About

In 1619, after a stormy voyage across the Atlantic, the Good Ship Margaret landed at Berkeley with thirty-six men aboard. In accordance with the instructions given in the charter by the Virginia Company, these settlers observed the first official English Thanksgiving in America. A Thanksgiving monument, film, and exhibits tell the story of these brave men that settled at Berkeley Hundred over 400 years ago.

In 1691, the Harrisons purchased Berkeley and in 1726 they built the Georgian mansion. The estate is the birthplace of Benjamin Harrison V, signer of the Declaration of Independence and William Henry Harrison, ninth U.S. president. During the Civil War, George McClellan's Union troops occupied the buildings and surrounding fields. General Daniel Butterfield, with the help of his bugler, O.W. Norton, created "Taps" while camped at Harrison's Landing on Berkeley Plantation.

The mansion is beautifully furnished and costumed guides tell stories of the first Thanksgiving, the Harrisons, Civil War, and the present owners of Berkeley. Native American, colonial and Civil War artifacts can be explored in the basement museum. Grounds tours are self-guided and include gardens leading to the James River.

Tours, museums, events and children’s activities make visiting Berkeley an educational and fun experience for the entire family.