Historic House Tour Returns With New Homes for 2023
Mount Stirling
(Charles City County, VA) – The Autumn Pilgrimage House Tour, a tradition first organized by Westover Church in Charles City County in 1954, is back this year and will feature several new homes that have never been featured on the tour.
Charles City County was first settled in the 1600s as colonists expanded their footprint from Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. The tour makes it possible for visitors to visit some of the most historic homes in America, all within just a few miles of each other. These homes are rarely open to the public, making the Autumn Pilgrimage House Tour one of the only opportunities to see them in all their glory.
This year’s tour will take place on September 30. Proceeds of the day will benefit the Church and its area outreach programs, including Meals on Wheels, other local feeding programs, and children’s outreach through the County’s Social Services agency.
The following properties are featured this year:
- 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.
- Nance-Major House: Built in 1869, this property has been at the geographic and political core of Charles City County for 150 years. The Nance-Major Store operated from 1874 until 1963 and was an important gathering place for citizens coming to the courthouse.
- Mount Stirling: An exceptional example of high-style Greek Revival architecture, the plantation house was erected in 1851 and relatively unaltered since then.
- Riverview: This 1850 Greek Revival clapboard house sits on property originally used by colonists dating back to 1637. The house sits on a high bank of the James River, overlooking Presquile National Wildlife Refuge and surrounded by 403 acres of fields and woods.
- The Old Courthouse: Until 2005, this building was the third oldest courthouse in America that was still in use for judicial purposes. Originally built in 1730, the courthouse has recently been historically renovated and is now used for ceremonial purposes.
- Westover Episcopal Church: 410 years old and going strong, this church is home to one of the most historic parishes in the nation.
High resolution photos of each property are available upon request. More in-depth information about each property is available here.
Tickets are $45 when purchased before September 1, $45 when purchased after September 1, $50 when purchased up to September 29, and $55 on the day of the event. Box lunches are also available for pre-purchase (including a vegetarian option) for $18 each. Tickets and meals can be purchased online by clicking here. Note that tour sites are not handicapped accessible due to their age and historical status. For more information, please call (757) 561-6430.
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