The Berkeley Plantation

 

Since this day was to be a day of likely rain we elected to drive to the Ashland RV park north of Richmond.  On the way from Williamsburg, we stopped at the Berkeley Plantation.  Berkeley was the name of the company in England that was funding the effort to establish a profitable company in the new world in 1619, now the site of the first Thanksgiving.


Benjamin Harrison III bought Berkeley in 1691 and a dynasty of Harrison's lived here over the centuries.  Benjamin the V was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  Later two more Benjamins were elected president of the United States.


The Berkeley Plantation rivals Thomas Jefferson's Monticello for history and beauty.  We got to tour the inside of the very old home but could not take pics.  


The current owner of the plantation is George or more formally known as King George.  He carries a regal air about him and commands the center of attention.



George oversees the local bird population including the American Goldfinch that resides at Berkeley.



The views out to the James River are inspiring.  This walkway has 3 levels of terraces dug by slaves that we get to enjoy today.  Benjamin V created a ship-building company at the base of this walk and built several ships for our revolutionary government.



Slave quarters were many back in the 17 and 1800s. 




This view of this modest house to the side of the main home is actually the office of the current Harrison descendent who rarely spends time here but helps with the funding of the plantation.  It is a working farm of about 500 acres using modern farm machinery.

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