Preservation-minded buyers only
Sale of historic Carter’s Grove plantation includes restrictions

by Elizabeth Cooper
for Virginia Business
June 2007

For the first time since the early 1930s, historic Carter’s Grove along the James River in James City County is for sale. The property, though, comes with strings; namely covenants that prohibit residential and commercial development. Prospective buyers must demonstrate a commitment to preservation, an interest in Colonial history and the ability to care for the property. “The buyer will be someone who has a deep and abiding interest in history,” says Thomas Shrout, director of public affairs for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Putting the property up for sale, Colonial Williamsburg consulted with several agencies. It talked with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and other preservation groups to de­termine covenant restrictions designed to preserve the plantation’s views, architecture, a rchaeology and environment.

That’s because Carter’s Grove occupies a unique niche in history. Nestled along the banks of the James River, the plantation started out as the settlement of early Virginia colonists. Then, with the addition of a stately, two-story, mansion in 1755, it became home to Carter Burwell, grandson of Robert “King” Carter, the wealthiest figure in early 18 th-century Virginia. Later, after passing through 10 other owners, the house was conveyed in 1969 to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, which opera­ted it as a tourist attraction until January 2003.

To protect its heritage, the sale will include a “right of first offer” back to the foundation if the buyer decides to resell the property. These preservation stan­dards, say Colonial Williamsburg officials, could become a model for other historic sites and preservation groups across the country. “No one can go in and develop the property,” says Shrout. “It can’t be subdivided, and you won’t see timeshares and condos or business parks going in there.”

Colonial Williamsburg also will retain rights to use Carter’s Grove pasturelands for its rare breeds program started in 1986 to preserve genetic diversity in livestock. Some of the selected breeds, including the Leicester Longwool sheep, American Cream Draft horses and America Milking Red Devon cattle, represent animals that could have been present in 18 th-century Williamsburg.

Preservation organizations have applauded Colonial Williamsburg’s efforts to protect Carter’s Grove. “We understand the gravity of the decision and are confident in the process Colonial Williamsburg went through to make this decision,” says Elizabeth S. Kostelny, executive director of APVA Preservation Virginia. “Colonial Williamsburg is doing exactly the right thing by putting covenants on the property to protect it through future generations. That’s a great step forward.”

One of Colonial America’s most notable examples of Georgian architecture, Carter’s Grove features exquisite brickwork and a finely crafted, paneled interior. A National Historic Landmark, it sits on the site of the 1619 settlement of Wolstenholme Towne established by investors from the London Company of Virginia and boasts more than a mile of frontage on the James River.

When Carter’s Grove last owner died in 1964, the Sealantic Fund, a former Rockefeller philanthropy, obtained it and bestowed it to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in 1969. The foundation opened the mansion to the public, along with reconstructed slave quarters, a reception center and the Winthrop Rockefeller Archaeology Museum. Colonial Williamsburg did not return the mansion to its 18 th-century appearance, opting to keep it in the Colonial revival style as it had been at the last owner’s death. The foundation spent more than $2 million annually for the property’s programs, operations and maintenance.

Citing financial pressures, Colonial Williamsburg shuttered the property four years ago and began evaluating its best use while protecting it from the encroachment of modern development. Nevertheless, it became apparent that the plantation’s relevance to Colonial Williamsburg’s focus on late 18 th-century Colonial life was sketchy at best.

Located eight miles from the historic area, Carter’s Grove spans several centuries and was often confusing to visitors with its range of interpretations describing everything from early Colonial life to slavery in the 1800s. Also, less than one-third of Colonial Williamsburg visitors toured Carter’s Grove. “Our mission is to tell the story of Colonial life, of citizenship and of becoming Americans in the late 18 th century,” says Colin Campbell, chairman and president of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. “Carter’s Grove, with its multiple stories over multiple centuries, does not support this strategic focus.”

The foundation recently has sold other properties outside the historic area to cut costs and attract more attention to Revolutionary-era exhibits and activities in Colonial Williamsburg. So the foundation decided the same tactic s hould be followed with Carter’s Grove. Proceeds from the sale will go to support the capital needs of Colonial Williamsburg’s education programs.

Colonial Williamsburg’s dilemma with Carter’s Grove is not uncommon as historic properties and museums face new challenges attracting visitors. Kostelny notes that, nationally, historic sites have seen a 20-year decline in visitation as other activities and interests vie for tourism dollars. “If our primary concern is preservation, sometimes we have to take a different kind of use,” she adds, noting that other properties, such as Robert E. Lee’s childhood home in Alexandria, have been sold as private residences while being preserved. “In Virginia, we are fortunate that historic houses in private ownership often continue to open their doors on a regular basis.”

Stephen T. McLean, co-founder and president of McLean-Faulconer Inc. Realtors in Charlottesville, which is marketing Carter’s Grove, believes the covenants will prove attractive to would-be purchasers. “I think they will agree with them and appreciate them,” he says. McLean says he has already heard from several interested parties. The new owner will probably want to use Carter’s Grove as a private home, he speculates, but may choose to give the public limited access to it. Shrout says that Colonial Williamsburg would be amenable to consulting with the purchaser on ways to keep Carter’s Grove open to the public.

The ideal buyer, says McLean, will be someone interested in American architecture and American history. “This is a one-of-a-kind property,” he says. “They will be buying a unique property in very nice condition that is one of the finest examples of early architecture and building in the colonies.”