History

The Historical Smithfield Plantation

Before the commencement of the American Revolution, the Virginia back country was home to the wild howling of wolves, the silent stalking of panthers and often violent collisions between the Shawnee and Cherokee, who competed for a select list of fertile lands. This untamed area, nestled in the Eastern Continental Divide, was chosen by patriot, William Preston, for the construction of the Smithfield Plantation, whose elegance contrasted patently with the simplicity and humbleness of the surrounding log cabins and poverty stricken abodes. Owned today by Preservation Virginia, an organization which has restored over 50 properties with considerable historical value, the Plantation enables visitors to learn more about the vicissitudes and marvels of 19th century life through magnificent period furniture, Native American artifacts and guides dressed in period costume. The Plantation also hosts a series of events (musical evenings, commemorative events, children’s day camps, etc. The Plantation also has a well stocked store with items you will love, including handcrafted bonnets, images and historical material that will shed light on the significance of the Plantation and of William Preston himself (who narrowly escaped violent death at the hand of the Shawnee during the violent Draper’s Meadow Massacre in 1775).