Berry Hill Plantation, also known simply as Berry Hill, is a historic
plantation
A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...
located on the west side of
South Boston
South Boston is a densely populated neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, located south and east of the Fort Point Channel and abutting Dorchester Bay. South Boston, colloquially known as Southie, has undergone several demographic transformati ...
in
Halifax County, Virginia
Halifax County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 34,022. Its county seat is Halifax.
History
Occupied by varying cultures of indigenous peoples for thousands of years, in histo ...
, United States. The
main house, transformed c. 1839 into one of Virginia's finest examples of Greek Revival architecture, was designated a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in 1969.
[ and ] The surviving portion of the plantation, which was once one of the largest in the state, is now a conference and event center.
Description and history
Berry Hill is located on a site that is now about in size,
between River Rd. and the
Dan River
The Dan River flows in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. It rises in Patrick County, Virginia, and crosses the state border into Stokes County, North Carolina. It then flows into Rockingham County. From there it flows back int ...
on the west side of South Boston. The main house is a two-story brick structure, finished in stucco and topped by a gabled roof. The main facade is in emulation of the
Parthenon
The Parthenon (; grc, Παρθενών, , ; ell, Παρθενώνας, , ) is a former temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, that was dedicated to the goddess Athena during the fifth century BC. Its decorative sculptures are considere ...
, with eight massive
Doric columns
The Doric order was one of the three orders of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. The Doric is most easily recognized by the simple circular capitals at the top of col ...
supporting an entablature and fully pedimented gable.
With some at its height,
the plantation was one of the largest in Virginia. The plantation has one of the largest slave cemeteries in Virginia, holding the graves of more than two hundred slaves, and includes well-preserved slave quarters.
The plantation was originally owned by
Isaac Coles
Isaac Coles (March 2, 1747June 3, 1813) was an American planter, militia officer and politician from Virginia.Lyon Gardiner Tyler, Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography (1915), Vol 5, p. 648
Early life and education
Coles was born in Richmond in t ...
, who began using slaves in 1802. In 1814 and 1841, the plantation changed owners, finally ending up under the control of
James Coles Bruce in 1832.
Bruce is credited with transforming the existing 18th-century brick plantation house then standing into the Greek Revival mansion seen today. Bruce is believed to have consulted with architect John E. Johnson, who designed Staunton Hill, the mansion of his half-brother.
Today
The main house is now the centerpiece of the Berry Hill Resort and Conference Center, which provides accommodations and event facilities for weddings and corporate events.
Gallery
File:Berry Hill 2017.jpg, Berry Hill in 2017
File:Stone slave quarters Berry Hill Plantation Virginia.jpg, Stone slave quarters
See also
*
List of National Historic Landmarks in Virginia
This is a list of National Historic Landmarks in Virginia. There are currently 123 National Historic Landmark, National Historic Landmarks (NHLs), and 2 former NHLs.
Current landmarks
The National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) are widely distributed ...
*
References
External links
Berry Hill Resort web site*
Information on Berry Hill from Virginia African Heritage Program
{{Authority control
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia
National Historic Landmarks in Virginia
Houses in Halifax County, Virginia
Houses completed in 1839
Greek Revival houses in Virginia
Plantation houses in Virginia
National Register of Historic Places in Halifax County, Virginia
Historic American Buildings Survey in Virginia
Slave cabins and quarters in the United States