Carter's Grove facts for kids
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Carter's Grove
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Williamsburg, Virginia |
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| Built | 1750 |
| Architect | David Minetree; Richard Taliaferro |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000249 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 12, 1969 |
| Designated NHL | April 15, 1970 |
Carter's Grove, also known as Carter's Grove Plantation, is a large historic estate located on the north shore of the James River in James City County, Virginia. It covers about 750 acres of land.
The main house was built for Carter Burwell, who was the grandson of a very rich man named Robert "King" Carter. The house was finished in 1755. It was likely named after the powerful Carter family and a nearby creek called Grove Creek. Carter's Grove Plantation was built on land that was once part of an even older settlement called Martin's Hundred. English colonists first settled this area around 1620. In 1976, archaeologists found the remains of Wolstenholme Towne here. This small town was wiped out during a Native American attack in 1622.
After being owned by many different families for hundreds of years, Carter's Grove was given to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in 1969. For many years, it was open for people to visit. However, it closed to the public in 2003. Later, a big storm called Hurricane Isabel damaged the road that connected the estate to Colonial Williamsburg. In 2006, the foundation decided to sell Carter's Grove.
In 2007, CNET founder Halsey Minor bought the main house and 476 acres. He planned to live there and use the land for breeding horses. However, he never lived there. In 2014, the property was sold again to Samuel M. Mencoff. Today, Carter's Grove is a private home.
History of Carter's Grove
Wolstenholme Towne: An Early Settlement
In 1620, an early English settlement called Wolstenholme Towne was built on the land that would later become Carter's Grove. This land was part of a larger area known as Martin's Hundred. The settlement was owned by a group of investors from the Virginia Company of London. Sadly, many of its people were killed during a Native American attack in 1622, and the town was later abandoned.
The Carter Family's Connection
Robert Carter (1663–1732), also known as "King" Carter, was a very wealthy and important person in Virginia. He bought some of the land that had been Wolstenholme Towne. His daughter, Elizabeth Carter, married Nathaniel Burwell in 1709. Robert Carter kept ownership of the land, but Elizabeth received the money it earned.
The Burwell Family and the Mansion
Elizabeth Carter and Nathaniel Burwell had a son named Carter Burwell (1716–1777). Carter Burwell inherited the property from his grandfather, Robert Carter. He then built the beautiful house that stands today. At that time, the estate was about 1,400 acres. Carter Burwell and his wife, Lucy Ludwell Grymes, lived in the completed house for only six months before Carter passed away in 1777. Their son, Nathaniel Burwell, then took over the estate.
Colonel Nathaniel Burwell (1750–1814) moved to Carter's Grove in 1771. He grew crops like corn and wheat on the plantation. Carter's Grove stayed in the Burwell family until 1838.
Later Owners and Changes
Over the years, Carter's Grove had several different owners who made changes to the mansion.
Edwin G. Booth's Renovations
Edwin Gilliam Booth bought Carter's Grove in 1879. He made many changes to the mansion. He painted the inside in patriotic colors and added fancy porches to the front and back of the house. Booth was a lawyer and plantation owner. His family's old papers are now kept at the University of Virginia library.
T. Percival Bisland's Modernizations
In 1907, a New York businessman named T. Percival Bisland bought the property. He worked to fix up the house. He added modern features like window screens, indoor toilets, central heating, and a new kitchen. Sadly, both he and his wife died a few years later, and the property was left without a direct owner for a while.
Archibald McCrea's Restoration
Archibald McCrea, a businessman from Pittsburgh, bought the mansion in 1928. He and his wife, Mary McCrea, worked to restore the mansion. They also made big changes to modernize and expand it. An architect named Duncan Lee helped them. They raised the roof and added windows on the upper floor, which changed how the house looked. Archibald McCrea passed away in 1937, but his wife lived at Carter's Grove for another 25 years. After her death, the estate was bought by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
Carter's Grove and Colonial Williamsburg
From 1969 to 2007, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation owned and managed Carter's Grove. For most of those years, it was open to the public. In the 1970s, archaeologists made exciting discoveries on the property. They found the remains of Wolstenholme Towne, the early settlement from the 1620s. They also found old slave quarters from a later time. Parts of these sites were restored to show what life was like during different periods of the property's nearly 400-year history.
Carter's Grove was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1971 because of its important history.
However, Carter's Grove was quite far from the main area of Colonial Williamsburg, which focuses on the American Revolution. Not many visitors made the trip to the plantation. So, on January 2, 2003, Colonial Williamsburg decided to close Carter's Grove to the public. They explained that the main house was decorated to look like it did in 1928, which didn't fit with the Revolutionary War time period of Colonial Williamsburg. Also, they had another plantation, Great Hopes Plantation, closer to the main area.
Later in 2003, Hurricane Isabel caused a lot of damage to the Carter's Grove Country Road. This road connected the estate to Colonial Williamsburg. The storm destroyed many trees, and the road had to be closed. This made it even harder for people to visit.
In 2006, Colonial Williamsburg decided that the best plan was to sell Carter's Grove. They put rules in place to protect the beautiful views of the James River, the wetlands, forests, and the historic buildings and archaeological sites on the property. This meant no new houses or businesses could be built there.
Carter's Grove Today
In December 2007, CNET founder Halsey Minor bought Carter's Grove for $15.3 million. He planned to use the mansion as his private home and to start a thoroughbred horse-breeding program.
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation did not sell the furniture and other items inside the plantation house. These items were sold at an auction in 2008.
A special agreement, called a conservation easement, protects the mansion and 400 of the 476 acres. This agreement is held by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. It helps make sure the land and buildings are preserved for the future.
Halsey Minor did not make changes to Carter's Grove and later faced financial difficulties. In 2013, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation helped supervise repairs to the property, including fixing the leaky roof.
In 2014, Samuel M. Mencoff, a businessman, bought the property. Today, Carter's Grove remains a private residence.
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