HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Henrico County made history with its $17.25 million purchase of Varina Farms near Dutch Gap and Interstate 295’s Varina-Enon Bridge. The purchase, approved by the Henrico County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday, is the "largest investment in land preservation in [Henrico] history," according to the county.
"Without exaggeration, Varina Farms represents the birthplace of Henrico County, and it is ground zero for Virginia’s early success and prosperity,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Tyrone Nelson, of the Varina District, said in a statement about the 2,095-acre former plantation along the James River. "By acquiring this beautiful, vast and irreplaceable property, Henrico County is making a once-in-a-lifetime move to ensure that our history as a county, a commonwealth and a nation are preserved and that our precious, scenic riverfront will remain protected and accessible for generations to come."
Here are some fast facts about Varina Farms provided by Henrico County:
- Also known as Varina Plantation and Varina on the James
- Includes a two-story, Classical Revival-style home built in 1853
- Home that includes cosmetic damage attributed to cannonball fire and other fighting during the Civil War
- English settler John Rolfe and Powhatan princess Pocahontas lived at Varina Farms after their marriage in 1614
- The property served as the Henrico County seat of government from 1632 to 1752
- Varina Farms is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register
- Owners of the property later included Thomas Mann Randolph, who served as Virginia’s governor from 1819 to 1822 and married Thomas Jefferson’s daughter Martha
- During the Civil War, the farm – then known as Akin’s Landing – served as an eastern depot for the exchange of war prisoners and was the site of fighting in 1864
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