Here we are arriving at the Berkley Mansion on the James River. This mansion carries a lot of history to the presidencies of the United States. The date of this mansion was 1726 and it was built by Benjamin Harrison IV. It is said to be the oldest mansion in Virginia that can prove its date. It must be said though that the first settlers settling this area arrived in 1619 and it was over 100 years before the mansion was built.

 Benjamin Harrisons son also named after his father was the second owner and is the Benjamin Harrison we know who signed the Declaration of Independence. William Henry Harrison was the fathers third son and was an Indian fighter known as Tippecanoe who later became the ninth President of the United States. Williams grandson Benjamin Harrison, was the 23rd President. A lot of Benjamin's in this family.

 Here is the back of the house that is right next to the mansion. It is a guest house and is still used as a residency on the second floor. In the picture below you will notice a cannon ball lodged in the house. Well they stated that this was there about the same time that there were over 100,000 soldiers camped around the mansion. Well I wasn't satisfied with the explanation or should I say implication on how it got there so I questioned it further. The tour guide then told us that this was a cannon ball found in the yard and the house had a hole in it so someone stuck the cannon ball in the hole to plug it. Now that made sense as where the house sits in relation to the mansion it would be nearly impossible for a cannon ball fired from a cannon to hit this spot. The mansion is just 30 or 40 feet from the face of this wall.

This residence was noted for a lot of noted guests. George Washington was a friend and visited here many times. Thomas Jefferson also came here and received help with the law. When the soldiers were camped around the plantation, who's acreage at that time was 12,000 acres, President Lincoln reviewed  Gen. George McClellan's army. The plantation is also noted to be the first to distill Bourbon whiskey.

 Here is one that most military families might appreciate. When McClellan's army was here the general wanted a tune that could be played by a bugler to put his army to rest at night. This is where taps came from. The bugler name escapes me but when the General heard it he made it the official rest tune for the Army. This is why taps is played at funerals of vets. It is the tune of final rest.

 The last first I have is that in 1619 the first settlers that came ashore here at Berkley observed the first official Thanksgiving in America. I am on the shoreline where they landed.

 Of course the ladies could not miss a gift shop and I thought this sign was made just for them,!!!!