Maymont Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Maymont
Maymont Mansion was originally owned by Maj. James H. Dooley and his wife Sallie.
Location	Entrances at 2201 Shields Lake Drive, 1700 Hampton Street, Richmond, Virginia
Area	100 acres (40 ha)
Created	1925 (1925)
Operated by	Maymont Foundation
Visitors	527,153 (in 2013)
Open	Year-round
Website	http://www.maymont.org/


Maymont
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Area	100 acres (40.5 ha)
Built	1890
Architect	Edgerton S. Rogers
NRHP reference No.	71001062
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	December 16, 1971

Maymont is a huge 100-acre park in Richmond, Virginia. It's a special place with a beautiful old mansion, amazing gardens, a collection of old carriages, and even a Children's Farm. You can also see animals that live in Virginia here!

A long time ago, in 1893, a rich lawyer named James H. Dooley and his wife, Sallie, finished building their amazing home here. They loved Maymont so much that they decided to leave it to the people of Richmond after they were gone. This happened in 1925. Over the years, more cool things were added to the park for everyone to enjoy.

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Discovering Maymont's Past

Maymont got its name from Major Dooley's wife, Sallie May. The main house, called Maymont Mansion, was finished in 1893. It's built in a style called Victorian, which was popular back then.

The Dooleys also built a summer house called Swannanoa. It was completed in 1913, high up on Afton Mountain. In 2011, Maymont was named one of the top 10 public spaces by the American Planning Association. This shows how special and well-planned the park is.

Exploring Maymont's Gardens

Maymont is famous for its beautiful gardens. There are many different types to explore.

The Peaceful Japanese Garden

The Japanese Garden with its waterfall.

The Japanese Garden at Maymont is a very calm and beautiful place. It has a koi pond where you can see colorful fish swimming. There's also a large waterfall that makes relaxing sounds. You'll find a special gate called a torii arch, cool rock gardens, and lots of red maple trees.

This garden mixes different styles and ideas from different times. In 1911, a part of the Kanawha Canal was even bought to become part of the garden. After Mrs. Dooley passed away, the Japanese Garden needed some care. It was fixed up in 1978. Now, it's a "stroll garden," meaning you can walk through it and enjoy how nature changes the scenery.

The Elegant Italian Garden

The Italian Garden is another amazing part of Maymont. It was designed by Noland and Baskervill. This garden looks like the fancy gardens from Italy in the 1400s and 1500s. It has a pergola, which is a shaded walkway, along with fountains, decorative urns, and beautiful roses.

The Italian Garden is built on different levels. It faces south and used to look out over the James River. The design of its Cascade and Fountain Court is like the Villa Torlonia near Rome. The stonework for this garden was finished in 1910.

Trees and Plants: The Arboretum

Maymont also has an arboretum, which is like a special park for trees. It has over 200 different kinds of trees and woody plants. Some of these are very rare and special, like the Cedrus atlantica and Cryptomeria japonica. You can also find trees from faraway places like Japan and China. The Dooleys helped choose many of these plants for their estate.

Other Special Gardens

Maymont's gardens are very popular for outdoor weddings. People love to get married in the Italian Garden, the Japanese Garden, or near one of the many gazebos. There are ten other special gardens too!

Marie's Butterfly Garden: This garden was finished in 2009. It's full of flowers that butterflies love, like yarrow, butterfly weed, sunflowers, and herbs. You can find it near the Children's Farm.
Herb Garden: This garden was given to Maymont in 1957. It has many different herbs and has been cared for by the Old Dominion Herb Society since 1978.

Amazing Animals at Maymont

Maymont is home to many animals! Besides the farm animals you can meet at the Children's Farm, Maymont also cares for animals that are native to Virginia. Many of these animals were injured and can't live in the wild anymore.

Native Wildlife Exhibits

You can see amazing animals like bald eagles, a bobcat, black bears, and foxes. There are also white-tailed deer, elk, and American bison. It's a great chance to see these animals up close and learn about them.

The Nature Center

The nature center at Maymont has many aquatic animals. These are creatures that live in or near water in Virginia. You might see playful otters, cool alligators, and even sharks!

Wild Animals in the Park

As you walk around the park, you might spot some wild animals too. Look out for Canada geese, American snapping turtles, different kinds of snakes, and American bullfrogs.