Ben Dover (Manakin-Sabot, Virginia)

Ben Dover, also known as Ben Dover Farm, is a historic home and plantation complex, recognized as a national historic district, located near Manakin-Sabot in Goochland County, Virginia, United States. The district encompasses 13 contributing buildings, 8 contributing sites, and 10 contributing structures.

Dover Hall
Property entrance
Ben Dover (Manakin-Sabot, Virginia) is located in Virginia
Ben Dover (Manakin-Sabot, Virginia)
Ben Dover (Manakin-Sabot, Virginia) is located in the United States
Ben Dover (Manakin-Sabot, Virginia)
Location661 River Rd. W #36, Manakin-Sabot, Virginia
Coordinates37°36′24″N 77°44′39″W / 37.60667°N 77.74417°W / 37.60667; -77.74417
Area193.9 acres (78.5 ha)
Built1853 (1853)
Architectural styleItalianate, Colonial Revival
NRHP reference No.00000311[1]
VLR No.037-0078
Significant dates
Added to NRHPApril 14, 2000
Designated VLRJune 17, 1998[2]

History

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Site

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The main dwelling was built in 1853 as a villa or the Big House of the plantation, in an Italianate style. When renovated in 1930, it was transformed when given a Colonial Revival facade to mask decades of deterioration and poor patchwork.

Contributing buildings, many of later construction, include tenant houses, a converted servants quarters (former slave quarters), a garage, a number of barns and sheds, a bowling alley, a smokehouse, and a stable. Contributing structures include three water towers, two well houses, animal feeders, a chicken coop, a silo and a swimming pool. The eight sites include stone foundations or sites of buildings no longer standing. Among these sites are two ruinous barns, a bridge ruin, an old road trace, and remains of landscape terracing. Together they represent the evolution of the Virginia plantation from the mid-19th century to the present day farm.[3]

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  3. ^ Heather M. MacIntosh (January 1998). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Ben Dover" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources. and Accompanying photo