Historic Homes Across Virginia to Open Free to the Public September 14-15

English: The state seal of Virginia. Српски / Srpski: Застава америчке савезне државе Вирџиније. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RICHMOND – In celebration of the Executive Mansion’s 200^th Anniversary, Governor Bob McDonnell and First Lady Maureen McDonnell designated 2013 the “Year of the Historic Home.” As a part of that effort, exclusively during the weekend of September 14 and 15, 2013, many of Virginia’s renowned historic homes and museums will be open admission-free to the public. Visitors just need to click HERE to print their ‘passport’ for free admission to the participating sites.

            “We are thrilled with the excitement surrounding the Year of the Historic Home,” said First Lady Maureen McDonnell. “The spring success of the Historic Home Promotional Weekend in Richmond came as a pleasant surprise and we are looking forward to promoting this initiative in September across the Commonwealth. We encourage you to print your passport and visit these historic sites, which have been home to many of America’s Founding Fathers, U.S. presidents, and many other significant figures.”

            There are over 120 sites across Virginia classified as Historic Homes that span from pre-Colonial times through the Modern era, all of which provide an abundance of cultural, historical, and architectural information and promote an understanding of, as well as an interest in, Virginia’s story.

            To further promote the Year of the Historic Home effort, in the spring of 2013, seven historic homes across Richmond came together in a collaborative effort to open their doors admission-free to the public for an entire weekend to “Time Travel through Virginia History.” Because of the successes and benefits experienced from the spring promotional weekend, over 50 homes throughout Virginia are coming together to offer free access to the public for the weekend of September 14 and 15. 

            A list of the participating homes follows. For specific details of each home, as well as their hours of operation on September 14 and 15, please visit the Virginia Historic Home website athttp://www.historicalhomes.virginia.gov/. Click on the “time travelers” link while on the site and print your passport in order to be granted free admission.

Agecroft Halls and Gardens	Richmond, VA
Ball-Sellers House	Arlington, VA
Balthis House	Front Royal, VA
Belle Boyd Cottage	Front Royal, VA
Belle Grove Plantation	Middletown, VA
Belle Grove Plantation, Birthplace of James Madison	King George, VA
Boykin's Tavern Museum	Isle of Wright, VA
Captain Timothy Hill House	Chincoteague Island, VA
Centre Hill Museum	Petersburg, VA
Clarke-Palmore	Henrico, VA
Dabbs House Museum	Henrico, VA
Edgar Allan Poe Museum	Richmond, VA
Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Historical Home	Wytheville, VA
Gadsby's Tavern Museum	Alexandria, VA
Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont	Falmouth, VA
George Washington Birthplace National Monument	Washington's Birthplace, VA
Glencoe Museum & Gallery	Radford, VA
Gunston Hall	Lorton, VA
Haller-Gibboney Rock House Museum	Wytheville, VA
Hanover Tavern	Hanover, VA
Hermitage Museum and Gardens	Norfolk, VA
Historic Kenmore and George Washington's Sister's House	Fredericksburg, VA
Holladay House Bed and Breakfast	Orange, VA
Inn at Hans Meadow	Christiansburg, VA
Ivy Lodge Museum & Gift Shoppe	Front Royal, VA
John Marshall House	Richmond, VA
Ker Place	Onancock, VA
Lanesville Ordinary	Sterling, VA
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden	Alexandria, VA
Magnolia Grange Plantation House Museum	Chesterfield, VA
Mansion on Main (Thomas House)	Smithfield, VA
Marshall House	Leesburg, VA
Maymont Mansion	Richmond, VA
Meadow Farm Museum	Glen Allen, VA
Menokin	Warsaw, VA
Middlecourt	Hampden-Sydney College, VA
Morven Park	Leesburg, VA
Oatlands Historic House and Gardens	Leesburg, VA
Old Coast Guard Station	Virginia Beach, VA
Patrick Henry's Scotchtown	Beaverdam, VA
Penshurst	Hampden-Sydney College, VA
Point of Honor	Lynchburg, VA
Red Hill – Patrick Henry National Memorial	Brookneal, VA
Smith's Fort Plantation	Surry, VA
Stonewall Jackson House	Lexington, VA
Stratford Hall	Stratford, VA
Sully Historic Site	Chantilly, VA
Sutherlin Mansion - Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History	Danville, VA
Virginia's Bacon's Castle	Surry, VA
Walkerton Tavern	Glen Allen, VA
Weems-Botts Museum	Dumfries, VA
Weston Plantation	Hopewell, VA
White House of the Confederacy	Richmond, VA
Wickham House	Richmond, VA
Williams-Brown House	Salem, VA
Wilton House Museum	Richmond, VA

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