While visiting Virginia, we had the opportunity to visit many historic sites, from Colonial Williamsburg to Jamestown Settlement. One of the surprising gems of the area was the Berkeley Plantation, a little-known (to us at least) settlement, with a lot of history!
The Historic Location
Several companies sent out expeditions during the initial colonization of what was to become the United States. One such company, The Berkeley Company, was given a tract of 100 acres across the river from Jamestown with the express purpose of producing crops. When the colonists landed, after a harrowing two-and-a-half-month journey with no casualties, one of the first actions they took was to hold a ceremony of thanksgiving on the shores of the James River. A ceremony they repeated every year, making it the first annual Thanksgiving in the new world, pre-dating the Boston event by a little over a year.
In addition to this, the site was also the home of two US presidents, used as a jail and command center during the Civil War, and the site of the first “performance” of Taps.
Education at Berkeley Plantation
We visited the Berkley plantation as part of a local homeschool event, where we, in addition to the other families, got a discounted admission, as well as a guided tour of the main building.
As architecture, the buildings and grounds share a lot in common with other manor houses seen at Scotchtown, Smith’s Fort, and the palace at Williamsburg. The area gives a well-preserved snapshot into the life and times of a well-to-do family like the Harrisons, who built the main buildings and lived there through 3 generations.
Berkeley Plantation: Worth the Side Quest
While it lacks the charm of Colonial Williamsburg, the “first landing” status of Jamestown, or the finality of Yorktown, Berkeley Plantation is worth the time to see if you find yourself in Virginia and have a thirst for little-known firsts!