Greenfield was the plantation of Isaac Read (1739-1777), member of the House of Burgesses and of the Virginia conventions of 1774 and 1775. Read was mortally wounded while serving as an officer in the Revolutionary War. The plain but formal dwelling he erected ca. 1771 is the oldest two-story frame house in Charlotte County. Its symmetrical five-bay façade, modillion cornice, and one-story wings, give the building a commanding presence amid its rolling pastoral landscape. The Georgian stair, early mantels, and paneled wainscoting combine with the stately exterior to present a picture of 18th-century sophistication and prosperity in this thinly populated rural area. Adding to this image are the remnants of an extensive early formal garden. The property remains the home of Read descendants (as of the end of the 20th century).
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Programs
DHR has secured permanent legal protection for over 700 historic places - including 15,000 acres of battlefield lands
DHR has erected 2,532 highway markers in every county and city across Virginia
DHR has registered more than 3,317 individual resources and 613 historic districts
DHR has engaged over 450 students in 3 highway marker contests
DHR has stimulated more than $4.2 billion dollars in private investments related to historic tax credit incentives, revitalizing communities of all sizes throughout Virginia