Corotoman facts for kids
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Corotoman
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Historic marker denoting the location of the home
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 Location in Virginia
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| Location | Address Restricted Weems, Virginia |
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| Area | 160 acres (65 ha) |
| Built | 1650–1699, 1700s |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000805 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 15, 1970 |
Corotoman was a large estate in Virginia, United States, during the 1600s and 1700s. It was located right on the Rappahannock River in Lancaster County. Corotoman was the home of Robert Carter I, who lived from 1662 or 1663 to 1732. He was a very important leader in the colonial government of Virginia. In fact, he was one of the richest people in the British colonies in North America. The estate was perfectly placed, with Carter's Creek to its east and the Corrotoman River to its west.
Contents
The Story of Corotoman
Who Lived Here First?
Long before English settlers arrived, the land where Corotoman was built was home to the Cuttatwomen Native American tribe. They lived there for hundreds of years before anyone else.
John Carter: The First Owner
The Carter family's story in Virginia began with John Carter I. He bought the Corotoman land between 1652 and 1653. John Carter worked hard to turn the land into a successful plantation. He also built the first buildings on the property before he passed away in 1669. His main house, called the "Old House," was built in a common style for the 1600s.
Robert "King" Carter's Grand Estate
In 1690, Corotoman was inherited by John Carter's son, Robert Carter I. Robert became known as "King" Carter because he was incredibly wealthy and had strong business methods. Under his care, Corotoman became the center of a huge estate. This estate grew to include 48 plantations and farms, covering about 300,000 acres!
Building a Grand Mansion
Around 1720, Robert Carter began building a magnificent Georgian mansion at Corotoman. This grand house was finished in 1725. It was a very important building for its time in Virginia, showing a new style of architecture. The Corotoman mansion was so impressive that it could compare to other major colonial homes in Virginia. It truly showed Robert Carter I's power as a leading planter in the Tidewater area.
Building the mansion was a long and difficult project. Carter's letters and diary show it was often frustrating. He used materials from all over, including paving stones from England. He also used lumber from his own sawmills and from nearby plantations. Even oyster shells were used to make mortar for the bricks. For some windows, he used iron frames with small glass panes. To get the job done, Carter brought in skilled workers from England and hired local craftsmen.
Beautiful Gardens
Robert Carter hired an English gardener to design the areas around his mansion. He wanted the gardens to match the beautiful architecture of the house. We don't know much about what the gardens looked like or what plants were in them today.
The Brick House Store
At Corotoman, Carter also had a building called the "Brick House Store." Here, he kept goods that he imported from other places. He would sell or trade these items with other local planters. In 1730, a list of items in the store showed everyday necessities like cloths, tools, and gunpowder. But it also had luxury items, such as spices, fancy combs, and brass candlesticks.
The Spinster's House
Another important building at Corotoman was called the "Spinster's House." This house was built in the late 1600s or early 1700s. It was a one-and-a-half-story frame house with a gabled roof and tall chimneys. This house was the last original building from the Corotoman plantation. It slowly fell apart and was gone by about 1930.
A Fire Destroys the Mansion
Sadly, in 1729, just four years after "King" Carter's grand mansion was finished, a fire completely destroyed it. Robert Carter didn't write much about the fire in his diary, but he did mention how sad he was about losing his wine cellar. He passed away three years later, and the mansion was never rebuilt. Records from 1732 suggest that after the fire, Carter might have lived in the "Old House" or the "Spinster's House." He may not have rebuilt the mansion due to money problems or poor health. In the mid-1800s, Corotoman was sold by one of Charles Carter's granddaughters, and it left the Carter family.
Later Owners
A new mansion was built at Corotoman by later owners, but it also burned down around 1900. In the spring of 2000, the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities bought the Corotoman site.
What the Mansion Looked Like
Robert Carter I's 1725 Georgian mansion was a two-story brick building. It had a two-story porch, which Carter called a piazza. The mansion was very large, measuring 90 feet long and 40 feet wide. Its main entrance hall had a floor made of black and white marble brought all the way from England. On either side of the entrance hall were Carter's bedchamber (bedroom) and a beautifully decorated parlor (living room), both with big closets. Along the side of the mansion facing the Rappahannock River, there was a long walkway called a gallery. Below the gallery was an arcade (a row of arches) and three separate sections called pavilions.
Even though the main mansion burned down, the "Spinster's House" on the Corotoman estate survived until about 1930.
Discoveries from Archaeology
In 1978, archaeologists led by Dr. Carter Hudgins and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources began digging at Corotoman. They uncovered the foundations of Robert Carter I's Georgian mansion. Their work confirmed that the house was 40 feet by 90 feet, with an additional 10-by-90-foot loggia (a covered outdoor hallway). The mansion's foundations were found to be 30 inches thick.
The archaeologists found many interesting things, including white marble floor tiles, pieces of carved stone, and special bricks. They also found pieces of Delft tile, Chinese porcelain, large drinking cups called tankards, and over 1,000 wine bottles! Many of the items found at Corotoman are now on display at the Christ Church museum.
Images for kids
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Historic marker denoting the location of the home
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Portrait of Robert "King" Carter
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The "Spinster's House" at Corotoman in the early 20th century.
