City: Beaverdam, VA

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (804) 227-3500

Address: 16120 Chiswell Lane

Description: Like the John Marshall House in Richmond, Patrick Henry’s home in Hanover County is owned and operated by Preservation Virginia. What stands at Scotchtown now was built by the Chiswell family, who owned the land and erected a house sometime in the mid-18th century. The house changed hands several times before and after Henry’s family lived here for about seven years around the time of the Revolutionary War. Patrick Henry’s first wife, Sarah, was ill and died here. He rode to St. John’s Church for his most famous speech in Richmond from here, but once he was elected governor, he moved his family to Williamsburg and sold the house. Built in the 18th century, the house is interpreted as the Henry home with period furniture and artifacts. Especially interesting is the basement, which housed the dairy, wine cellar, slave quarters, and the bedroom where Sarah was confined and cared for until her death. The house is open Fri through Sun, Mar through Dec.