Rounding Boards
Virginia’s historic landmarks decorate the rounding boards atop the Carousel, bookended by cardinals (the state bird) alighting on dogwood branches (the state tree) .
Thomas Jefferson was the architect of his Charlottesville estate, Monticello. Built in 1721, the interior and exterior best reflect his ideas. An innovative and passionate farmer, he experimented and grew many crops that were unheard of in his day. His meticulous record keeping of his farm accounts have been preserved and Monticello is the best place to get into the mind of this visionary American. It is now operated as a museum and educational institution.
Located near Middletown, Belle Grove Plantation is an authentic 1797 Manor House. It was built by Major Isaac Hite and his wife Nelly Madison Hite, sister of President James Madison. Belle Grove was used as a headquarters by Union General Phillip Sheridan during the Civil War Valley Campaign in 1864. The house was at the very center of the pivotal Battle of Cedar Creek, where Sheridan secured the Shenandoah Valley for the Union and boosted President Abraham Lincoln’s chances for re-election.
The Augustine Moore House at Yorktown, circa 1725, is most famous as the site of the surrender of General Cornwallis to General George Washington in 1781, securing the American colonies’ independence from England. Yorktown is one of three corners of Virginia’s historic triangle, which also includes Williamsburg and Jamestown.
Built in 1764 and located in Orange County, Montpelier was the home of James Madison. After some renovations in the later 1800s, the house was acquired in 1901 by William and Annie Rodgers duPont. The duPonts preserved much of the core of the Madison home, gardens, and grounds as a legacy for all Americans while enlarging the house considerably. They added wings that more than doubled the size of the house to 55 rooms. A major renovation was completed in 2008.
In Rockbridge County, Natural Bridge is a geological formation in which Cedar Creek, a small tributary of the James River, has carved out a gorge in the mountainous limestone terrain, forming an arch 215 feet high with a span of 90 feet. It consists of horizontal limestone strata and is the remains of the roof of a cave or tunnel through which the creek once flowed. George Washington is said to have worked as a surveyor at the bridge and historians speculate whether the initials G.W. carved into the rock wall were truly done by the first president. Thomas Jefferson bought the property later in a preservation effort.
The Capitol at Williamsburg was the first Capitol building in America in 1705. A reconstructed version, circa 1941, is the centerpiece of Colonial Williamsburg. The H shaped structure reflects the Capitol’s usage: the House of Burgesses, elected by the people, met in one wing and the Governor’s Council, appointed by the King, met in the other. In 1776, the House of Burgesses became the House of Delegates and the other became the Virginia General Assembly.
Most famous as the location of Patrick Henry’s famous Revolutionary War speech, “Give me liberty or give me death,” St. John’s Episcopal was built in Richmond in 1741. Edgar Allan Poe’s mother Elizabeth Arnold Poe, is also buried in the churchyard.
Wakefield, the George Washington Birthplace National Monument, was built in 1718 in Westmoreland County. On land originally settled by John Washington, George Washington’s great-grandfather, the site is representative of 18th century Virginia tobacco farms. George Washington was born here on February 22, 1732. The house was enlarged several times and became known as Wakefield after renovations in the 1770’s. When it was destroyed by fire in 1779, it was never rebuilt. The estate which now stands here was built as a memorial to Washington in the 1930’s and is not an exact replica.
Erected in 1792, the historic brick Cape Henry Lighthouse was the first in the United States. The lighthouse is open to the public and a fine view can be enjoyed from its observation platform. The newer, black & white lighthouse was built in 1881 and is still in use today.
In 1607, three ships, the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery, traveled from England on a voyage which resulted in the founding of the first permanent English settlement in North America- Jamestown. The largest, Susan Constant, sometimes called Sarah Constant, was captained by Christopher Newport. Replica ships are open for touring at the recreated Jamestown settlement on the James River.
Originally the Manse of the Staunton First Presbyterian Church, the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace in Staunton dates back to 1846 and is now referred to as the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library. The Wilsons left the Manse in early 1858 when Joseph Wilson accepted a call from a congregation in Augusta Georgia. The house remained a minister’s home well into the 1920’s. It was only after Woodrow Wilson’s death that his widow, Edith, returned to Staunton, planning to create a memorial. Restorations took 80 years and included removing bathrooms, changing light fixtures, and stripping paint. Recently the Manse was restored to its original red brick, having been painted white for almost a century.
Circa 1725, Stratford Hall Plantation in Westmoreland County was the home of four generations of the Lee family of Virginia, including two signers of the Declaration of Independence, and was also the birthplace of Robert E. Lee.
Mount Vernon was the plantation home of the first president of the United States, George Washington. The estate was built in 1757 and was designed by Washington. It is located on the banks of the Potomac River in Fairfax county in the city of Alexandria. The remains of George and Martha Washington, as well as other family members, are entombed on the grounds.
Mabry Mill is a watermill located along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Floyd County. It is a tourist attraction mainly for the picturesque views of the mill itself. Captured in art so many times, it is one of the most recognized mills in the world. Serving as a gristmill, it was operational from 1905 into the mid 1930’s. During peak visitor season, demonstrations of crafts are given by National Park Service volunteers on the grounds.
The Virginia State Capital, located in Richmond, houses the Virginia General Assembly, the oldest legislative body in the United States. Completed in 1788, Thomas Jefferson was one of the building’s architects.
Virginia Military Institute, established in 1839 and located in Lexington, is the oldest state-supported military college. VMI is sometimes called the “West Point of the South.” In 1851, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson became a member of the faculty and professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy. During the Civil War period, the Institute played a valuable part in training Southern armies as well as participation as a unit in actual battles. The most notable was the Battle of New Market in 1864. Cadets were called into active service on 14 different occasions during the Civil War and many cadets, under the direction of General Jackson, were sent to Camp Lee in Richmond to train recruits. VMI alumni were regarded among the best officers of the South and several distinguished themselves in the Union forces as well.
The Great Dismal Swamp is a marshy area on the coastal plain of eastern Virginia and North Carolina. Its ecological significance and its wealth of history make it a unique wilderness. One of the last large wild areas remaining in the eastern United States, it is not only located between two states, but two eco-regions, allowing for a wide range of plant and animal life. Bald cypress, tupelo, maple, Atlantic white cypress and pine are predominant. Many mammal species, including black bear, bobcat, otter and weasel, along with over 70 species of reptile and amphibians call the swamp home. More than 200 bird species can be seen at the swamp throughout the year.
Williamsburg was the capital of Virginia from 1699-1780, and during that time the Governor’s Palace was the official residence of the royal governor. Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson were among the governors living here. In 1780, Jefferson urged that the capital be relocated to Richmond for security reasons during the Revolutionary War.
Built in 1857, Humpback Bridge is the oldest remaining covered bridge in the state of Virginia. Spanning a tributary of the Jackson River known as Dunlap Creek, the bridge is located near the city of Covington in Alleghany County. Covered bridges were first built in the 1830’s when it was determined that adding a roof over wooden bridges would better protect the decking and support trusses, thereby increasing the lifespan of the bridge by as much as 10 years. Sometimes referred to as “kissing bridges” during the more modest era of the late 19th century, passing through a covered bridge allowed passengers in horse and buggy the opportunity to kiss each other unobserved.
The Shirley Plantation estate is located on the north bank of the James River in Charles City County. Settled in 1613, it is the oldest active plantation in Virginia and said to be the oldest family-owned business in North America, dating back to 1638. The mother of Robert E. Lee, Anne Hill Carter, was born here in and married “Light Horse” Harry Lee in the mansion’s parlor in 1793. The mansion, referred to as “The Great House,” was completed in 1738 and is largely in its original state.
Drydock Number One, Norfolk Naval Shipyard is the oldest operational drydock facility in the United States. Drydocks are used for the construction, maintenance, and repair of ships, boats, and other watercraft. Located in Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia, it was put into service in 1834, and has been in service since then. Its history includes the refitting of USS Merrimack, which was modified to be the Confederate Navy ironclad CSS Virginia. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971.
Founded on May 14th, 1607, Jamestown was the capital of the Virginia Colony for 83 years (1616-1698). Historic Jamestown is the national historic site, Jamestown Settlement is located 1.25 miles from that location and is a living history interpretive site established in 1957 for the 350th anniversary. Both the river and the settlement were named for King James I of England. The state-sponsored living-history settlement includes a recreated English fort, Native American village, extensive indoor and outdoor displays and features the three ships. On Jamestown Island, the National Park Service operates Historic Jamestown where over a million artifacts have been recovered with ongoing archaeological work.
Located directly across the Potomac River from Washington, DC is a military cemetery established during the Civil War. The cemetery sits on the grounds of Arlington House, once the estate of the family of Robert E Lee’s wife Mary Anna, a descendant of Martha Washington. When Virginia announced its secession, Lee resigned his United States Military commission and took command of armed forces for the Confederacy. As a result of his disloyalty to the United States, his farm was appropriated as a graveyard for the Union dead. Today it is the national cemetery for our nation’s military.
The McLean House at Appomattox, built in 1848, is located within the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. To appreciate the irony of this house, one must go back to the beginning of the Civil War. The first Battle of Bull Run, or First Manassas, took place on a farm owned by Wilmer McLean, many miles north of Appomattox. Soon after that battle, the McLeans sought to avoid the war and moved to the village of Clover Hill (later called Appomattox Court House). Unfortunately for the McLeans, on April 9th, 1865, the war came back to their doorstep when General Robert E Lee surrendered to Lieutenant General Ulysses S Grant in their parlor.