
Civil War Tours
2022 Magnolia
Grange Bicentennial
Celebration Began
on
Treat yourself to a visit to our house
mueum if you have not been there.
The
Chesterfield Historical Society of
Virginia held its first meeting on
September 23, 1981, at the Central
Library with 258 charter members. A
private, non-profit 501(c)3 organization
funded with membership dues and
tax-deductible donations, the Society
mission is to collect, preserve,
interpret and promote Chesterfield
County’s unique past for the education
and enjoyment of present and future
generations. Historic Trinity Church
(1887), located at 10111 Iron Bridge
Road, serves as the organization
headquarters and research library. In
addition, the Society maintains
collections in the County Museum and
1892 Old Jail on the historic 1917
Courthouse Green, as well as in Magnolia
Grange(1822), a house museum on Iron
Bridge Road. The Society also helps
maintain eight battlefields. Our events
and programs calendar includes lectures,
genealogy workshops, rotating exhibits,
battlefield tours, themed fundraisers,
public speaking engagements, and
programs for educational outreach, home
schools and scouting.
Chesterfield County Facts
Visit our Research Library and discover your Chesterfield ancestors and their rich history. Our volunteers are there to assist you if needed.. See our library page for more information. See The New Film on the Library Committee
Scout
Archealogy Camp at the Historic
Trinity Church
For details
go here;
County Holiday Closings: For a comprehensive schedule of County holidays, see https://www.chesterfield.gov/5430/County-Holiday-Schedule
Point
of Rocks is a historic site on the
Appomattox River is designated "Pont of
Rocks Park". Abraham Lincoln walked with
Union Generals discussing ways to win a
war. Clara Barton served as the head nurse
to many wounded and sick Union soldiers in
the largest hospital in the world. The house
was used for the surgeons quarters and is
still standing and currently, the house is
being stabilized. Evidence of Indians who
lived on the river is just below the house.
It is one of Chesterfield's most historic
sites and not yet open to the public.
The
"Magnolia Grange House Museum"
is an elegant Federal period home built in
1822, named for the circle of magnolia trees
that once graced its front lawns. Listed on
the National Register of Historic Places,
Magnolia Grange’s distinctive architectural
features include elaborate ceiling motifs, a
half-turn open carved stairway and hand-painted
scenic wallpaper produced by Zuber, a French
manufacturer.
Historic
1817 Castlewood was built ca.
1817-1819 by Parke Poindexter. Poindexter
was the Clerk of the Court at Chesterfield
County from 1812 until 1847, almost 35
years. The original landowner was Henry
Winfree, who received the property as a land
grant in 1754. County Clerk Mr. Poindexter
purchased the 180-acre tract in 1816 and
began his efforts to construct a new home.
One of the three or four finest Federal
period houses in the county, Castlewood
features a formal five-part plan differing
from any other recorded Virginia dwelling.
"C.
1860 Summerseat" - According
to tradition, this 19th century
house was used by a county magistrate as the
“seat” of his court during summer months due
to the muddy and rutted roads which made
travel to the courthouse in the center of
the county almost impossible. The
lower brick portion of the house was the
“jail” or “detention center, complete with
bars that held prisoners or those persons
awaiting trial. It is
not a large building at 18 by 16 feet. The
house is part of Virginia State University.