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Autumn Pilgrimage House Tour Properties Announced for 2017

Shirley Plantation

(Charles City, Virginia) – Westover Episcopal Church, one of the oldest parishes in the nation, is pleased to announce the homes on this year’s Autumn Pilgrimage House Tour.  This year’s list includes several properties not available on previous tours, including the oldest plantation in Virginia and the homes of several presidents.

Each year, some of America’s most historic homes open their doors for this tour, and some are only open to the public on that one day.  The tour is a fundraiser that has been organized for decades by Westover Church, and this year is being held on September 30.

The following properties are featured on this year’s tour:

  • Berkeley Plantation: Built circa 1726, this plantation was the site of the first Thanksgiving and was the ancestral home of U.S. Presidents William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison.
  •  Sherwood Forest Plantation: Home of President John Tyler, this plantation home was begun circa 1660 with additions through 1845.
  • Shirley Plantation: Virginia’s oldest plantation, this property was settled in 1613, only six years after Jamestown was founded.  It’s the oldest family-owned business operating in North America.
  • Pinecrest: Build in 1929 as a summer house, this structure is now used year-round with several additions.  It sits on 13 acres on a 1,500 foot stretch of the James River.
  • River Ridge: Built on part of a land grant originally given to the first Royal Governor of Virginia, this property was also previously home to Chief Powhatan’s tribe and overlooks the Prequile Wildlife refuge.  The home built on the property in 1990 includes stonework originally used in a dismantled railroad in Norfolk.
  • Westover Plantation: Built circa 1730, Westover Plantation is considered one of the best examples of Georgian architecture in America.
  • Westover Episcopal Church: 400 years old and going strong, this church is home to one of the most historic parishes in the nation.

Click here for a map of the 2017 tour.

High-resolution property photos are available on request.

Details and Tickets:

Advance tickets are $35 and may be purchased online at www.westoverepiscopalchurch.org or by calling 804-512-9094 or 757-561-6430.

Advance ticket sales begin July 15, 2017 and end on September 29 at noon.  Tickets may also be purchased on the day of the tour at Westover Church, Sherwood Forest, Westover Plantation and River Ridge for $40.  Children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult.  All ticket sales are non-refundable, and please note that many locations on the tour are not handicapped accessible.

Box lunches are available for pre-purchase for $15 each.  Advance purchase of boxed lunches begins on July 15 and ends September 27 at 5 p.m.  Pulled pork barbecue and Brunswick stew may also be purchased on the day of the tour. There will also be a bake sale and canned goods for sale at the church.

The house tour generates funds for Westover Church’s Meals on Wheels program and several other area social services programs.