National Register of Historic Places

Meadow Farm

Glen Allen, Henrico County, Virginia
Listed
August 12, 1974
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
74002125

About this property

Meadow Farm is a historic farm and estate in Henrico County, Virginia. It is best known for its role in Gabriel's Revolution. The main farmhouse was built in the early nineteenth century and is a well preserved example of small Virginia farms of the time. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The property is now owned and operated by Henrico County as the Meadow Farm Museum. Prior to European contact, the land was used by bands of Native American tribes for thousands of years for hunting and trading. Starting in the early eighteenth century, Meadow Farm was owned by several generations of the Sheppard family. The Sheppard family raised livestock and grew crops, primarily wheat, and corn. In 1800, two enslaved men to Mosby Sheppard named Thom and Pharaoh informed Mosby Sheppard about a planned slave revolt. Mosby Sheppard informed then-governor James Monroe, who halted the rebellion before it could begin. Mosby Sheppard later served in the Virginia Militia for the War of 1812. Doctor John Mosby Sheppard, son of Mosby Sheppard, later purchased the estate. John Sheppard practiced medicine on the site and a period building, representing his medical office, stands today. John Sheppard's grandson, General Sheppard Crump, was the last of the Sheppard family to live at Meadow Farm. After Sheppard Crump died, his widow lived in the house until eventually donating the property to Henrico County. The main dwelling at Meadow Farm is a story-and-a-half frame house. The house is a well preserved farm house of its time and important interior details survive such as the stairs and banisters, mantels, baseboards, and floors. The house has a gabled roof with exterior end chimneys. There is Greek Revival porch on the house which dates to the 1840s. Later additions were made to the house, such as a shed wing and a large two-story wing on the rear. The historic area and museum presents programs and exhibits on the history of Henrico County, Central Virginia, and cultures impacted at Meadow Farm. The buildings include the farmhouse, barn, doctor's office, tobacco barn, smokehouse, and springhouse. The museum is featured in "Welcome to the Meadow Farm Museum", a 10-minute Henrico County TV film available for viewing online. Meadow Farm Museum at Crump Park - official site at Henrico County Parks & Recreation Department

Location

Glen Allen, Henrico County, Virginia
37.67670, -77.51765

Categories

MILITARYBLACKARCHITECTURE
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Meadow Farm

This page lists Meadow Farm. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
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
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Meadow Farm report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Walkerton
Industrial
1.5 mi
Randolph, Virginia, Cottage
Industrial
2.2 mi
Laurel Industrial School Historic District
Industrial
2.3 mi
Ashland UDC Jefferson Davis Highway Marker
Industrial
3.2 mi
Green's Farm (Huntley)
Industrial
4 mi

Nearby Battles

Sheridan's Richmond Raid
1864Civil War
2.3 mi
Yellow Tavern (May 11)
1864Civil War
2.5 mi
Yellow Tavern — Stuart Mortally Wounded (May 11, 1864)
1864Civil War
3.2 mi
Fight at Meadow Bridge
1864Civil War
3.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Meadow Farm listed on the National Register?

Meadow Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 12, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Meadow Farm?

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

What is the period of significance for Meadow Farm?

The period of significance for Meadow Farm is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Meadow Farm?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Meadow Farm will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Henrico County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Henrico County.

Explore HenricoCounty ›

More historic places in Virginia

Browse all historic places in Virginia.

View Virginiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Virginia history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Virginiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Meadow Farm will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report