Upper Shirley, Virginia facts for kids
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Upper Shirley
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | W of Charles City on SR 608, Charles City, Virginia |
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| Area | 9 acres (3.6 ha) |
| Built | 1868-1870, 1890 |
| Built by | A. H. Marks and Bros. |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001884 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 29, 1982 |
Upper Shirley is a historic country home located near Charles City, Virginia. It's a beautiful old estate in Charles City County, Virginia. Today, Upper Shirley is also home to a vineyard, where grapes are grown to make wine.
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About Upper Shirley
Upper Shirley is a large, two-story house. It is covered in a material called stucco, which is a type of plaster, over its brick walls. The house has a unique roof that hangs over the edges, called a hipped roof. It measures about 42 feet by 47 feet.
What the House Looks Like
The front of Upper Shirley has a grand entrance called a portico. This portico has columns that look like the Doric order style, which is a classic design from ancient Greece.
On the west side of the house, there is a special doorway. This doorway originally came from another old building called the Warren House in Harrisonburg, Virginia. A two-level porch protects this doorway and stretches across the entire side of the house.
History of the Estate
The land where Upper Shirley stands was once part of a much larger estate called Shirley Plantation. In 1866, the owner of Shirley Plantation, Hill Carter, decided to retire. He divided his large property.
He gave the main part of Shirley Plantation to his son, Robert. The part that became 'Upper Shirley' was given to another son, William Fitzhugh Carter.
Building the House
The first part of the Upper Shirley house was built between 1868 and 1870. Hill Carter had it built for his son, William Fitzhugh Carter. Interestingly, the builders used materials saved from a large 18th-century building that was taken down at Shirley Plantation.
Later, in 1890, the house was made even bigger. This expansion brought it to the size we see today.
National Recognition
Because of its history and unique architecture, Upper Shirley was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This means it's recognized as an important historical site in the United States.
