Berkeley Plantation is a short drive from Williamsburg and sits along a portion of the James River populated with colonial plantations. It was the home of Benjamin Harrison, a signer of the Declaration of Independence; birthplace of William Henry Harrison, the ninth president of the United States; and, the family home of Benjamin Harrison, the twenty-third president of the United States. The first ten presidents all visited here. President Lincoln visited here when Union troops used it as an encampment on their way to Richmond.
In addition, the first Thanksgiving took place here in 1619 (sorry Pilgrims, but you didn't get here until 1620) and is the location where the military song, "Taps," was composed and first played during the Civil War. The Anglican priest who accompanied the settlers began to ferment Indian corn and developed bourbon whiskey here.
The grounds are beautiful and the tour is full of history from various eras.
1 comment:
A lovely building, and a lot of history!
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