From the first landing at Jamestown in 1607 establishing the first permanent English settlement in North America the state of Virginia has been at the forefront of the nation s history and its architecture. The early Colonial-era residences formed the foundation for a storied tradition of fine homes, luscious gardens, and sprawling estates. Through the struggle for independence and the formative years of the young republic, prominent businessmen and politicians constructed grand homes that reflected worldly styles infused with uniquely American innovations.
Many of the nation s founding fathers including future presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe built elaborate showplaces that remain, centuries later, cherished national landmarks. The birthplaces of General Robert E. Lee, Woodrow Wilson, and many of Virginia s heroes and innovators are here to be explored, from the shores of the Atlantic Ocean to the foothills of the Blue Ridge.
Several of Virginia s classic homes that stand today survived the battlefields of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Others weathered neglect from owners who lost the means to support the grand lifestyles the homes represented. Fortunately, an appreciation for Virginia s rich history and architectural heritage has led many of the finest homes, dating back to the seventeenth century, to be restored to their original glory.
Homes of presidents and chief justices, governors and generals, merchants and farmers, the properties presented in these pages span the styles and tastes of a growing nation through its first few centuries. Visit the library where Thomas Jefferson read, the study where George Mason penned the Virginia Declaration of Rights, the dining room where George Washington ate, and the childhood bed in which Woodrow Wilson slept. Complete histories, detailed descriptions, and stunning photographs provide a thorough picture of the finest homes and gardens to be found in Old Dominion.
From the Back Cover
Explore the great homes and gardens of Old Dominion in this stunning illustrated tour. From seventeenth-century dwellings in the tidewater region to nineteenth-century plantations in the Blue Ridge foothills, Virginia is home to an abundance of glorious residences and lush landscapes that reflect the evolving architecture and changing lifestyles of a growing nation.
Authors Pat and Chuck Blackley introduce the people and families presidents and pioneers, nobility and entrepreneurs that helped to build Virginia s rich architectural legacy. The text gives insight into the homes fine details and takes you through the expansions, updates, and restoration projects undertaken over the years. Beautiful color photographs bring to life the interiors and exteriors of these homes as they appear today. While most of the properties are open to the public, Virginia s Historic Homes & Gardens allows you to take some of the grace and grandeur home with you.
About the Author
Pat and Chuck Blackley are a photography and writing team born and raised in Virginia. Although they work throughout North America, their concentration is on the eastern United States. With a love of the outdoors and history, they find a wealth of subjects throughout the mid-Atlantic. They have enjoyed traveling that region for over thirty years. Chuck is a member of American Society of Media Photographers.Their work appears in numerous magazines, including AAA, Alaska Airlines, Backpacker, Blue Ridge Country, Country, Defenders of Wildlife, Destinations, Endless Vacation, Family Fun, Frommer's Budget Travel, National Parks, Natural History, On Earth, Outdoor America, Outdoor Photographer, Sierra Club, Wilderness Society, Wildflowers, and in books by Countryman Press, Farcountry Press, Frommer's, Gareth Stevens, Globe Pequot, Insight Guides, National Geographic, Natural History, Reader's Digest, Sierra Press, Voyageur Press, and a majority of the national text book and calendar publishers. Additionally, their photographs appear regularly in commercial projects and other publications by organizations such as America Online, Boundless Journeys, Defenders of Wildlife, Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Impact Photographics, National Parks Foundation, National Park Service, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Sierra Club, Sony Records, The Trust For Public Land, and Valley Conservation Council.They are the sole authors and photographers of Shenandoah National Park Impressions, Blue Ridge Parkway Impressions, Shenandoah Valley Impressions, Outer Banks Impressions, and Our Virginia. Born and raised in Virginia, Chuck Blackley is part of a photographic and writing team with Pat Blackley. With their love of history, the Blackleys explore a wealth of subjects throughout the mid-Atlantic and particularly in Virginia. The National Parks Conservation Association has described them as among u201cAmericau2019s most accomplished conservation photographers.Their work appears in countless magazines, including Backpacker, Blue Ridge Country, Country, Defenders of Wildlife, Destinations, Frommeru2019s Budget Travel, National Geographic Adventure, National Geographic Traveler, Natural History, Outdoor America, Outdoor Photographer, Sierra Club, and Wilderness Society, as well as numerous books, calendars, and other commercial projects. Chuck is a member of the American Society of Media Photographers. Their sole-author books include Our Virginia, Backroads from the Beltway, Blue Ridge Parkway Impressions, Shenandoah Valley Impressions, and Blue Ridge Parkway Simply Beautiful.
Wow! eBook
