National Register of Historic Places

Tree Hill

Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia
Listed
October 16, 1974
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
74002127

About this property

Tree Hill near Richmond, Virginia, in Henrico County, Virginia, is a Greek Revival style plantation house overlooking the James River about two miles east of downtown Richmond near the intersection of the historic Osborne Turnpike and New Market Road. Currently still a private farm, but expected to become partly a park after housing and commercial development, it was once owned by Richmond distiller and landowner Franklin Stearns, a prominent Unionist during the American Civil War. Centuries earlier, it had been a Native American camp site, and the birthplace of powerful chief Powhatan (d.1618). On the night of April 3, 1865, as Richmond burned due to fires set by evacuating Confederate forces, Richmond mayor Joseph C. Mayo traveled in a horse-drawn buggy along Main Street (which becomes the Osborne Turnpike) alongside the James River about a mile past Rockett's Landing, where he came upon Union cavalry encamped at Tree Hill (near the intersection with New Market Road toward Williamsburg). He delivered a note surrendering the city and requesting help restoring order and protecting people and property.

Location

Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia
37.49829, -77.41510

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
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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Everything a full report reveals about Tree Hill

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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.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Clarke-Palmore House
Early Republic
0.8 mi
James River Steam Brewery Cellars
Industrial
1.4 mi
Fulton, Robert, School
Industrial
1.4 mi
Southern Stove Works, Manchester
Industrial
1.6 mi
Richmond National Cemetery
Listed
1.7 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Bloody Run 1656
1656Colonial
1.1 mi
Engagement at Darbytown Road (Second)
1864Civil War
1.8 mi
Golding's Farm – Artillery Action
1862Civil War
2.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Tree Hill listed on the National Register?

Tree Hill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 16, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Tree Hill?

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

What is the period of significance for Tree Hill?

The period of significance for Tree Hill is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Tree Hill?

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