oldest continually occupiedgovernor’s residence in the United States. TheEast Garden, designed and installed in themid-1950s by noted landscape architectCharles F. Gillette, was restored in 1999-2000by the Garden Club of Virginia with fundingfrom Historic Garden Week events. For infor-mation about tours of the Executive Mansioncall (804) 371-8687 or www.executivemansion.virginia.org.

Henricus Historical Park, 251 Henricus ParkRoad in Chester. Established in 1611, Henricuswas the second successful English city in theNew World (after Jamestown) and is beingrecreated today on the banks of the historicJames River in Chesterfield County. Historicalinterpretations and reenactments pay tributeto Virginia’s Indians and English settlers whohelped carve a nation out of a frontier. (804)706-1340 or www.henricus.org.

John Marshall House, 818 E. Marshall St., inRichmond’s Court End. Chief Justice Marshallbuilt his residence in Richmond in 1790 andlived there for 45 years. The house is anoutstanding example of Federal architectureand contains a rich collection of family-ownedfurnishings and Marshall memorabilia. Thenewly refurbished garden features plans popu-lar in the 18th century. The John MarshallHouse is operated by APVA Preservation Vir-ginia. (804) 648-7998.

Kent-Valentine House, 12 East Franklin St.One of the most architecturally significant andvisually prominent antebellum mansions indowntown Richmond, it was designed by IsaiahRogers, a noted New England architect in 1845for Mr. and Mrs. Horace Kent. The house isthe only remaining residential structure knownto have been designed by this leader of theGreek Revival movement. Modified and en-larged by Mr. and Mrs. Granville Gray Valen-tine in 1904, this stately mansion occupies aquarter block of historic Franklin Street. Thebuilding has been preserved and the groundslandscaped by The Garden Club of Virginia.This historic house is the headquarters of TheGarden Club of Virginia and Historic GardenWeek in Virginia. Open only during Historic

Garden Week from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday,Wednesday and Thursday. No admission fee.www.gcvirginia.org

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 LakesideAve. A magnificent Conservatory is the onlyone of its kind in the mid-Atlantic. An out-standing new Rose Garden features more than1,800 fragrant roses. Blooms year-round withbeauty and includes more than 40 acres ofspectacular gardens including an extensive pe-rennial garden, an Asian garden, a wetlandgarden and the Grace Arents Garden, a Vic-torian landscape restored by the Garden Clubof Virginia with funding from Historic GardenWeek tours. A Children’s Garden features awheelchair-accessible Tree House, a FarmGarden and an International Village. (804)262-9887 or www.lewisginter.org.

Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site, 1101⁄2 East Leigh St. Commemorates the life of atalented and progressive African-Americanwoman. Despite segregation and personal dis-abilities, she achieved success in the world ofbusiness and finance as the first woman in theUnited States to charter and serve as a presi-dent of a bank. The house is restored to its1930s appearance with original Walker family


pieces. For hours and information: (804) 771-2017 or www.nps.gov/mawa.

Magnolia Grange, 10020 Ironbridge Rd.,Chesterfield Courthouse area. A handsomeFederal-style plantation house built in 1822 byWilliam Winfree. It was named for the circle ofmagnolia trees that once graced its front lawn.Its distinctive architectural features include theelaborate ceiling medallions and intricate carv-ings on mantels, doorways and window frames.This house museum interprets life at a 19th

century plantation. (804) 796-1479 or www.Chesterfieldhistory.com.

Maymont, 2201 Shields Lake Drive. Thegrounds of this 100-acre, Victorian estate in-clude Japanese, Italian, English and Herb gar-dens. Overlooking the James River, the houseis an example of the opulent style of theAmerican Gilded Age. The ornamental lawnsurrounding the mansion was restored by theGarden Club of Virginia from 1996-98 andnow features a shrub labyrinth restored walk-way, specimen trees and rose arbors. The Ital-ian Garden contains parterres and a wisteria-covered pergola, and the Japanese Gardenincludes a dramatic 45-foot waterfall. Enjoycarriage and tram rides on the grounds and a

Nature and Visitor Center complete with ot-ters. (804) 358-7166 or visit www.maymont.org.

Richmond Visitor’s Center, 401 North 3rd

Street. Maps, information about dining andlodging in the Richmond area. (804) 783-7450and www.richmondva.org.

St. John’s Mews, Church Hill, South of BroadStreet between 23rd and 24th. St. John’s Churchwas the site of Patrick Henry’s famous Revo-lutionary War battle cry. The grounds of thisChurch Hill landmark feature a communitygarden created by the Garden Club of Virginiawith proceeds from Historic Garden Week. Abrick wall with ornamental cast-iron panelscontains examples of the decorative iron workproduced by Richmond foundries in the 19thcentury. This quiet and restful spot, maintainedby Historic Richmond Foundation, was dedi-cated in 1967. The original cobblestone in thealley was incorporated in the garden plan,along with boxwood, flowering shrubs andground covers. (804)643-7407.

The American Civil War Center at HistoricTredegar, 490 Tredegar St. The Center is thenation’s first to incorporate the causes, courseand legacies of the Civil War from Union,Confederate and African American perspec-tives. The flagship exhibit, In the Cause ofLiberty, incorporates films and artifacts through-out. (804) 788-6480 or www.tredegar.org.

The Bolling Haxall House, 211 East FranklinSt. An imposing Italianate mansion built in1858, the house was purchased in 1900 by TheWoman’s Club of Richmond, which lateradded an elegant auditorium to host notableweekly speakers. It was renovated in the late-1980s using a team of acclaimed preservation-ists. A Virginia Historic Landmark, the building isalso listed on the National Register of HistoricPlaces. The house is a popular venue for public andprivate events and open for tours by appointment.(804) 643-2847, ext. 13, or www.twcrichmond.org.

The Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St.Established in 1823, the Library of Virginia hasthe most comprehensive collection in the worldof material devoted to Virginia history, govern-ment and culture. The Library offers free ex-hibitions and talks by Virginia authors onVirginia topics. (804) 692-3500 or www.lva.lib.va.us.

Tuckahoe Plantation, 12601 River Road, westof Richmond in Goochland County. Boyhoodhome of Thomas Jefferson. Tuckahoe is con-sidered to be the most complete plantationlayout in North America dating from the early18th century and was one of the original prop-


erties featured on the first Historic GardenWeek in 1929. Noteworthy are the rare out-buildings, including paired structures whichwere the office and schoolhouse where Jeffer-son attended classes. In 1935, the mansion wassaved from being partially dismantled andmoved for museum display. Grounds include acemetery and a kitchen garden with perennials,vegetable plots, and a Memorial Garden de-signed by Charles F. Gillette. The house and gar-dens of Tuckahoe Plantation will be open in cele-bration of Historic Garden Week on April 26 for$15. Information at www.tuckahoeplantation.com.

Valentine Richmond History Center, 1015 E.Clay St. The only organization dedicated todocumenting Richmond’s dynamic history, thecentury-old Valentine Richmond History Cen-ter in historic Court End features revolving andpermanent exhibitions, educational programs,and guided city tours that explore and interpretthe lifestyle and culture of the city. (804)649-0711 or www.richmondhistorycenter.com.

White House of the Confederacy, 1201 EastClay St., three blocks from the State Capitol.Built in 1818 and designed by architect RobertMills, this stately home served as the ExecutiveMansion of Confederate States President Jef-ferson Davis from August 1861 to April 4,1865. Located next to The Museum of theConfederacy (www.moc.org), The WhiteHouse has been restored to its Civil War-eraelegance. Historic Garden Week ticket holdersadmitted to the Museum and the White Housefree of charge April 24, 25 and 26. Regularadmission fee is $15. (804) 649-1861, ext. 32.

Virginia Historical Society, 428 North Boule-vard. For 150 years, the VHS has been collect-ing portraits, manuscripts and artifacts. Theseinclude the largest collection of Confederate-made weapons in the world. The museum nowoffers free admission to the museum and itsresearch library. Information: (804) 358-4901or www.vahistorical.org.

Virginia House, 4301 Sulgrave Rd. Owned andoperated by the Virginia Historical Society,this impressive English manor was transportedin 1925 from Warwickshire, England, to theWindsor Farms neighborhood where it wasreconstructed as a fine private residence. Theexpansive gardens overlooking the James Riverwere designed by noted landscape architectCharles F. Gillette. Gardens open April 24, 25and 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for HistoricGarden Week. The house museum is open byappointment only. No admission fee. (804)353-4251 or www.vahistorical.org.

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 2800 GroveAve. An impressive addition completed in 2010put the VMFA in the Top 10 art museums inthe country. Boasting a permanent collectionof more than 23,000 works of art from almostevery major world culture, the impressive col-lection spans 6,000 years. Especially notewor-thy are the Faberge collection, the Modern andContemporary work donated by Sydney andFrancis Lewis as well as the British SportingCollection given by the Paul Mellon Founda-tion. (804) 340-1400 or www.vmfa.state.va.us.

Wilton, 215 S. Wilton. This handsome colonialmansion overlooking the James River was builtsoutheast of Richmond between 1750 and 1753and moved in 1934 to its present location byThe National Society of The Colonial Damesof America in the Commonwealth of Virginia.Known for the magnificence of its Georgianarchitecture and its 18th century furnishings,Wilton contains floor-to-ceiling paneling in allrooms. The parlor with fluted pilasters andarches has been recognized as “one of the 100most beautiful rooms in America.” Noteworthyare the fine collections of 18th and 19th centuryfurniture, silver, glassware, looking glasses andtextiles. The grounds were landscaped by theGarden Club of Virginia in 1936 with fundsfrom Historic Garden Week tours. (804) 282-5936 or www.wiltonhousemuseum.org.


RoanokeSponsored by

The Mill Mountain Garden Club andThe Roanoke Valley Garden Club

Saturday, April 28th, 2012from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Chairman:Jennie Vogel (Mrs. George I. III)(540) 343-8378, (540) 798-2329 [email protected]

Co-Chairman:Cyndi Fletcher (Mrs. Jeffrey R.)(540) 589-3084 or [email protected]

Website:www.millmountaingc.org

Tickets: $20 per person. No single site tickets.May be purchased on April 28 at any of thehouses on the tour. Sorry, no credit cardsaccepted, except in advance at www.VAgardenweek.org. Children 6-12, half price. Chil-dren 5 and younger, free admission. Children

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younger than 17 must be accompanied by anadult.

Luncheon: A gourmet box lunch for $12 perperson by Chanticleer Catering available at theRonald McDonald House, 2224 South Jeffer-son Street from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Make checkspayable to Sissy Logan, and mail to Mrs.Logan, 1930 Tucker Lane, Salem, VA 24153.Checks must be received by April 23. Forinformation, [email protected]. Somelunches sold on a first come, first served basison tour day.

Refreshments: Cookies available at the home ofMr. and Mrs. George I. Vogel, III, 2734 S.Jefferson Street from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Special Activities: An upscale yard art sale andbulb sale will be held at the South RoanokeUnited Methodist Church parking lot locatedon 23rd Street. Proceeds benefit the RoanokeCouncil of Garden Clubs grounds. The CrystalSpring Pumping Station will be open to thepublic from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Listed on theNational Register of Historic Places, the work-ing pump is recognized as one of the last, best

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examples of its kind by the Smithsonian Insti-tute. The Pumping Station is located at thecorner of Jefferson Street and McClanahanStreets.

Directions: From Interstate 81 exit 143 towardRoanoke. Take Interstate 581 in Roanoke tothe Wonju St. Exit. Proceed South on WonjuSt. As Wonju St. crosses Franklin Rd. it be-comes Broadway Ave. Follow Broadway .4mile to McClanahan St., turn right and proceed3 blocks to Jefferson St. From the South/Rte.220, take the Franklin Rd. Exit. Turn right atthe end of the ramp. Travel 1.5 miles to the

stop light at the intersection with BroadwayAve. Turn right onto Broadway Ave. and con-tinue 0.4 mile to McClanahan St. Turn rightand proceed 3 blocks to Jefferson St.

Ticket includes admission to the following 4properties and one private garden:

15 Cardinal Road. This Tudor-style home, lo-cated at the corner of Jefferson Street andCardinal Road, overlooks the City of Roanoke.It was built in 1928 and was the home of severalpresidents of the Norfolk and WesternRailroad which was once headquartered in

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Roanoke. Most notably, it was home to bothStuart Saunders and Herman Pevler. Thepainted brick home was remodeled in 1960 andmore recently in 2000. It occupies one acre ofcity property and features unparalleled down-town city views. The angular design of theoriginal house and a recent addition take fulladvantage of the spectacular setting. Inside, animpressive porcelain collection complementsthe furnishings. Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Hooper,owners.

2734 South Jefferson Street. This home is a fineexample of American Revival Tudor Style ar-chitecture. It was built in 1929 by Mr. ArthurNeedles, who was President of Norfolk andWestern from 1924 to 1936. Eubank andCaldwell of Roanoke was the original architect.Of particular note are the tile garden room offthe dining room, the owner’s fourth generationdining table and the 2011 renovation to themaster bath and closet. The interior featuresmany pieces from Mrs. Vogel’s family that isfrom South Carolina. Most notable are thethree large mirrors in the hallways throughoutthe home. The current owners acquired thehome from Mr. Vogel’s parents in 2010. The

original finishes of the woodwork, walls andbrass fixtures have been restored. The largesunken living room was transformed from aformal area to a family-friendly space. Thegarden was designed by the late Albert A.Farnham, a Roanoke landscape architect, andcompleted in 1933. The previous Mrs. Vogelused this property for many years as the Gar-den Club of Virginia test garden for lilies. Mr.and Mrs. George I. Vogel, III, owners.

2911 Crystal Spring Avenue. This six bedroombrick colonial was built in 1952 by a prominentRoanoke business owner. It features moderndecor and furnishings collected during theowner’s time spent abroad. Classic architec-tural features such as expansive crown and footmolding, 10 foot ceilings, wood built-ins andhardwood floors are throughout the home.Notable on the interior is a tiered staircase.Outside, the owners enjoy a park like settingthat includes city and mountain views, as wellas a heated pool and a stone chimney locatedby the pool. They have a great view of Roa-noke’s July 4th fireworks from their own seatspoolside! Other outdoor features are a tieredstone perennial garden and both apple and fig

15 Cardinal Road

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trees. The house is situated on an acre of landwhich affords privacy rarely seen in a cityhome. The extra lot is enjoyed by neighbor-hood children who come to play on the ropeswing located on it. David and Beth Scheiderer

2406 Jefferson Street (garden only). On thecorner of Jefferson Street and 24th Street inSouth Roanoke is a perennial garden borderedby boxwood and hemlock hedges that is 37

years old. It continues to evolve as the ownersplant and pamper their beloved garden. Theyard is partially hidden from the street andfeatures both sun and shade areas filled withnative plants and wildflowers. Many plantswere chosen to attract birds and butterflies.There is also a small pond. In addition, theyhave an active compost pile as part of theirenvironmental effort to maintain and sustaintheir treasure. Dr. and Mrs. A. Sidney Barritt, III

StauntonHistoric Gospel Hill

Sponsored byThe Augusta Garden Club


Chairman:Deneen Brannock(540) 255-3168 [email protected]

Co-Chairman:Jane Ford(540) 885-5716 or [email protected]

Tickets: $25 day of tour. May be purchased ateach house open for the tour. Children ages6-12 half-price; ages 5 and under free ofcharge.

Advance Tickets: $20 available at the followinglocations: Woodrow Wilson Presidential Li-brary at His Birthplace in Staunton, Waynes-boro Landscape and Garden Center inWaynesboro, The Fashion Gallery in Verona,Blue Mountain Coffees in Staunton and theVillage Garden Center in Fishersville. To pur-chase tickets online, please access www.VAGardenweek.org.

Directions and Parking: From I-81 take Exit 222and travel west on Rte. 250 for approximately2.8 mi. Follow the signs for historic downtownStaunton. At the intersection with Rte. 11, turnright on to Greenville Avenue and travel north(.1 mi.) under the railroad underpass. At thattraffic light, you have several options for park-ing. Continue straight through the light toCoalter St. for two blocks. Take a left onFrederick St. The Woodrow Wilson Presiden-

tial Library (WWPL) parking lot is halfwaydown the block on the left. Or, turn left at thelight to continue on Greenville Ave. At thenext traffic light, turn right on to New St. Apublic parking garage with Visitors Center ison your right. The Staunton Free Trolley con-nects from here to WWPL. Limited on-streetparking is available. Use of parking lots/garageand the free trolley are encouraged.

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Bus Tours and Area Information: Bus tours arewelcome. Contact the Staunton Conventionand Visitors Bureau at (800) 342-7982 forinformation about parking and other amenitiesfor groups. Visit www.savorstaunton.com fordining options. Contact the Visitors Bureau atwww.visitstaunton.com for information aboutlodging.

Historical Background on Staunton’s GospelHill:

In Staunton’s heyday of the late 1890s, onecould travel by trolley to the top of the hill onBeverley Street and stroll along the streets,lined with limestone walls and iron fences, pastthe grandest homes in town. From the earliestGreek Revival and rare Gothic Revival de-signs, to the eclectic Queen Anne and statelyColonial Revival, the neighborhood known asGospel Hill represents over a century of di-verse architecture and development inStaunton. The neighborhood’s residents weresome of the town’s more prominent citizens,beginning with the blacksmith who held revivalservices at his shop near the corner of Beverleyand Coalter Streets and gave the area its name,“gospel hill.” When the Virginia School for theDeaf and Blind was established in 1839, Bev-erley (Main) Street was extended to meet theschool. Soon after, lots were sold and peoplebegan building homes along this winding, treeshaded street. Staunton’s first city manager,Civil War veterans, prominent merchants,bankers, and even politicians called the areahome. Today, visitors can still take the trolleyto Gospel Hill (although it’s no longer pulledby mules!) and walk along the same stone wallsand iron fences to see these houses rich in styleand history. All of the homes on this year’s tourare within walking distance of the Woodrow

Wilson Presidential Library at His Birthplace.The Gospel Hill Historic District was listed onthe National Register of Historic Places in1985 and two of the homes, Merrillat Houseand Oakdene, are also individually listed onthe Register.

Please note: This is a walking tour and allhouses open for the tour are located within

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walking distance of the Woodrow Wilson Pres-idential Library (WWPL). The Gospel Hillneighborhood is lined with brick sidewalks andlimestone walls, with a slight incline up Bever-ley Street. There are numerous steps at eachhouse, as well as brick and stone walkways andhills throughout the gardens. For your safety,please wear flat, comfortable shoes. Restroomsare available at WWPL.


Oakdene, 605 East Beverley Street. Built in 1893,the home is one of Staunton’s finest examplesof Queen Anne architecture. Its elaborate ar-chitectural details include a sentry owl withilluminated eyes atop the tower and an auto-mobile turntable outside the garage. The Hon-orable Edward Echols, prominent businessmanand Lieutenant Governor of the Common-wealth of Virginia from 1898-1902, commis-sioned Philadelphia architectural firm Yarnalland Goforth to design the elaborate home.Oakdene remained in the Echols family forover 100 years with few changes to the archi-tectural features. It was purchased from thefamily by the current owners who have updatedOakdene while maintaining the integrity of this

grand home. The most dramatic change wasthe redesign of the kitchen and pantry. Theupdated kitchen features custom cabinetry anda reopened fireplace that was once hidden. Thecurrent butler’s pantry features an intimateseating area that leads into the dining room,which has marbleized wainscot paneling. Otherrooms in Oakdene have remained architectur-ally unaltered with Gothic arches, crown mold-ing, elaborately detailed mantels, curved wallsand leaded glass in many of the windows. Thelibrary features natural oak woodwork and afireplace designed for coal. Terraced gardens,limestone walls and a serpentine brick wallsurround the home. The Northeast garden wasdesigned by A.A. Farnham in 1934. Mr. Farn-ham, a landscape architect and professor atVirginia Polytechnic Institute, also designedthe gardens at the Hotel Roanoke and HollinsCollege. Brian and Debbie Robinson, owners.

Witz End, 232 East Beverley Street. This statelyhome has architectural distinction, an excep-tional interior and a dramatic history. Theearliest deed is 1780, and an 1844 recordmentions “a dwelling house and kitchen.” De-stroyed by fire in 1869, the house was rebuilt in1870. In 1878, Isaac Witz, prominent merchantand White Star Mill partner, acquired the

605 East Beverley Street

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property and enlarged the house. Improve-ments included an attic room for a “n’er dowell son.” A more successful daughter marriedCordell Hull, Nobel Prize winner and Secre-tary of State under FDR. The property re-mained in the Witz family until 1960. In 2006,the Bodens moved in and aptly named theirnew home, Witz End. Two years later aftersignificant renovations, disaster occurred whena lightning strike resulted in a catastrophic fire.Today, Witz End has been magnificently re-stored, a second time, and was recipient of alocal 2009 Historic Restoration Award. Abroad front porch with antique wicker and afoyer with oak paneling and bronze sculptureswelcome the visitor. A combination of Victo-rian antiques and contemporary furniture andstyle is used throughout the interior. Paintingsas well as the owner’s photographs grace thewalls, while Oriental rugs decorate the floors.Of note are cabinetry in the kitchen and a viewof the boxwood lined garden leading to thehome’s carriage house. Upstairs, the masterbedroom and bath feature a mix of ultra-modern and traditional Victorian. Open forthe first time for Historic Garden Week. Ellenand Lou Boden, owners.

305 East Beverley Street. In 1912, Stauntonlawyer and community leader L. W. H. Peyton

commissioned Sam Collins, of the local T. J.Collins and Sons architectural firm, to designthis Georgian Revival house. Peyton was thegrandson of John Peyton, who settled inStaunton after becoming an attorney for theCommonwealth of Virginia in 1809. Mrs.L. W. H. Peyton was a charter member andformer president of The Augusta Garden Club.Cast stone architectural details and a classicalentrance with fluted columns and a fanlightaccentuate the Flemish bond brick exterior.Boxwood, spring bulbs, and roses punctuatethe front yard. Inside, highly articulated wood-work, including a beautiful staircase that leadsto the third floor, and gracious room propor-tions, provide the backdrop for many inheritedEnglish and American antique and reproduc-tion furnishings, paintings, and decorative ob-jects. Bringing the house into the twenty-firstcentury, and working within previously modi-fied spaces, the current owners have recentlyreopened the servants’ stair as part of a com-plete kitchen rehabilitation. Upstairs, by en-larging the bathroom and turning a connectingbedroom into a dressing room, a master suitewas created. The rear gardens occupy twolevels. A Buckingham slate patio extends thewidth of the house and connects to the sideporch. Stairs lead up to two owner-designedalley level yards planted with boxwood, mag-

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nolia, dogwood, lavender, roses and crepe myr-tles. Mr. and Mrs. Prewitt Scripps, owners.

422 East Beverley Street. Built in 1861 by JamesPoints on the edge of the James Bell farm, thisstately house is constructed of brick laid inFlemish bond and framed by gardens, boxwoodhedges and an antique iron fence. The clap-board carriage house and stable dates to 1860.The transition from Greek Revival to the Itali-anate style and to Victorian is evident in manyof the architectural details. These include theIonic columns of the porches, the Federal fanwindows over doorways and the Italianate ex-terior moldings. Typically Greek Revival inplan, each floor has four rooms divided bycentral halls and two interior chimneys. Eightof twelve fireplaces survive. The entrance halland two flanking parlors, dining room andlibrary have exquisite wood and plaster mold-ings. The high ceilings create a handsomesetting for family antiques and the art collec-tion, which includes portraits, prints and paint-ings, many by contemporary Virginia artists.The house has served five families. M.P. Funk-houser, a successful Staunton drygoods mer-chant, and his daughter made major improve-ments (1874-1961), including adding indoorplumbing and electricity, two back porches anda kitchen on the main floor (recently reno-vated) with a garage below, now used as agardening shed. Other owners were Mr. andMrs. William B. Goodloe and Dr. and Mrs.Austin B. Chinn. The current owner purchasedit in 1991 and has installed extensive gardenson the expansive lot. Daffodils welcome spring,while perennial gardens and a water gardendelight in summer and fall. Grasses and ever-greens enhance the winter landscape. Dr. SaraNair James, owner.

The Merrillat House, 521 East Beverley Street. Anoutstanding example of a mid-19th centuryGothic Revival building, the residence, origi-nally constructed in 1851 as a four-room cot-tage, has undergone numerous alterations andadditions over the years. Merillat House issomewhat of a rarity, as few Gothic-style build-ings exist in Staunton. Its steep gables, boardand batten siding and leaded diamond-panedwindows are all hallmarks of the Gothic Re-vival style. The home is decorated with aneclectic collection of furniture and antiques,acquired during decades of living abroad. Col-orful paintings, including a portrait of the own-er’s grandmother, set the tone for the warmhues on the walls. The house faces southeast,overlooking the Virginia School for the Deafand Blind. Built by one of the school’s first

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superintendents, Merillat House features asplendid brick sidewalk, lined by boxwood,which connects the front porch to the campusentrance. The rear garden, installed by theHunter family in the 20th century, has twoentrances. From the driveway, limestone stepslead up the hill to an ancient white oak thatforms one of the axis points of the garden. Arooftop porch, accessed by a second storybedroom, provides a grassy entrance directlyinto the heart of the garden, which is framed bylatticed brick walls. Winding paths and bor-

dered green spaces feature perennials, springbulbs and flowering trees. Donnella McGreer-Minez and Philippe Minez, owners.

Oakdene, 605 East Beverley Street. Built in 1893,Oakdene is one of Staunton’s finest examplesof Queen Anne architecture. The home’s elab-orate architectural details include a sentry owlatop the turret, a treasured site to all who visitGospel Hill. The Honorable Edward Echols,prominent businessman and Lieutenant Gov-ernor of the Commonwealth of Virginia from1898-1902, commissioned Philadelphia archi-tectural firm Yarnall and Goforth, to designthe elaborate home. Oakdene remained in theEchols family for over 100 years with fewchanges. The property was purchased from thefamily by Dr. and Mrs. Brian Robinson whohave updated it while maintaining its architec-tural integrity. The most dramatic change wasthe redesign of the kitchen and pantry to anupdated kitchen featuring custom cabinetryand reopening of a once hidden fireplace. Thenew butler’s pantry and an intimate seatingarea lead into the dining room that features amarbleized wainscot. Other rooms in Oakdenehave remained architecturally unaltered withGothic arches, crown molding, elaborately de-tailed mantels, curved walls and leaded glass inmany of the windows. Natural oak woodworkprevails throughout the main hallway and intothe handsome library. Beautifully terraced gar-dens and limestone walls surround the homeincluding the Northeast garden which was de-signed by A.A. Farnham in 1934. Mr. Farnham,a landscape architect and professor at VirginiaPolytechnic Institute, also designed the gar-dens at the Hotel Roanoke and Hollins Col-lege. Dr. and Mrs. Brian Robinson, owners.

The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library andMuseum at His Birthplace, 20 North CoalterSt. The historic Presbyterian Manse where

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President Wilson was born in 1856 has beenrestored to its original appearance and con-tains Wilson artifacts and period furnishings.The terraced boxwood gardens below theManse, one of the early garden restorationprojects of The Garden Club of Virginia, weredesigned in 1933 by noted Richmond land-scape architect Charles F. Gillette. The gar-dens were expanded in 1967-68 to include abrick terrace designed by landscape architectRalph E. Griswold. In 1990, the Museumopened in a mansion down the street from theManse, separated by an administration build-ing. Also in 1990, The Garden Club of Virginia

retained Rudy J. Favretti to design a forecourtand lawn around the Museum and added walk-ways connecting the Museum with the gardens.Last year, The Garden Club of Virginiabrought new life to the gardens by rebuildingand expanding perimeter fencing and plantingnew boxwood, lilacs, hostas and perennials.The new Library Research Center, located justbelow the Museum, also frames the gardensand is the next step in the Library’s expansionproject. Open the day of the tour, 9 a.m. to5 p.m. Last tour of the Manse begins at 4:15p.m. For more information visit www.woodrowwilson.org.

Virginia BeachBay Colony, Cavalier Park,

and Linkhorn ParkRare Views: LookingOut, Looking Back

Sponsored byThe Virginia Beach Garden Club and

The Princess Anne Garden Club

Wednesday, April 25, 2012from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Chairman:Lynda Briggs(757) 422-9057 or [email protected]

Co-Chairman:Martha Simkins(757) 425-0816 or [email protected]

Websites:Statewide Historic Garden Week:www.VAGardenweek.orgVirginia Beach Tourism: www.VBFun.comVirgini Beach Garden Club:www.thevirginiabeachgardenclub.org andhttp:pagardenclub.com

Tickets: $30 on day of tour. $10 for single-siteadmission. Children 6 to 12, half price; 5 andunder, free. Tickets may be purchased on TourDay at any of the listed private homes.

Advance Tickets: $25 per person. For group of10 or more, contact Peggy Dunnington [email protected] or (757) 422-3855.Tickets are available online at www.VAGar-denweek.org or at the following locations in

Virginia Beach: Atlantic Garden Center, Bak-er’s Fine Jewelry & Gifts, Country Flowers &Gifts, Flowers-Wayne Jones, Willis Furniture,Yves Delorme and the Virginia Beach Visitor’sCenter. In Chesapeake: Wholesale FlowerMarket.

Lunch: Princess Anne Country Club, 3800 Pa-cific Ave. A cold buffet luncheon will be avail-able for $15 per person from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.Reservations requested. (757) 428-4141.

Refreshments: Complimentary. Served in thegarden of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Strickler, 1124Windsor Rd., from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Special Activities: “The Painted Garden” is anexhibition and sale of original garden-inspiredpaintings by more than 30 artists at BeachGallery located at 313 Laskin Road, VirginiaBeach. Six featured artists, Gray S. Dodson,Susan Check, Jenny Windsor, Pat Kirby, BobbiPratte and Crystal Moll, have painted scenes ofthe homes and gardens on the Virginia BeachGarden Tour. Enjoy complimentary wine andcheese from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on April 25. “ThePainted Garden” is on view 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.,Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.on Saturday.

Directions to the Tour Area: Take I-264 East tothe Virginia Beach oceanfront. Turn left(north) on Pacific Ave. Turn left on LinkhornDr. at the Princess Anne Country Club, 3800Pacific Avenue. (Linkhorn Drive is the streetjust north of the country club.)

Please note: No use of cameras or cell phonesinside the homes. Wear comfortable walkingshoes. Follow signs and green arrows to homeson tour. All houses on the tour are within the23451 zip code and may be visited in any order.

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Ticket includes admission to the following 5private homes, 1 garden and 6 historic prop-erties:

106 Ridge Road. Continue west on LinkhornDr. across Holly Rd. Turn right at PinewoodRd. which becomes S. Dogwood and thenDogwood. Parking only on right side of Dog-wood. Walk to Bay Dr., turn left and proceedon foot to Ridge Rd. The home is at the end ofRidge Rd., which will be closed to traffic. TheGeorgian-inspired home sits near the end of atwo-acre point jutting into Linkhorn Bay. Thesite allows every room a view of the water. Thesymmetry of the home is emphasized by theprominent hipped roof of Buckingham slate,classical detailing, painted brick walls and for-mal front garden. It was designed for entertain-ing. Rooms flow from one to the other andfrom inside to outdoors. The house, completedin 1964, showcased the talent of architect Thur-mer Hoggard and builder Jerry Hauser, bothnow deceased. The quality of the millwork andquarter sawn oak floors appealed to the pres-ent owners who purchased the property in 1998and spent a year renovating and restoring it toits present condition. A pair of Audubon bo-

tanical engravings hangs on either side of thefoyer with a pair of near life-sized 17th-centuryVenetian blackamoors in front of them. Frenchdoors open from the living room and diningroom to the Vermont slate terrace. Brick re-taining walls are capped with limestone. Curv-ing paths through an informal English gardenconnect the terrace and swimming pool. Theguest cottage is also open. Mr. and Mrs. GeorgeDragas, Jr., owners.

Four Oaks, 1101 Cedar Point Drive. Continueon Bay Dr. and turn right on Cavalier Dr.andgo .2 miles. Turn left on Cedar Point Drive.Parking only on right side of Cedar Point. Theoriginal cottage served as headquarters of thePrincess Anne Hunt before Frank SheppardRoyster, Jr. purchased it in the 1930s. The huntroom features hand-hewn beams and an over-sized fireplace. Royster and his wife added alarge dining room (now the kitchen) to enlargewhat was a small cottage. Two decades later,they doubled the size of their home with anexpansive two-story addition. The design forthe new wing in 1950 was predicated uponminimal disturbance of a 200-year-old red oak,the last of the four that inspired the property’s

106 Ridge Road

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name. Four sets of French doors lead to the50-foot long front porch. Triple-hung Jeffersonwindows visually connect the living room to thesurrounding gardens and outdoor living areas.Notable architectural details include wideplank floors, built-in cabinetry in almost everyroom, half a dozen fireplaces, copper gutters,Vermont slate roof and a shingled exterior.The kitchen, shifted into the former din-ing room in 2009, still has its original raisedpanel walls. Mr. and Mrs. Jerry B. Flowers, III,owners.

Shirley Hall, 1109 South Bay Shore Drive. Fol-low Cedar Point Dr. to Bay Colony Dr. andturn left. Follow Bay Colony Dr. 0.6 miles toBruton Ln. and turn left. Continue on Brutonto S. Bay Shore and turn right. Parking on theright side only. Shirley Hall occupies a com-manding site overlooking Linkhorn Bay. Wil-liam Graves Perry designed the imposingthree-story residence in 1939 for Louisianatransplants enamored with Colonial Williams-burg. Perry’s Boston firm had overseen therestoration of the colonial capital for benefac-tor John D. Rockefeller, Jr. The house tookthree years to build and is notable for theexceptional craftsmanship of its brickwork andarchitectural detailing. The staircase that risesfrom the front hall was salvaged from an 1826Princess Anne County home and the cypressfloors from a Louisiana plantation. The ser-vants’ wing attests to the lingering class distinc-tions of the pre-World War II era. The present

owners enlisted the late John Paul Hanbury, apreservation architect, to update the housewhile remaining true to its Georgian ColonialRevival style. The design studio at ColonialWilliamsburg’s Craft House found period-ap-propriate textiles and advised on paint colors

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and the dining room’s hand painted silk wall-paper. The house is furnished with 18th centuryAmerican furniture and reproductions, Persianrugs, and collections of porcelain, maps, botan-ical drawings and late 19th and early 20th

century paintings. Shirley Hall is a VirginiaLandmark and on the National Register ofHistoric Places. Mr. and Mrs. Richard D. Rob-erts, owners.

1124 Windsor Road (garden only). Continuenorth on S. Bay Shore Dr., cross Bay ColonyDr. to N. Bay Shoe Dr.. Turn right on WindsorRd. and park on right side. Over the course ofthree decades, a suburban backyard was trans-formed into a restful retreat. Trees and shrubsaround the perimeter give privacy and a senseof enclosure to the large outdoor living area.Full sun yields to dappled shade. The plant listincludes a number of unusual ferns, hostas andcontorted specimens. The owner’s first advisorwas her father who instructed her on theimportance of good soil. Landscape designerBill Pinkham built upon these initial plantingsas the bones for a more comprehensive plan,adding curving beds. The swimming pool, in-stalled in 2008, has a shape and color that fitsinto the woodland garden. Architect Scott

Folck designed the pool house. Open for thefirst time for Historic Garden Week. Mr. andMrs. Stephen Strickler, owners.

1230 East Bay Shore Drive. Continue east onWindsor Rd. to Bruton Ln. Turn left andfollow Bruton .4 miles to E. Bay Shore Dr.Turn right. The Koziol home is .5 miles on theleft. Parking only on right. The lily pond in thecenter of the driveway and roofed entry gateintroduce a singular home. The two-story whitestucco contemporary residence has a cedarshake roof. Designed by the late Lewis Right-mier in 1973, the multi-level residence employsevery room as another opportunity to frame aview of Crystal Lake. The owners’ designchoice of saturated color and strong patternholds its own against the bold architecture.Beautiful fabrics and trims cover windows,beds, upholstered furniture and even walls.Since purchasing this house in 2001, the ownershave undertaken several major remodelingprojects, including the creation of a downstairsmaster suite. Their passion for houseplants isevident. The home features art by local andCalifornia artists, Daum crystal, collections ofporcelain and Mrs. Koziol’s needlepoint. Mr.and Mrs. Gary John Koziol, owners.

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1220 Crystal Lake Circle. Continue south onEast Bay Shore Dr. to Bay Colony Dr. Turnleft and follow Bay Colony Dr. 0.5 miles toCrystal Lake Circle and turn left. Home is onthe right. Parking only on the right. Art dom-inates this contemporary home on CrystalLake. Water views compete for attention withthe paintings, which are grouped by artist. Thecollection includes a number of works by BruceBingham, the owner’s sister. The two-storypainted brick contemporary was built in 1991.Its first floor open plan provides a visual con-nection throughout the living areas. The two-story foyer contains the main staircase thatrepeats the Chinese Chippendale-inspired rail-ing used on the exterior. To the left of the foyeris the teal living room, to the right is theburgundy dining room and ahead is a largeinformal family room that, together with theadjoining kitchen, serves as the center of familylife. The living room and family room are twosteps down from the foyer to accommodate theowners’ request for unobstructed water viewsfrom the front door. The kitchen was recentlyrenovated. Open for the first time for HistoricGarden Week. Mr. and Mrs. J. Blaine Denny,owners.

These historic homes are open at no additionalcharge with a full ticket for the Virginia BeachGarden Tour on Wednesday, April 25, from1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and also on Thursday, April26, at regularly scheduled hours.

The Adam Thoroughgood House, 1636 ParishRd. From I- 264 take Independence Blvd.,North Pembroke exit. Follow to PleasureHouse Rd. Turn right. Turn right again ontoThoroughgood Dr. and follow ThoroughgoodDr. and signs to Parish Rd. Turn right onParish. In 1636, Capt. Adam Thoroughgoodreceived a grant of 5,350 acres, the largest landgrant at that time, for his contributions to thenew colony of Virginia. The house, a NationalHistoric Landmark was built c. 1719 by one ofhis descendants. This English-style house isone of the earliest permanent brick structuresin Virginia and is furnished with a collection of17th and 18th century pieces that reflect thelives of early English settlers in Tidewater. Thegrounds were a restoration project of TheGarden Club of Virginia in 1958-59 and 1990,and the gardens are currently maintained byVirginia Beach Master Gardeners through thesupport of the Virginia Beach Department ofAgriculture and the Virginia Beach Parks andRecreation Department, Landscape ServicesDivision. Guided tours of the property includediscussions of the historical uses and lore ofherbs. (757) 460-7588 or www.museumsvb.org

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Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum at DeWittCottage, Atlantic Ave. and 12th St. The oldestremaining structure on the Virginia BeachOceanfront, built during the city’s initial devel-opment period, this cottage features historicalwildfowl artifacts and depicts the early historyof Virginia Beach. (757) 437-8432 or www.AWHM.org .

Ferry Plantation House, 4136 Cheswick Lane.From I- 264 take Independence Blvd. Exit.Follow Independence North for 1.4 mi. TurnRight on Pembroke Blvd. Make a right turn onBishop, left on Liverpool and left on CheswickLane into Old Donation Farm parking areawhich is at 4136 Cheswick Lane. The presenthouse was built of bricks taken from the rubbleof the previous manor house. The third floor ofthis 10-room, central-passageway Federalfarmhouse contains the history of Grace Sher-wood, who was tried as a witch. Gov. TimKaine exonerated Virginia’s only convictedwitch on July 10, 2006. The Plantation House ison the State and National Registers of HistoricPlaces and is a Virginia Landmark, owned bythe City of Virginia Beach. Visitors will learnabout herbs and cash-crop gardens. Docents inantebellum attire will turn flax into linen andserve refreshments on April 25. (757) 473-5182.

Frances Land House, 3131 Virginia BeachBlvd. From I- 264, take Lynnhaven North toVirginia Beach Blvd. Turn left on VirginiaBeach Blvd. An example of an early 19th

century brick Georgian dwelling, it was hometo six generations of the Land family whoarrived at the Virginia colony in the 17th cen-tury. Original paneling and floors, period fur-nishings and gardens are noteworthy at thisproperty owned by the City of Virginia Beach.The Little Neck Garden Club has won numer-ous awards for recent landscape projects at theLand House. Period floral arrangements cre-ated by the Council of Garden Clubs of Vir-ginia Beach will be featured throughout thehouse. On tour day, a special program withrefreshments and music will be offered from2:30 to 4:30 p.m. (757) 385-5100 or www.museumsvb.org

Lynnhaven House, 4405 Wishart Rd. FromI-264 take Independence Blvd., North/Pem-broke exit. Follow Independence and turn righton Wishart. House is 1⁄2 mile on right. Park inthe gravel lot and follow the path throughwoods. Built in 1725 by Francis and AbigailThelaball II, this small but stately story-and-a-half brick home is an example of early 18th

century Eastern Virginia architecture. Thekitchen herb garden, originally designed and

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planted by the Princess Anne Garden Club,offers insight into the many and varied uses ofherbs in the early 18th century. The SouthHampton Roads Chapter of the Native PlantSociety installed several beds of floweringplants. The Colonial Education Center wasadded in 2005. On the National Register ofHistoric Places and a Virginia Landmark.Owned and operated by the City of VirginiaBeach. (757) 460-7109 or www.museumsvb.org

Upper Wolfsnare, 2040 Potter’s Road. FromI-264, take First Colonial Rd. South Exit. At

the first light after Virginia Beach Blvd. (US58), take the “y” to the right (First ColonialRd.). This runs into Potter’s Rd. Upper Wolf-snare is approximately 1 mi. on the right. Builtin 1759 by Thomas Walke III, this brick Geor-gian house was constructed near the then-navigable Wolfsnare Creek and saved fromdemolition. Noteworthy are the central pas-sage and distinct stairway that serves four floorlevels. Owned by the Princess Anne County/Virginia Beach Historical Society. (757) 491-3490 or www.Virginiabeachhistory.org

WilliamsburgSponsored by

The Williamsburg Garden Club


Chairman:Terry Emory Buntrock(757) 259-1206 or [email protected]

Co-Chairman:Misty Cupp Spong(757) 229-1227 [email protected]

Advance Ticket, General Information andLuncheon Reservations:Cathy Adams217 Southpoint DriveWilliamsburg, VA 23185(757) 220-2486 or [email protected]

Tickets: Full ticket $30, includes admittanceinto each home and garden on tour, transpor-tation throughout the Historic Area via Colo-nial Williamsburg buses and the escortedWalking Garden Tour. Single-site admission$15. Children 13 and older, full price; ages 6-12admitted for half-price if accompanied by anadult. Children 5 and under, free of charge.Tickets may be purchased at the ColonialWilliamsburg Visitor Center Monday, April 23,9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday, April 24, 9 a.m.to noon. On the day of the tour, full and singleadmission tickets may be purchased through-out the tour site.

Advance Tickets: Full advance ticket $25through April 21. Cash or check only, at the

following Williamsburg locations: G. BatesStudio, Merchants Square; Seasons of Wil-liamsburg, Jamestown Road; Wild Birds Un-limited, Monticello Marketplace; or by con-tacting Cathy Adams at the information above.Advance tickets may be purchased with a creditcard by accessing www.vagardenweek.org.

Luncheon: The Hospitality House, located at415 Richmond Road. Complimentary hotelparking is available. Two luncheon options areavailable, each $15 including tax and tip. Boxedlunch for dining room or take-out includeschicken salad sandwich and accompanimentswith drink, or plated lunch in the dining roomincludes Virginia ham on yeast rolls with ac-companiments and drink. Wine may be pur-chased at an additional cost. Lunches must bereserved and paid in advance to WilliamsburgGarden Club. Indicate Boxed or Plated lun-cheon on check and mail to Cathy Adams ataddress listed above.

Special Activities: An escorted or self guidedWalking Garden Tour featuring the trees,plants, architecture and Civil War history ofthe College of William and Mary will originatein the Wren Yard, on the corner of Jamestownand Richmond Road. Tours at 10:00 a.m.,noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. In addition to CollegeCivil War history, participants will see morethan 300 species and varieties of woody plantslocated on campus. The tour will highlight 15stops along the way including the Adams Gar-den, Crim Dell, the Wildflower Refuge andPhillips Garden. Nancy Hugo, author of Re-markable Trees of Virginia, will be on hand toanswer questions and autograph her book. Thistour is not recommended for those who havedifficulty walking or standing for long periodsof time. Offered for the first time for HistoricGarden Week by the College of William andMary.

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Directions and Parking: From I-64 East or Westto Colonial Williamsburg properties. Take Exit242-A onto VA-199 toward Jamestown/Wil-liamsburg. Go 3.5 mi. Turn right at the stoplight onto S. Henry St. Go 1.8 mi to stop lightat corner of S. Henry and Francis. * Turn rightat stoplight onto Francis. Go 0.5 mi. to Tavernparking on right. Bassett Hall is a short walk onFrancis past Tavern parking on the right. ThePalmer House is a short walk across Francis onBlair to the corner of Duke of Gloucester andBlair. The Coke-Garrett House is beyond thePublic Gaol from the Palmer House. FromVisitor Center to Colonial Williamsburg Prop-erties. Take the Colonial Parkway south to-ward Jamestown. Exit at Newport Ave. Turnleft at stop sign onto Newport Ave. Turn rightat stop sign onto S. Henry. Go to stop light atcorner of S. Henry and Francis. Continue from* above. The Capitol Bus Stop is recom-mended for those choosing to travel from theVisitor Center by bus.

To visit homes west of Campus and HospitalityHouse Luncheon. From * above, turn left ontoFrancis St. Go to intersection and turn rightonto S. Boundary St. Stay in right lane andapproach stop sign at “College Corner” whereJamestown Rd. and Richmond Rd. meet at the

Wren Building and Merchant’s Square. Turnleft just beyond the traffic island onto Rich-mond Rd. Go .4 mi. to Virginia Ave., justbeyond the Hospitality House on the rightwhere parking is available in a large rear lotand three garages. From the HospitalityHouse, walk right on Richmond Rd. one blockto Harrison Ave. to the Gillman home on thecorner. Walk right on Harrison to visit theSteele home. Walk left on Harrison, then righton College Terrace to visit the Hertzler-George Garden. Parking is also available alongneighborhood streets.

To visit William and Mary Campus, AdamsGarden, Mattey’s Garden and Bruton Parish.From * above, continue straight .2 mi. Parkingis available in the parking deck at left for$1/hour. Take a right onto Scotland andMattey’s garden is on the left. Limited parkingis available at Mattey’s Garden. Exit parkingdeck on foot via Henry St. to visit BrutonParish. Exit parking deck on foot via PrinceGeorge to visit the William and Mary Campusand the Adams Garden. The Merchant’sSquare Bus Stop is recommended for thosechoosing to travel from the Visitor Center bybus.

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Facilities: Public restrooms, phones and drinkmachines are located throughout the HistoricArea as well as in the Colonial WilliamsburgVisitor Center.

Please note: As a courtesy to homeowners, andfor your own safety and comfort, wear flatwalking shoes. No interior photography, cellphones or smoking. Properties may be visitedin any order.

Tour at a Glance:

Significant Civil War properties in the ColonialWilliamsburg Historic area and on the Campusof the College of William and Mary are thefocus of this walking tour. The second half ofthe tour highlights the neighborhood west ofthe campus. Developed in the mid-1960s as aresidential community by the Savage andCocke families, the original neighborhood con-sisted of 24 lots ranging in size from three-quarter to one-and-three- quarter acres. Thelocation gave residents proximity to the Col-lege of William and Mary and Colonial Wil-liamsburg with the opportunity to site homes ina wooded landscape. Many original homeown-ers still reside in the houses they built nearly 40years ago.


Bassett Hall, 522 E. Francis Street. Located nearthe Capitol, this two-story 18th century framehouse set off by gardens and original outbuild-ings was the Williamsburg home of Mr. andMrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. for many years.Philip Johnson, a House of Burgess member,constructed the house before 1766. MarthaWashington’s nephew, Burwell Bassett, pur-chased the home in 1800. He was a Virginialegislator and congressman. Union cavalrymanGeorge Armstrong Custer was a guest in theRebel household following the Civil War Bat-tle of Williamsburg. Custer was best man at thewedding of his West Point classmate John W.Lea, a Confederate officer. Lea, wounded dur-ing the battle, became engaged to one of thedaughters of the family during his recuperationat Bassett Hall. Bequeathed to Colonial Wil-liamsburg in 1979, the house and most of thefurnishings, including many examples of Mrs.Rockefeller’s American folk art collection, re-main much as it was when the Rockefellersfurnished it in the mid-1930s. This gift included585 acres of woodlands and gardens that bloomin the spring and fall. As requested by thefamily, the house was opened to the public in

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1980. Opened for Historic Garden Week forthe first time since 1961 by Colonial Williams-burg Foundation.

Coke-Garrett House, 465 East Nicholson Street.This House represents the continuous develop-ment of the site over two centuries. Tavernkeeper and goldsmith John Coke built thestory-and-a-half house between 1755 and 1767.Richard Garrett purchased the property in1810 and after the Revolutionary War heerected the detached brick office with thegable-fronted appearance of a small classicaltemple. Records suggest his son, physician Dr.Robert M. Garrett, built the Greek Revivaltwo-story center addition in 1837. Soon there-after, he added the story-and-a half east wingby moving an 18th century house to the site.During the Civil War, Dr. Garrett used thehouse and lawn as a hospital to treat woundedsoldiers from both sides. Beautifully paintedfalse-grained doors, dark green shutters andenlarged gardens are among the changes to theexterior. The interior features reproductionand antique furnishings from the Colonial Wil-liamsburg collection along with document tex-tiles and accessories, many also from the col-lection. Outbuildings include a kitchen,smokehouse, dairy, well house and privy. Ev-ergreens, nut trees and old boxwood enclosethe area behind the Coke-Garrett House andlead to a flower border on the lower gardenlevel. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Palmer House, 430 E. Duke of Gloucester Street.“I have taken possession of a fine old housewhich [Confederate General] Joe Johnston oc-cupied as headquarters. It has a lovely gardenand conservatory,” penned Union GeneralGeorge B. McClellan of the Palmer Housefollowing a two-day siege of Williamsburg inMay, 1862. Then known as the Vest Mansion,the building was nearly double its present size.When the threat of war forced the Vests to fleeto Richmond, the home became a Confederatecommand post under both Johnston and Gen-eral Magruder. Today the home is known forthe apples that nestle in the “put-log holes” inits brick facade at Christmastime. Heart pinefloors and walls are original. The interior paintcolor is called Palmer House Green. Cornerfireplaces anchor the Tavern Room and themaster bedroom above. The spacious roomsare personalized by family heirlooms such asframed shopping lists created by a great grand-father, a Shenandoah Valley blanket chest, anAmerican-made grandfather clock and acherry rocking chair. Floor cloths and mapslend warmth and interest. A formal knot gar-den and Magnolia Grandiflora lure visitors tothe backyard. Patricia Ferguson and Robin Reed.

President’s House at the College of William andMary, 102 Richmond Road. This stately Geor-gian dwelling is the oldest official residence fora college president in the United States andhas been home to twenty-six of the College’stwenty-seven presidents. Completed in 1733, ithas survived two wars, several fires and occu-pation by military forces. The exterior is largelyoriginal, with exceptionally beautiful FlemishBond brickwork that has been copied through-out the college campus. The house was re-stored to its colonial appearance in 1931 aspart of the Rockefeller restoration of Williams-burg. It is furnished with 18th century Englishand American furniture and decorative arts, allgifts to the College. An important collection ofColonial portraits of the Blair, Page, and Ran-dolph families is displayed in the first-floorrooms. William and Mary closed at the begin-ning of the Civil War, and President BenjaminStoddert Ewell left to join the ConfederateArmy as a colonel. During the Federal occu-pation of Williamsburg, a local family lived inthe President’s House, and the walls of thebuilding were incorporated into a line of de-fensive works that separated Union-held Wil-liamsburg and the lower peninsula from theConfederacy to the west. During Reconstruc-tion, Federal troops used the house as their

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headquarters. The President’s House and theadjacent boxwood garden are open for HistoricGarden Week by President and Mrs. W. TaylorReveley III.

Sir Christopher Wren Building, corner of Rich-mond Rd. and Jamestown Rd. At the time of theCivil War, the College Yard with its threebuildings composed the entire campus of Wil-liam and Mary. Classes were suspended in May1861, and students left for their homes to jointhe war. The faculty also departed to join theConfederate Army, and College PresidentBenjamin Stoddert Ewell, although personallyopposed to secession, was selected to com-mand the newly formed 32nd Virginia Volun-teer Regiment, as a colonel. The Wren Build-ing was used initially as a barracks forConfederate forces that were converging onWilliamsburg, and later as a hospital for sickand wounded soldiers. College grounds wereused as a staging area before the Battle ofWilliamsburg on May 5, 1862, and the campuswitnessed the Confederate retreat towardRichmond that night. Claiming the buildingwas being used by Confederate snipers, mem-bers of the Fifth Pennsylvania Cavalry tried toburn the Wren Building on September 8, 1862,but townspeople rallied to put out the fire. The

next morning a detachment of Confederatecavalry swept into town, driving off the garri-son and capturing its commander. Within sev-eral hours the raiders had left, and the de-feated garrison returned. Agitated by theirdefeat, the troops again set fire to the building.It was the third devastating fire in the build-ing’s history and left the structure gutted. Col-lege of William and Mary.

The Gillman Home, 601 Richmond Rd. Whenthe Gillmans purchased this 1929 residence,once a boarding house, they immediately rec-ognized its pedigreed architecture. In 2006,they began transforming it into a modern homewith reminders of an earlier era. The home isfilled with colorful artwork and natural lightfrom the original oversized windows. Throughthe arched entry, the stairway’s unique landingis home to one of the owner’s favorite paint-ings, completed by artist Alexandra Nechita(“Petite Picasso”) at age 16. The home’skitchen is sleek and features a granite-toppedisland and spacious dining area with openviews of the old brick ice house, boxwood instacked stone beds, and the garden arbordraped with yellow jasmine. The second-floorlanding has original built-ins and a windowseat. Refinished original pine floors add rich-ness to the rooms. The dormered ceilings ofthe bedroom, sitting room and bathroom onthe third floor are all painted sky blue, impart-ing an ethereal feel. Visitors will enjoy viewsfrom the third-story rooftop deck. Open for thefirst time for Historic Garden Week. Cindy andTom Gillman, owners.

The Hertzler-George Garden, 605 College Ter-race. Starting with a front yard of clay andweeds, Joe and Linda George Hertzler createda Colonial-style garden so beautiful it wasfeatured in the August 2010 issue of BetterHomes and Gardens. Inspired by Linda’s loveof Colonial Williamsburg gardens, particularlythose behind Kings Arms Tavern, it is situatedin front of their Colonial-revival home. Ariotous mix of vegetables, herbs and flowers,the garden receives abundant sunlight and is atreat for passers-by. An entrance walkway ofblue stone and flagstone and a street arborladen with jasmine and honeysuckle welcomeguests. Defined by a traditional white picketfence, the garden’s brick walkways meanderthrough tomato, squash and pepper plants.Also serving as a natural habitat, the garden’sgiant zinnias hold seeds for goldfinches, whilemint attracts pollinating bees, and dill providesa haven for swallowtail butterflies to lay eggs.Open for the first time for Historic GardenWeek. Joe and Linda George Hertzler, owners.

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The Steele Home and Garden, 203 HarrisonAvenue. Nestled beneath a pair of water oaktrees, this chalet-style cottage built in 1920 wasone of the first homes built west of the Williamand Mary campus. The present owner pur-chased it in 2006 and began a renovation thatpreserved original elements while creating amasculine refuge. In the dining room, a re-claimed barn wood table and Ashlen Windsorchairs are a counterpoint to the intricatelycarved pine corner cupboard beneath an over-sized chandelier. The butler’s pantry with gran-ite counters and original pine floors providespassage to the renovated kitchen. The nearbyplanting room welcomes natural light for itspots of thriving herbs. A Thomas O’Brienreproduction bed with embossed leather head-board occupies the upstairs master. The guestroom and office feature original light fixtures.The bathrooms are totally renovated, one witha honed Carerra marble floor laid in a bas-ketweave pattern. The original owner, a Colo-nial Williamsburg groundskeeper, planted box-wood, camellias, azaleas and crepe myrtles thatremain and have matured in the backyardgardens. This cottage is as bold and modern asit is classic and comfortable. Open for the firsttime for Historic Garden Week. Joseph SteeleIII, owner.

Other Places of Interest in Williamsburg:

Bruton Parish Church, corner of Duke ofGloucester and Palace Green. Churchyard res-torations in 1936, 1955 and 2003 were fundedby proceeds from Historic Garden Week. Ondisplay in St. Mary’s Chapel at Bruton ParishHouse, one block west of the Church, are the17th century Jamestown Communion Silver,the 18th century set given to Governor Bote-tourt in 1768 by King George III “for use in hisprivate chapel,” and the newly restored PrayerBook used at Bruton in the 18th century. ABiblical herb garden with adjoining benchesborders the brick walkway to the Parish House.Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Docents offer freetours.

Mattey’s Garden, Matthew Whaley Elemen-tary School on Scotland Street. A project of theWilliamsburg Garden Club, Mattey’s Gardenwas a gift to the City of Williamsburg for its300th celebration and was dedicated in 1999.Each grade level is responsible for certainareas of the garden. It was accorded the Com-mon Wealth Award from the Garden Club ofVirginia, as well as awards from the City ofWilliamsburg, Williamsburg Land Conser-vancy and the Historic Triangle Jamestown

Hertzler Garden

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2007 Beautification Contest. The garden islisted on the National Garden Association’sChildren’s Garden Registry and has hostednumerous groups from around the state. Openfrom 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The James River Plantations, located betweenWilliamsburg and Richmond:

Shirley Plantation, Rte. 5. Eleven generationsof one family continue to own, operate andwork Virginia’s first plantation, establishedonly six years after John Smith’s settlement atJamestown. Shirley is the oldest family-ownedbusiness in North America, dating to 1638. Thepresent mansion was begun around 1723 whenElizabeth Hill, great-granddaughter of EdwardHill I, married John Carter, eldest son ofRobert “King” Carter. Completed in 1738, it islargely in its original state and is still occupiedby direct descendants of Edward Hill I. Themother of Confederate General Robert E.Lee, Anne Hill Carter, was born at Shirley andin 1793 married “Light Horse” Harry Lee inthe mansion’s parlor. The main floor featuresoriginal 18th century hand-carved woodwork,family portraits, silver and original furnishings.The square-rigged, “flying staircase” rises threestories with no visible means of support. Gar-dens and eight original outbuildings are in-cluded on the self-guided grounds tour. AVirginia and National Historic Landmark. Ad-mission charged. (800) 232-1613 or www.shirleyplantation.com.

Berkley Plantation, Rte. 5. The site of the firstofficial Thanksgiving in America in 1619, Berk-ley is also the birthplace of Benjamin HarrisonV, signer of the Declaration of Independence,and three time governor of Virginia. The estateis the birthplace of William Henry Harrison,9th president of the United States, and ances-tral home of his grandson, Benjamin Harrison,the 23rd president. “Taps” was composed herewhen General McClellan headquartered140,000 Union troops on the property for twomonths in 1862. The original 1726 Georgianmansion is furnished with a collection of 18thcentury antiques. Benjamin Harrison VI in-stalled the double arches in the great rooms in1790 at the direction of Thomas Jefferson. Fiveterraced gardens were dug by hand before theRevolutionary War and numerous hundred-year-old trees grace the restored boxwood gar-dens. A Virginia and National Historic Land-mark. Admission charged. (888) 466-6018 orwww.berkeleyplantation.com.

Westover, Rte. 5. William Byrd II, author,diarist, Colonial leader and founder of thecities of Petersburg and Richmond, built the

house, one of the finest examples of Georgianarchitecture in America, in 1730. His tomb-stone, in the center of the walled garden, givesan interesting account of his life and providesan insight into the values of his time. The lawnincludes century-old tulip poplars and offers acommanding view of the James River. Thegrounds are still protected by wrought irongates hung by William Byrd in 1709 and areknown to be the finest set of 18th century gatesin this country. The interior, normally closed tothe public, is noted for the beautiful propor-tions of the rooms, ornately carved ceilings, thedetail of the cornice and stairway, and anunusual black mantelpiece. Westover was fea-tured on the first Historic Garden Week in1929. A Virginia and National Historic Land-mark, open especially for Historic GardenWeek. Admission charged. (804) 829-2882 orwww.jamesriverplantations.org/westover.html.

Tuckahoe Plantation, 12601 River Road, westof Richmond in Goochland County. Boyhoodhome of Thomas Jefferson, Tuckahoe is con-sidered to be the most complete plantationlayout in North America dating from the early18th century and was featured on the firstHistoric Garden Week in 1929. Noteworthyare the rare outbuildings, including pairedstructures which were the office and school-house where Jefferson attended classes. In1935, the mansion was saved from being par-tially dismantled and moved for museum dis-play. Grounds include a cemetery and akitchen garden with perennials, vegetableplots, and a Memorial Garden designed byCharles F. Gillette. A Virginia and NationalHistoric Landmark. Grounds open year-roundfor self-guided tours. House open by appoint-ment only, admission charged. (804) 971-8329or www.tuckahoeplantation.com.

Prince George County, Hopewell and James-town:

Brandon Plantation Gardens and Grounds,Burrowsville. Part of a vast land grant to JohnMartin, companion of Capt. John Smith on hisfirst voyage to America, Brandon’s historydates to the very beginning of English settle-ment in this country. In 1637, John Sadler andRichard Quiney, merchants, and William Bar-ber, mariner, bought Martin’s Brandon. Theyand their heirs farmed it successfully until 1720when it was sold to Nathaniel Harrison. Theproperty remained in possession of the Harri-son family more than 200 years. The currentplantation house, one of America’s most ad-mired works of Colonial architecture, was builtcirca 1765 by Nathaniel Harrison II, for his sonBenjamin Harrison. Brandon remained in the

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Harrison family until 1926 when it was sold toRobert Williams Daniel whose family still re-sides there. The grounds feature old boxwoodand a series of “garden rooms.” The expansiveestate contains more than 4,500 acres, of which1,600 acres are cultivated with soybeans, wheatand barley. The agricultural activities, repre-senting one of America’s oldest continuousfarming operations, are overseen by the cur-rent owner, Robert Daniel. A Virginia andNational Historic Landmark. Admissioncharged. (757) 866-8486 or www.nps.gov/nr/travel/jamesriver/bra.html.

Merchant’s Hope Episcopal Church, Rte. 641.Established in 1657, it is among the oldestProtestant churches in America still in use. Thecurrent sanctuary was built in the second quar-ter of the eighteenth century. Following dam-age during the Civil War, re-creation of thefurnishings was patterned after five Tidewaterextant churches. The name of the church wasderived from the nearby Merchant’s HopePlantation. On display are a silver communionset made in Charleston, South Carolina, anddedicated on the 200th anniversary of theparish in 1857, and several early Bibles.Grounds include the Betty Beery MemorialGardens that feature approximately 300 aza-leas, rhododendrons, camellias, boxwood andChinese stranvaesia. A Virginia and NationalHistoric Landmark. (804) 458-1356.

Weston Plantation, Weston Lane in Hopewell.Once described by an architectural historian as“. . .the very essence of Virginia’s Tidewaterplantations,” Weston Plantation is a handsomewooden “middling” plantation home on thebanks of the lower Appomattox River. Built in1789 by William and Christian Eppes Gilliam,it retains much of its original moldings, wain-scoting and chair rails. Gardens feature oldboxwood and spring-flowering shrubs. Re-stored by Historic Hopewell Foundation, Inc.A Virginia and National Historic Landmarkand a member of Virginia Civil War Trails.(804) 458-4682 or www.historichopewell.org/weston-plantation.

Rolfe-Warren House at the Smith’s Fort Plan-tation, Rte. 31. This was the site of an originalfort begun by Capt. John Smith in 1609 as aretreat from possible attack. The brick dwellingwas built in the mid-18th century on land givenby Powhatan to John Rolfe on his marriageto Pocahontas. Preservation Virginia now ownsthe property. The garden was planted by theGarden Club of Virginia with proceeds fromHistoric Garden Week. A Virginia and NationalHistoric Landmark. (757) 294-3872 or www.preservationvirginia.org/smithsfortplantation.

Bacon’s Castle, Bacon’s Castle Trail in SurryCounty. Built in 1665 by English immigrantArthur Allen, it is the oldest documented brickhouse in English North America. It possessesseveral architectural features that have, overthe centuries, become extinct in this country.Notably, the building is one of the earliestVirginia houses to be constructed in a cruci-form design, with the main body of the housejoined by a porch tower on the front and a stairtower on the rear. Purchased by PreservationVirginia in 1973, the property is an extensiveongoing restoration project. The Garden Clubof Virginia has documented the 1680 gardenat Bacon’s Castle through archaeological re-search. It is the oldest, largest, most sophisti-cated and best preserved 17th century gardensite in America. A Virginia and NationalHistoric Landmark. (757) 357-5976 or www.preservationvirginia.org/baconscastle.

Chippokes Plantation State Park, Alliance Rd.in Surry. One of the oldest working planta-tions in North America, Chippokes has beenfarmedcontinuouslysince1619.The1864Jones-Stewart Mansion is furnished with antiques.The park also features the Chippokes Farmand Forestry Museum which displays antiquefarm and forestry equipment, tools and housewares, an 1,800-foot forestry interpretive trailand a 1930’s sawmill. (757) 294-3625 or www.dcr.virginia.gov/parks/chi.shtml.

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Historic Garden Week in Virginia 2012 Guidebook

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Transcript of Historic Garden Week in Virginia 2012 Guidebook