Historical Homes
We have toured a number of plantations in Virginia. Shirley Plantation, one of the James River Plantations, has the distinction of being the oldest surviving plantation in America. While it began by growing tobacco, it now grows corn, wheat, cotton, soybeans, and pecans. With its roots dating back to 1613 (that was just 6 years after Captain John Smith arrived and established the first English settlement several miles down the James River at Jamestown), it has been the home to the Hill Carter family for 12 generations since 1638. Only the main floor is open to tours, as the Carter family resides in the rest of the house. (That white finial adornment on the roof centered between the two chimneys is a pineapple, the southern symbol of hospitality.)
