Keswick Va Real Estate

Keswick Virginia

 The Southwest Mountains Rural Historic District

This district includes some of the Piedmont's most pristine and scenic countryside

This rural historic district, with mile after mile of undulating pastures, winding roadways, forested hills, and small hamlets, appears on most lists of America’s most scenic drives. 

The drive along Route 20 from Barboursville to Charlottesville extends from the Orange County line to the outskirts of Charlottesville, with the Southwest Mountains forming its spine.

Within the 31,000-acres is found some of the Piedmont's most pastoral and scenic countryside.

In addition to the natural beauty, visitors encounter a broad range of 18th-, 19th-, and early 20th-century rural architecture, reflecting 260 years of settlement.

Although there are several famous historic estates along the way, such as Castle Hill, Cobham Park, and Cloverfields, most homes and farm buildings in the district echo the distinctive building traditions of the region.

The historic district also contains several African-American settlements, some having developed from the first free economic ventures of former slaves after the Civil War.

Keswick Virginia History

Keswick was the home of Rev. Thornton Rogers (Believed to be the home that was originally built by Colonel James Clark on land that had been part of Peter Jefferson’s Shadwell holdings).

Keswick was named after the lovely town in the Lake District of Cumbria, England.

During colonial times, the Keswick area was home to a number of prominent citizens and served as a vital corridor between Charlottesville and Orange.

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison frequently passed through this part of Virginia, along with other well-known Albemarle county citizens including James Monroe, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.

Keswick was considered the "western frontier" during the first half of the 18th century.

In an effort to expand the crown's influence and land holdings, the King of England granted large tracts of land to a few foremost colonists, including surveyor Peter Jefferson, the father of Thomas Jefferson.

In 1744, Albemarle County was established in honor of the Earl of Albemarle, the crown-appointed Governor General of the Colony at the time. These immense grants of land were soon divided and subdivided, forming numerous plantations at the foot of the Southwest Mountains.

In 1735, King George II granted Nicholas Meriwether a tract of nearly 18,000 acres, running along the east side of the Southwest Mountains between the present-day Keswick post office and Route 33 in Gordonsville.

Dr. Thomas Walker completed the main house known as Castle Hill in 1764.

A close friend of George Washington and the Jeffersons, Dr. Walker was an accomplished citizen who served as representative in the House of Burgesses and explored the Cumberland Gap, the first "doorway to the west."

Dr. Walker was also an innovative farmer who grafted the Newton pippin from New York onto the wild Crabapple of Virginia to produce the famous Albemarle pippin.

On January 22, 1849, the local post office was moved ¾ of a mile from nearby Everettsville.

For the first 17 days, the new post office was known as Rogers Turnout.

Then, on February 8, the name was changed to Keswick Depot.

And then on August 11th, 1887 the name was changed to Keswick.

At first the Post Office was located in the depot.

 It was then moved to a store owned by a Mr. Henry Jackson.

Jackson’s general store faced the depot from the south and was located along Rt. 731.

In 1953 the post office moved again, this time to a location along Rt. 22.

The tracks were realigned in Keswick to provide a curve reduction right after World War II.

This was most likely in preparation for the ill-starred Chessie.

As a result, a new depot was built along the newly realigned tracks.

The tracks at the old depot were finally removed in 1960.

The new depot, while not as ornate or impressive as the old one, does have its own claim to fame.

 It was used in the 1956 film Giant starring Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor.

 It was closed on June 30, 1967.

The town was a flag stop for the pre-Amtrak FFV in 1947, had a station and agent as of 1948 and, as of 1963, still had a passenger station.

Thanks to Larry Daily for the above information.

Recent residents have included singer-composer Art Garfunkel, movie producer Hugh Wilson, Sect. Of State Lawrence Eagleburger and many others.

The British in Keswick Virginia

Sir Banastre Tarleton

During the War of Independence, British troops, under the leadership of Sir Banastre Tarleton, swooped down on nearby Castle Hill.

Castle Hill

Tarleton surprised several members of the Virginia government in their beds.

One story has it that Dr. Thomas Walker, explorer and owner of Edgewood, presented Tarleton with an elaborate breakfast to detain him before he went on to Monticello and Charlottesville.

Another version is that dragoons stole two successive breakfasts, and, by the time Tarleton finally was served, Thomas Jefferson had been warned of the coming of the British. (A third, less reliable version alludes to "potent mint juleps.")

 Whatever the delay, it was enough to allow Jefferson and other Virginia leaders to make their escape.

Keswick In The Civil War

In 1864, Confederate General James A. Longstreet was ordered to move his troops from Tennessee to Charlottesville.

During the encampment, over 10,000 soldiers were quartered at various sites in and around Keswick Depot.

No major battles took place in this area.

Grace Episcopal Church, Keswick, Virginia

 Grace Church is one of six "colonial" churches in Virginia; this means it was founded when Virginia was still a colony under the dominion of the King of England... founded over 200 years ago and has held services consistently ever since.

The original church was constructed in 1745.

The second building was built between 1846-1854, and consecrated in 1855.

Forty years later, the church burned. The present church was rebuilt and consecrated in 1896.

The first annual Blessing of the Hounds service was held on Thanksgiving Day in 1929, and is held every year.

The ceremony traces its roots to St. Hubert, the patron saint of hunters who lived in eighth century France.

The ceremony involves formally attired foxhunters, their horses and hounds, and combines prayers for blessing and protection with thanksgiving for the harvest.

Albemarle County Real Estate

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