Founded in 1889, the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities was the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

' first statewide

historic preservation Historic preservation (US), built heritage preservation or built heritage conservation (UK), is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance. It is a philos ...

group. In 2003 the organization adopted the new name APVA Preservation Virginia to reflect a broader focus on statewide Preservation and in 2009 it shortened its name to Preservation Virginia. Preservation Virginia owns historic sites across Virginia including

Historic Jamestowne Historic Jamestown is the cultural heritage site that was the location of the 1607 James Fort and the later 17th-century town of Jamestown in America. It is located on Jamestown Island, on the James River at Jamestown, Virginia and operated as ...

, located at

Jamestown, Virginia The Jamestown settlement in the Colony of Virginia was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. It was located on the northeast bank of the James (Powhatan) River about southwest of the center of modern Williamsburg. It was ...

, site of the first permanent

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

settlement in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

, and the

Cape Henry Light The Cape Henry Lighthouses are a pair of lighthouses at Cape Henry, the landform marking the southern entrance to Chesapeake Bay in the U.S. state of Virginia. The location has long been important for the large amount of ocean-going shipping tra ...

house, one of the first

public works Public works are a broad category of infrastructure projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community. They include public buildings ( municipal buildings, sc ...

projects of the United States of America.

Organization

Preservation Virginia has helped preserve several key historic properties and items. Its 1889 rescue of the Powder Magazine in

Williamsburg, Virginia Williamsburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 15,425. Located on the Virginia Peninsula, Williamsburg is in the northern part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. It is ...

, came decades before

Colonial Williamsburg Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum and private foundation presenting a part of the historic district in the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has 7300 employees at this location ...

's creation. Its mission is similar to organizations such as the

National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 ...

in the U.S. and The

National Trust The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

, however Preservation Virginia also seeks to cultivate an awareness of the importance of Virginia's heritage as an "economic asset". The organization's branches represent Preservation Virginia across the state; in Richmond, Preservation Virginia's self-governing affiliate is

Historic Richmond Foundation Historic Richmond Foundation was founded in 1956 by Elisabeth Scott Bocock, Louise Catterall, Mary Wingfield Scott, Dr. Wyndham B. Blanton, and others in order to save the Church Hill area surrounding St. John's Church. The mission of Historic R ...

, which merged in July 2005 with Preservation Virginia's William Byrd Branch. Preservation Virginia also operates the statewide revolving fund, which protects historic properties with easements before placing them on the market, and organizes an annual Preservation Conference. Starting in 1994, a major archaeological campaign conducted by Preservation Virginia at Jamestown known as Jamestown Rediscovery has discovered the remains of the original 1607 settlement, and greatly increased the knowledge of Jamestown.

Revolving Fund Program

Preservation Virginia has operated a revolving fund program since 1989. The program is dedicated to saving historic property in Virginia that is at risk of destruction from either demolition or severe neglect.

Historic sites

Preservation Virginia museum sites include: *

Bacon's Castle Bacon's Castle, also variously known as "Allen's Brick House" or the "Arthur Allen House" is located in Surry County, Virginia, United States, and is the oldest documented brick dwelling in what is now the United States. Built in 1665, it is no ...

, Virginia's oldest brick residence, in Surry *

house, the first federal public works project under

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

, in

Virginia Beach Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous ci ...

, the site of the

London Company The London Company, officially known as the Virginia Company of London, was a division of the Virginia Company with responsibility for colonizing the east coast of North America between latitudes 34° and 41° N. History Origins The territo ...

settlement of May 1607 *

John Marshall House The John Marshall House is a historic house museum and National Historic Landmark at 818 East Marshall Street in Richmond, Virginia. It was the home of Chief Justice of the United States John Marshall, who was appointed to the court in 1801 by ...

, the home of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

John Marshall John Marshall (September 24, 1755July 6, 1835) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the fourth Chief Justice of the United States from 1801 until his death in 1835. He remains the longest-serving chief justice and fourth-longes ...

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, Californi ...

* Patrick Henry's Scotchtown, the

Hanover County Hanover County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 109,979. Its county seat is Hanover Courthouse. Hanover County is a part of the Greater Richmond Region. History Located in the wester ...

home of

Patrick Henry Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736June 6, 1799) was an American attorney, planter, politician and orator known for declaring to the Second Virginia Convention (1775): " Give me liberty, or give me death!" A Founding Father, he served as the first a ...

revolutionary A revolutionary is a person who either participates in, or advocates a revolution. The term ''revolutionary'' can also be used as an adjective, to refer to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor. ...

and first

Virginia Governor The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as the head of government of Virginia for a four-year term. The incumbent, Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on January 15, 2022. Oath of office On inauguration day, the Governor-elect takes the ...

* Smith's Fort Plantation in Surry * Cole Digges House in

– open by appointment, serves as the headquarters for Preservation Virginia *

Debtors' Prison A debtors' prison is a prison for people who are unable to pay debt. Until the mid-19th century, debtors' prisons (usually similar in form to locked workhouses) were a common way to deal with unpaid debt in Western Europe.Cory, Lucinda"A Histori ...

Accomac, Virginia Accomac is a town in and the county seat of Accomack County, Virginia, United States. The population was 526 at the 2020 census. History Though Accomack County was established as one of Virginia's eight original shires in 1634, the governme ...

– open by appointment Preservation Virginia also manages Warner Hall Graveyard in Gloucester and the Cub Creek Church site in Charlotte County.

Legacy properties

Preservation Virginia owned and restored many historic properties that are now owned and operated as museums by other organizations. Some of the properties are open on a limited basis or by appointment. * Farmers' Bank in Petersburg * Northampton County Court Green in

Eastville, Virginia Eastville is a town in Northampton County, Virginia, United States. The population was 203 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County. The Northampton County Courthouse Historic District is part of the Eastville Historic Di ...

* Old Isle of Wight Courthouse in Smithfield * Old Stone House, part of and operated by the Edgar Allan Poe Museum in

* Pear Valley in Northampton County * Smithfield Plantation in Blacksburg * Thomas Read's Clerk's Office, part of the Museum of Charlotte County *

Walter Reed Birthplace Walter Reed Birthplace is a historic home located near Belroi, Virginia, Belroi, Gloucester County, Virginia. It was built around 1825 and is a one-story, gable-roofed frame dwelling. It has a rear shed addition. The house was restored in 1927 ...

Belroi, Virginia Belroi is an unincorporated community in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of Virginia. It was the birthplace of noted epidemiologist Walter Reed. Notable people * Walter Reed (1851-1902), a US Army physician who in 1900 led the team ...

Preservation Virginia formerly operated several sites in Fredericksburg, which are now operated by Washington Heritage Museums. *

Hugh Mercer Apothecary Hugh Mercer Apothecary was a pharmacy founded by Hugh Mercer in the mid-18th century. Mercer was a doctor who fled Scotland after the Battle of Culloden. He travelled to Pennsylvania, where he met Colonel George Washington during the French and In ...

* Mary Washington House * Rising Sun Tavern *St. James' House

References

External links

Preservation Virginia official web site
* Open Library
Items related to
the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. {{Authority control State history organizations of the United States History of Virginia Museums in Virginia Non-profit organizations based in Richmond, Virginia Museum organizations Historic preservation organizations in the United States 1889 establishments in Virginia Organizations established in 1889 Historical societies in Virginia