National Register of Historic Places

Wilton

Richmond (Independent City), Richmond County, Virginia
Listed
April 29, 1976
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
76002231

About this property

Wilton House Museum is a museum in a historic house located in Richmond, Virginia. Wilton was constructed c. 1753 by William Randolph III, son of William Randolph II, of Turkey Island. Wilton was originally the manor house on a 2,000-acre (8.1 km2) tobacco plantation known as "World's End" located on the north bank of the James River several miles east of the city of Richmond. Between 1747 and 1759, William III acquired more than a dozen contiguous tracts of land. About 1753, Randolph completed building a Georgian manor house, which he named "Wilton," on a site overlooking the river. In 1934, with commercial development encroaching on the opposite bank of the James and the property in danger of foreclosure, The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia saved the mansion from destruction by purchasing, dismantling, moving, and rebuilding it on a site overlooking the James River a few miles west of its original location. Ironically the farm just east of the Pocahontas Parkway, where Wilton once stood remains devoted to agriculture in the 21st century. Open to the public since 1952, Wilton hosts a collection of 18th- and 19th-century furnishings, textiles, glass, ceramics, and silver that reflect the wealthy planter life of the mid-18th century. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Location

Richmond (Independent City), Richmond County, Virginia
37.56267, -77.52037

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
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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Nearby Historic Sites

Jerman House
Industrial
0.4 mi
John Rolfe Apartments
Industrial
0.4 mi
Kenwyn
Industrial
0.4 mi
Tuckahoe Apartments
Industrial
0.4 mi
Rice House
Industrial
0.5 mi

Nearby Battles

Engagement at Seven Mile Ford
1863Civil War
2.5 mi
Dahlgren Raid (Richmond Raid)
1864Civil War
4.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Wilton listed on the National Register?

Wilton was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 29, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Wilton?

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

What is the period of significance for Wilton?

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

Can I research the history near Wilton?

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