Berkeley Plantation facts for kids
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Berkeley Plantation
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House from the South (river) side
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | 8 mi. W of Charles City, Charles City County, Virginia |
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| Area | 650 acres (260 ha) |
| Built | 1726 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 71001040 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Designated NHL | November 11, 1971 |
Berkeley Plantation is one of America's oldest plantations. It covers about 1,000 acres (400 ha) along the James River in Charles City County, Virginia. The plantation was first called Berkeley Hundred. It was named after the Berkeley Company from England.
In 1726, the Harrison family of Virginia made Berkeley their home. Benjamin Harrison IV built a large brick mansion there. This house became the birthplace of two presidents of the United States. William Henry Harrison was born here in 1773. His grandson, Benjamin Harrison, was also connected to this family home. Today, Berkeley Plantation is a museum. You can visit it and learn about its history.
Berkeley Plantation is famous for several "firsts" in American history:
- In 1619, settlers held the first annual Thanksgiving celebration here. This happened after they arrived at Berkeley Hundred.
- In 1862, the Army bugle call "Taps" was first played here. Bugler Oliver W. Norton played it. He and General Daniel Butterfield created the melody.
Contents
Discover Berkeley Plantation's History
On December 4, 1619, 38 English settlers arrived at Berkeley Hundred. This area was about 8,000 acres (32 km2) on the north bank of the James River. It was named after Richard Berkeley, one of the original founders. This spot was about 20 miles upstream from Jamestown. Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in Colony of Virginia.
The settlers' London Company charter said their arrival day must be a day of thanks. Captain John Woodlief led a service on that first day. He followed the charter's rule: "Wee ordaine that the day of our ships arrival... shall be yearly and perpetually keept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God." Because of this, Berkeley Plantation hosted one of the first recorded Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States.
In 1622, a conflict with Native Americans occurred. Nine settlers at Berkeley Hundred were killed. About a third of the Virginia Colony's population also died. The Berkeley Hundred site was then left empty. Colonists moved to safer places like Jamestown. In 1634, this area became part of Charles City County, Virginia. This is one of the oldest counties in the United States.
Later, the Berkeley Hundred land became property of the Bland family. Then, Benjamin Harrison III bought a part of it. His son, Benjamin Harrison IV, built the large brick mansion. This house became the main home for the Harrison family, a very important family in Virginia.
Benjamin Harrison IV built the Georgian-style mansion in 1726. He used bricks made right on the plantation. The house overlooks the James River. His son, Benjamin Harrison V, was born here. He was a signer of the American Declaration of Independence and a governor of Virginia.
Benjamin Harrison V's son, William Henry Harrison, was also born at Berkeley. He was a war hero and the ninth president of the United States. Berkeley Plantation is one of only two homes that produced two U.S. presidents. William Henry Harrison's grandson, Benjamin Harrison, became the 23rd president. However, this Benjamin Harrison was born in Ohio, not at Berkeley.
Many early U.S. presidents visited Berkeley. They enjoyed the Harrison family's hospitality. These visitors included George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, and John Tyler.
By 1799, the land was worn out from growing tobacco and cotton for over 200 years. The plantation faced financial trouble. A local bank took ownership, and the Harrison family lost their home. Benjamin Harrison VII was the last Harrison to own Berkeley.
During the American Civil War, Union soldiers used Berkeley Plantation. President Abraham Lincoln visited twice in 1862. He met with General George B. McClellan here. After the war, the Harrisons could not get the plantation back. It was rented to farmers, and the mansion became a barn. It fell into great disrepair.
Bringing Berkeley Back to Life
John Jamieson bought Berkeley in 1907. He had been a drummer boy at Berkeley during the Civil War. In 1925, his son Malcolm inherited the property. Malcolm spent a lot of money to fix the ruined main house. He wanted to make it a beautiful home for his wife, Grace Eggleston. The project took over ten years. The Jamiesons finally moved into the mansion in 1938.
In the 1960s, the ground floor of the mansion became a museum. Today, people from all over the world visit the house. The house has its original architecture. It is filled with antique furniture from the time it was built. The gardens have also been restored. You can even get cuttings from the boxwood gardens as souvenirs.
Berkeley is still a working farm today. They grow corn, soybeans, wheat, and other vegetables. There is also a small family cemetery on the property. Benjamin Harrison V, Grace Jamieson, and Malcolm Jamieson are buried there.
In 2018, new slave quarters were built on the property. This was for the movie Harriet, which was filmed partly at the plantation. The original quarters no longer existed. In 1791, Benjamin Harrison V held 110 enslaved people on the plantation.
Exploring the Outside of the House
The main house is the center of ten acres of formal gardens. These gardens have boxwood hedges that form paths. Large pillars with fancy spires support big gates.
The house is made of red brick with thin mortar lines. The main entrance is in the middle of the two-story building. It has two windows on each side and a window directly above the door. These windows have 12 glass panes in each section. A decorative border with small block shapes supports the gabled roof. The roof has three dormer windows and two large brick chimneys.
The grounds also include a two-story guest house. It has one-story wings on each side. In 1862, during the American Civil War, Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart's army shot a cannonball into the side of the house. The cannonball is still there today, marked with a small sign.
Images for kids
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Berkeley Plantation guest house
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Berkeley Plantation guest house
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Side of the Guest House showing a cannonball from the Battle of the Potomac in 1862.
See also
