Berkeley
National Historic Landmark

Berkeley

Charles City, Charles City County, Virginia
Listed
November 11, 1971
Type
Building
Period
Colonial
Ref No.
71001040

About this property

Berkeley Plantation, one of the first plantations in America, comprises about 1,000 acres (400 ha) on the banks of the James River on State Route 5 in Charles City County, Virginia. Berkeley Plantation was originally called Berkeley Hundred, named after the Berkeley Company of England. In 1726, it became the home of the Harrison family of Virginia, after Benjamin Harrison IV located there and built one of the first three-story brick mansions in Virginia. It is the ancestral home of two presidents of the United States: William Henry Harrison, who was born there in 1773 and his grandson Benjamin Harrison. It is now a museum property, open to the public. In 1619 settlers celebrated the first annual Thanksgiving celebration after landing at Berkeley Hundred. In 1862 the Army bugle call "Taps" was first played, by bugler Oliver W. Norton; the melody was written at Harrison's Landing, the plantation's old wharf, by Norton and General Daniel Butterfield.

Location

Charles City, Charles City County, Virginia
37.31340, -77.17981

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
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Nearby Historic Sites

Edgewood
Industrial
1.2 mi
Westover
Industrial
1.5 mi
Westover Church
Industrial
1.8 mi
Evelynton
Industrial
1.9 mi
Merchant's Hope Church
Industrial
3.5 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Bermuda Hundred
1864Civil War
2.4 mi
Bermuda Hundred — Breakout Attempts (May-June 1864)
1864Civil War
2.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Berkeley listed on the National Register?

Berkeley was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 11, 1971.

What type of historic resource is Berkeley?

Berkeley is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Berkeley a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Berkeley has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Berkeley?

The period of significance for Berkeley is recorded as the colonial era, specifically around 1726.

Can I research the history near Berkeley?

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