On a ridge overlooking the Potomac River in King George County, Eagle’s Nest is the ancestral home of the Fitzhugh family. The property is the core of a 17th-century plantation that originally exceeded 54,000 acres, initially owned by William Fitzhugh I (1651-1701), a prominent Virginia merchant and member of the House of Burgesses. The present house stands on the foundation of the original 18th century house, was damaged by fire at least once since its construction after 1865, and has been altered and enlarged through four subsequent building campaigns. The regular lines of the exterior disguise an unusual floor plan, which features two end stair halls connected by a central transverse hall. Many of the alterations were made in the 19th century when the property was owned by the Grymes family. On the grounds of Eagle’s Nest are the terracing of an early garden and a family cemetery that dates back to 1679. Original outbuildings include two dovecotes and a smokehouse with a tilted false plate, a construction feature characteristic of early vernacular structures. A late 18th century to early 19th century dwelling called Indian Town House was moved to this location in 1989 to save it from demolition.
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