Weyanoke

Weyanoke is a plantation farmstead in Charles City County, Virginia, United States. The property is historically significant as the site where the first Africans in Virginia arrived in 1619 at the Weyanoke Peninsula, forming the first African community in North America. The land was granted to Joseph Harwood in 1665 and later passed to the Lewis family through marriage. The plantation includes a formal Georgian-style mansion built in the 1790s by Fielding Lewis. Over 40 archaeological sites have been identified on the property, reflecting Native American, African American, and European American activities spanning 10,000 years of continuous occupation. Weyanoke was acquired by Lawrence Lewis, Jr. in 1972, a descendant of Fielding Lewis and heir to a fortune from oil and railroad investments. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Weyanoke is a plantation farmstead in Charles City County, Virginia, United States. In 1619, the first Africans in Virginia arrived at the Weyanoke Peninsula, where they created the first African community in North America. On October 30, 1665, Joseph Harwood was granted 422 acres of land on the north side of the James River, known as Weynoke. This tract passed from the Harwood family to the Lewis family when Agnes Harwood married Fielding Lewis. Developed for tobacco culture by slaves, the Weyanoke Plantation includes a formal Georgian style mansion built in the 1790s. The mansion is a two-story frame house sheathed with molded weatherboards and set on a brick foundation, built by Fielding Lewis, who was named for his uncle Col. Fielding Lewis of Fredericksburg. Some 40 archaeological sites, associated with Native American, African American, and European American activities, have been identified in the 20th and 21st centuries as part of the historic property. Weyanoke Plantation was passed through marriage to the Douthat family, whose descendants kept ownership through the American Civil War. In June 1864, the Union Army under General Grant crossed from Weyanoke Point to Flowerdew Hundred on the south bank of the James River on a hastily constructed pontoon bridge. The original house was enlarged after 1938. Within the property's boundaries are the archaeological remains of man's continuous occupation of the site, which spans 10,000 years. In 1972, Weyanoke was acquired by Lawrence Lewis, Jr., a descendant of Fielding Lewis. Lewis was a businessman, philanthropist, benefactor of generations of conservative politicians, and founder of Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. He was an heir to a fortune amassed in oil and railroad investments by Henry Morrison Flagler, who in 1870 founded Standard Oil Co. with John D. Rockefeller. Lewis' fortune was estimated at $120 million in the July 1993 issue of Virginia Business magazine. The Westover Plantation and related archaeological sites were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

• 1980

  Westover Plantation and related archaeological sites were listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• 1972

  Weyanoke was acquired by Lawrence Lewis, Jr., a descendant of Fielding Lewis.

• 1938

  The original house was enlarged after 1938.

• 1864

  Union Army under General Grant crossed from Weyanoke Point to Flowerdew Hundred on a pontoon bridge.

• 1790

  A formal Georgian style mansion was built by Fielding Lewis.

• 1665

  Joseph Harwood was granted 422 acres of land on the north side of the James River, known as Weynoke.

• 1619

  First Africans in Virginia arrived at the Weyanoke Peninsula, creating the first African community in North America.

1. 1Weyanoke - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Weyanoke, Virginia - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org