Malvern Hill

Malvern Hill stands on the north bank of the James River in Henrico County, Virginia, USA, about eighteen miles southeast of Richmond. On 1 July 1862, it was the scene of the Battle of Malvern Hill, one of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War.

For the area in England, see Malvern Hills.
Malvern Hill
Malvern Hill, before its destruction by fire
Nearest cityRichmond, Virginia
Coordinates37°23′52″N 77°14′28″W
Area0 acres (0 ha)
NRHP reference No.69000248[1]
VLR No.043-0008
Significant dates
Added to NRHPNovember 12, 1969
Designated VLRMay 13, 1969[2]

The name referred primarily to the house built by Thomas Cocke in the 17th century, which remained in his family for many years. It was named after the Malvern Hills in England.[3] The historic home was gutted by a fire in 1905 and all that now remains are end gables, including a fireplace. Nevertheless, the ruins are architecturally significant as the remains of one of few known cruciform design houses in Virginia. "The one surviving chimney is perhaps the finest example of seventeenth century diaper brickwork in the state."[4]

The home site figured in three wars. Lafayette camped there twice in 1781 during the American Revolutionary War. Virginia militia also camped there in the War of 1812. However, it is best known as the site of bloody American Civil War Battle of Malvern Hill in 1862.[4]

In August 2016, the 871-acre Malvern Hill Farm was listed for sale for $10.6 million by the descendants of William H. Ferguson Sr. (1885–1984).[5] It was purchased by the non-profit Capital Region Land Conservancy (CRLC) in February 2018 for $6.6 million. CRLC subsequently recorded conservation easements to protect 465 acres with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and 25 acres with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. Portions of the property were then gifted to Henrico County for the future site of an open space area for education and passive recreation as well as the James River Association for a canoe/kayak launch into Turkey Island Creek that flows into the James River at Presquile National Wildlife Refuge. Capital Region Land Conservancy is holding the remaining 380 acres to be included into the National Park Service Richmond National Battlefield Park.

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 197.
  4. Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission staff (1967). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Malvern Hill" (PDF). Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission. Retrieved 2010-05-27. and Accompanying 2 photos at Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission, undated
  5. http://www.richmond.com/business/local/historic-malvern-hill-farm-in-henrico-hits-market-for-million/article_7b323cbc-eaf0-5999-9a41-486cc7e9bae0.html
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