Virginia’s rolling Tidewater region once hosted hundreds of grand colonial plantations that shaped America’s early history. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, wealthy landowners constructed impressive estates that dominated the Commonwealth’s economic and social landscape. Today, many of these historic structures have been lost to time, surviving only in historical records and archaeological remains. These 10 remarkable plantations, now vanished from the landscape, offer glimpses into Virginia’s complex colonial heritage.
1. Shirley Plantation (1723) – Charles City County
Once the cornerstone of colonial Virginia’s plantation economy, Shirley Plantation is the oldest active plantation in the state—settled in 1613 and continuously operated since 1638 by the Hill family. The stately Georgian mansion, constructed circa 1723, still stands along the James River with its original “flying staircase” and classic symmetry. Though still preserved today, Shirley represents centuries of change—from indentured servitude to enslaved labor, war, and economic shifts. While the estate survives, its full historic footprint has faded; surrounding dependencies, outbuildings, and fields that once buzzed with activity now whisper of a layered, complex legacy only partly visible to the present.
2. Rosewell Plantation (1725) – Gloucester County
Often considered the grandest mansion in colonial Virginia, Rosewell was constructed between 1725 and 1738 by Mann Page I. This massive four-story brick structure featured three massive chimneys, elaborate interior woodwork, and twelve fireplaces that reflected the Page family’s prominence. With its imposing facade and formal gardens, Rosewell rivaled the governor’s palace in scale and ambition.
Rosewell remained in the Page family until 1838, when financial difficulties forced its sale. A catastrophic fire in 1916 destroyed most of the structure, leaving only the hauntingly beautiful brick shell standing today. Protected by the Rosewell Foundation, these substantial ruins—the tallest colonial ruins in Virginia—continue to provide valuable insights into early American architecture and plantation life.
3. Marlborough Plantation (1709) – Stafford County
Established by John Mercer in 1709, Marlborough became one of the most intellectually significant plantations in colonial Virginia. The two-story brick mansion housed what was reportedly the largest personal library in the colonies, containing over 1,500 volumes. The house featured distinctive T-shaped architecture, formal terraced gardens, and a well-appointed study where Mercer compiled his influential legal reference “Mercer’s Abridgment.”
Following Mercer’s death in 1768, the plantation gradually declined. By the time of the Civil War, Marlborough stood abandoned. Archaeological investigations in the 1930s revealed the foundation footprint and numerous artifacts, but today nothing remains visible above ground at the site near the Potomac River. The plantation lives on primarily through Mercer’s extensive papers and library catalog.
4. Green Spring Plantation (1645) – James City County
Green Spring, built by colonial governor Sir William Berkeley around 1645, represented one of Virginia’s earliest substantial brick dwellings. This asymmetrical structure reflected evolving architectural styles, featuring multiple chimneys, an unusual floor plan, and what may have been Virginia’s first greenhouse. Berkeley used the estate as both private residence and unofficial government center during his decades as governor.
After passing through several owners, the house was largely destroyed during the Civil War. Archaeological excavations conducted in the 1950s uncovered the complex foundation system and thousands of artifacts, revealing the plantation’s evolution over two centuries.
5. Crouches Creek Plantation (1660) – Westmoreland County
Built around 1660 by Richard Cole, Crouches Creek Plantation represented the emerging Virginia gentry’s aspirations. The substantial frame house, later expanded with brick additions, featured distinctive T-shaped architecture and formal gardens overlooking the Potomac River. The plantation gained historical significance as the birthplace of William Lee, who would become George Washington’s personal valet and the only enslaved person freed immediately in Washington’s will.
The plantation home was abandoned in the early 19th century and gradually fell into disrepair. A hurricane in 1933 destroyed what remained of the structure. Archaeological work conducted in the 1970s identified the foundation footprint and recovered numerous artifacts, but today nothing remains visible at the site except scattered brick fragments and the family cemetery.
6. Nomini Hall (1730) – Westmoreland County
One of Virginia’s most well-documented colonial plantations, Nomini Hall was built by Robert Carter II around 1730. This impressive two-story brick mansion featured nine large rooms, four substantial chimneys, and was surrounded by numerous outbuildings that supported the plantation’s operations. The estate gained fame through the detailed journal of Philip Vickers Fithian, the family tutor who provided invaluable insights into plantation life.
Nomini Hall was destroyed by fire in 1850 after serving as the Carter family seat for over a century. Archaeological investigations revealed the foundation and numerous artifacts, but today only subsurface features remain. The detailed descriptions in Fithian’s journal continue to provide historians with an unusually intimate portrait of life at this lost Virginia plantation.
7. Kingsmill Plantation (1736) – James City County
Built by Lewis Burwell in 1736, Kingsmill Plantation featured a substantial two-story brick mansion with distinctive dormers and multiple chimneys overlooking the James River. The estate represented the height of Georgian architectural style in colonial Virginia, with elegant interior woodwork and formal gardens that showcased the Burwell family’s prominent social position.
The plantation remained occupied until the Civil War, when it was abandoned after suffering damage. The deteriorating structure was finally demolished in the early 20th century. Archaeological investigations conducted before the development of Kingsmill Resort uncovered the foundation and thousands of artifacts. Today, only an interpretive display near the golf course marks where this impressive plantation once stood.
8. Colle Plantation (1770) – Albemarle County
Designed by Thomas Jefferson for his Italian friend Philip Mazzei, Colle Plantation was constructed around 1770 in an experimental architectural style that blended Palladian influences with practical frontier requirements. The brick and timber structure featured innovative design elements, including what may have been Virginia’s first flat roof. The surrounding grounds were used to cultivate Mediterranean crops and grapevines as part of Jefferson’s agricultural experiments.
After Mazzei returned to Europe during the American Revolution, the property changed hands multiple times before burning in the 1860s. Archaeological research has identified the foundation footprint, but today nothing remains visible above ground. The plantation lives on primarily through Jefferson’s correspondence and Mazzei’s memoirs, documenting this lost chapter in Virginia’s agricultural and architectural history.
9. Blandfield Plantation (1751) – Essex County
Constructed in 1751 by William Beverley, Blandfield was one of the largest and most elegant Georgian mansions in colonial Virginia. The impressive brick structure featured a distinctive T-shaped floor plan, elaborate interior woodwork, and a dramatic central hallway that ran the entire depth of the house. The plantation gained additional significance as the site where Edmund Pendleton drafted key resolutions that helped lead to American independence.
Unlike many colonial plantations, Blandfield survived intact until a devastating fire in 1912 destroyed most of the original structure. While the house was eventually rebuilt in the 1970s, incorporating salvaged architectural elements, the authentic colonial mansion exists today only in historical drawings and photographs. The reconstruction, while impressive, cannot fully capture the craftsmanship and character of the original 18th-century estate.
10. Richland Plantation (1710) – King William County
Established around 1710 by Edmund Berkeley, Richland Plantation represented one of the earliest substantial brick dwellings in the Virginia Piedmont. The compact but elegant structure featured distinctive glazed header bricks, multiple chimneys, and formal gardens that demonstrated the westward expansion of Tidewater architectural traditions. The plantation held particular historical significance as the birthplace of Carter Braxton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Richland was abandoned in the early 19th century after the Berkeley family relocated, and the structure gradually deteriorated. By the time of the Civil War, only portions of the walls remained standing. Archaeological investigations in the 1950s identified the foundation and recovered numerous artifacts, but today only subsurface features remain at the site, with the plantation surviving primarily through historical records and archaeological data.