Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation facts for kids
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Piney Grove
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | VA 615, Holdcroft, Virginia |
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| Area | 5.2 acres (2.1 ha) |
| Built | c. 1800, c. 1820, 1853, c. 1905 |
| Architectural style | Log building |
| NRHP reference No. | 85003052 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 26, 1985 |
Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation is a historic place in Holdcroft, Virginia. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a special site recognized for its history.
The buildings at Piney Grove show how homes were built from the 1700s to the 1900s. These homes were often simpler wooden houses. They were different from the big brick mansions built by very rich families along the James River. Piney Grove is located on higher land away from the river. It was part of an area with smaller farms and more modest homes.
The oldest part of the main house was built around 1800. It started as a small log building, about 20-by-22-foot (6.1 m × 6.7 m). This was used to store corn. Around 1820, it became a 1+1⁄2-story log store. Later, in 1853, more parts were added. In the early 1900s, it became a two-story house. This house is special because it's a rare example of a log farm building that grew into a much larger home.
Piney Grove was added to the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
Contents
History of Piney Grove
Before English settlers arrived, the land where Piney Grove stands was home to the Chickahominy (tribe). This area was near their Mattahunk village. There was also a path known as Necotowance's Path nearby.
The Southall Family and Early Days
In the late 1700s, the 300-acre (120 ha) property was owned by the Southall family. They had many other properties in Charles City County and nearby Henrico County.
The oldest part of the Piney Grove house was built before 1790. It was a log building used for storing corn on the Southall farm. It is a rare example of early log building in Tidewater Virginia.
Furneau Southall was an important person in the area. He worked as a deputy-sheriff in the mid-1700s. During the American Revolution, he helped lead the local Committee of Safety. This group helped organize support for the American cause. He also led one of the Charles City County companies.
In 1790, Furneau Southall helped with the first U.S. Census in the area. The census counted people living on the farm. This included Furneau Southall, his wife, and their seven children. It also listed sixteen enslaved people. These individuals were forced to work without pay. Their names were Amy, Bess, Bristol, Critty, Dick, Dublin, Jack, Kate, Lucky, Nutty, Patsey, Pompy, Peter, Rippons, Rose, and Silvia. Records also show what furniture, books, and animals were on the farm.
The Southall family owned the farm until 1857. Then, Furneau's grandson, John Seth Stubblefield, sold part of it. This part included the log corn crib, which was now a store. The store was known as Piney Grove Store.
After the Civil War
After the American Civil War, Edmund Archer Saunders owned Piney Grove Store. He later moved to Richmond and became a very successful grocery businessman. He bought many properties in Charles City County.
Thomas Fletcher Harwood ran Piney Grove Store from 1874 to 1915. In 1905, he made the store building into a five-bedroom house. His son, Dr. Ashton Harwood, also had his doctor's office there. The Harwood family cemetery is on the property. It has beautiful iron fences. From 1916 until 1984, the Hughes family owned Piney Grove.
Piney Grove Today: A Place to Visit
In 1984, the Gordineer family bought Piney Grove. They spent five years restoring the house. Some original farm buildings are still there. These include a smokehouse, a chicken house, and sheds for farm equipment. Old photos show there used to be barns and a dairy too, but they are gone now. You can still see where Dr. Harwood's office used to be.
The house is filled with old furniture and items that tell the story of Piney Grove. Some of these items belonged to the Gordineer family's ancestors from Canada.
Piney Grove also has other old buildings that were moved there. These buildings were saved from being torn down at their original locations. They include:
- Ashland (built 1835 in James City County, Virginia)
- Dower Quarter (built 1835, Henrico County, Virginia)
- Ladysmith (built 1857, Caroline County, Virginia)
- Duck Church (built 1917, Dare County, North Carolina)
- Pocahontas Tea House Outhouse (built around 1930, Henrico County)
- Peace Hill Smokehouse (built around 1920, Charles City County)
There is also a copy of the Lanexa Farmstand (built around 1940, James City County, Virginia).
Piney Grove is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The grounds are open every day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can take a guided tour of the house by making an appointment. You can even stay overnight in the historic Ladysmith house!
Piney Grove is part of many special trails and programs:
- Virginia Civil War Trails
- Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail
- Virginia Time Travelers Program
- Jamestown Discovery Trail
- National Register "James River Plantations" Travel Itinerary
See also
