Unpolished gem
Eppington plantation home will someday be turned into park
By Susan Nienow

Eppington is available for special guided tours by appointment.

Just in front of the Eppington plantation house stands a single grand magnolia, giving a hint of what the stately Georgian home must have looked like during its grandest moment in history.

Donated to the county by the Cherry family in 1989, the house with its sturdy front porch and symmetrical wings and chimneys sits atop nearly 44 acres, all that's left of the plantation's original 4,000 acres.

The home was built on the highest point of the land, catching the breezes from the nearby Appomattox River while also allowing Eppington's plantation owners' to watch over their fields.

Frances Eppes, who resided at the plantation during the 18th century, once wrote about the "clear cut green sward that goes all the way to the river," noted Mary Ellen Howe, one of the founders of Eppington Foundation.

Today, the view of the river from the house is blocked by overgrown trees and shrubbery. But one day, county residents will be able to see why Eppington was so important to this area in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The 18th century Eppington plantation is included in the National Register of Historic Places, the Virginia Landmarks Register and is a designated Chesterfield County Historic Landmark.

Eventually, the foundation and Chesterfield County intend to open a park at Eppington, which will show how the plantation once functioned as a small village. But for now, researchers are still delving into the history of Eppington's complex economic and social system.

"We're working to preserve and protect the structure. Longer term, it will be open on a daily basis like Henricus," says Mike Golden, the county's director of parks and recreation.

"[Eppington] is one of the best-kept secrets in the county. It's got a lot of history. We just want people to know about it," added Horace Mann, Eppington Foundation president.

One reason Eppington remains unknown is because the home is not open to the public on a daily basis. Private guided tours are available, but they require an escort.

Slavery was part of the plantation for more than a century. A set of leg shackles found on the home's third floor behind a knee-wall may have been on the site since the early 1800s. There were numerous out-buildings on the property, including slave quarters and two kitchens.

Construction on the home began in 1768. By 1773, it had its first occupants, and in 1783, it was named Eppington. Two wings were built in 1790, and porches were added to the front and rear of the main house. The east wing was a dining room with a door leading outside for kitchen access while the west wing served as an office and study with an outside entrance. An interior kitchen was added in 1900 along with the central staircase.

The Eppes and Jefferson families were intertwined from the time Francis Eppes and Thomas Jefferson attended the College of William and Mary together. In 1768, Francis Eppes VI inherited land in Henrico and Chesterfield counties. At about this same time, Eppes married Thomas Jefferson's sister-inlaw Elizabeth Wayles and began construction on the house, which wasn't finished until near his death in 1808.

Jefferson's two-year-old daughter, Lucy, was buried on the plantation after she died of whooping of cough in 1784, although her burial site has not been located. Francis Wayles Eppes, grandson of Francis Eppes VI and Elizabeth Wayles Eppes, married Maria Jefferson.

The home stayed in the Eppes family until William and Annie Hinds purchased it in 1876. Their descendants, the Cherry family, donated the property to Chesterfield County in 1989.

A foundation was formed in 1998 to preserve Eppington for ongoing architectural and archaeological investigation. "A 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation is there to help preserve, protect and interpret" the plantation, said Golden. "It is a 'friends of the park' kind of group."

"It was a natural progression," said Howe. The foundation is to "ensure the highest quality of preservation and interpretation of the house."

Eppington Foundation is acquiring adjacent property as a buffer. The group has purchased 120 acres and plans to acquire a few hundred more, said Golden.

A peer advisory committee that's helping with the eventual restoration includes specialists from Poplar Forest, Colonial Williamsburg and the Virginia Department of Historical Resources.

Parking, a visitors' center with restrooms and access roads are needed, but several decisions still need to be made regarding how to develop the historic park.

"What period do you portray? The earliest? Or the grandest moment? What about the wing in the back [which was added much later]?" posed Golden.

So far, the county has spent $275,000 from the general fund on the property and $66,000 has come from other sources. The county has allocated $100,000 annually to Eppington through 2012 to serve as funds that can be matched by the foundation.

Besides cash, gifts of land and antiques are being sought and included as part of the matching funds offer.

Want a tour?

Special guided tours are available for small groups. Call 748-1078 at least two weeks in advance to schedule an appointment. A donation to Eppington Foundation is requested.

Each year, Eppington is open to the public on the first Saturday of October during the annual Colonial Heritage Day. Admission is free and includes carriage rides, house tours and music.