Green Springs National Historic Landmark District

Green Springs is a historic district in Louisa County, Virginia that covers 14,000 acres of productive farmland with around 250 original structures dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. The area displays a diverse collection of working farms with homes, outbuildings, and chapels that show what rural life looked like across generations.

The district began as a Quaker settlement in the 1720s on Camp Creek, then families from Hanover County moved here and built major farms that lasted for many generations. Over time the region became a core agricultural area that shows the colonial and early American period.

The district contains manor houses, barns, and St. John's Chapel built in 1888 in Carpenter Gothic style by families who lived here for generations. These buildings reflect how residents worked the land and organized their daily lives over time.

The district is privately owned but visitors can view the buildings and rural landscapes from public roads that pass through the area. Driving slowly through the roads allows you to see the different building types and open farmland at your own pace.

Volcanic activity 600 million years ago created mineral deposits of vermiculite and heavy clay soil that allowed farming to continue here for more than 200 years. This geological foundation made the region stable enough for farming families to stay and build permanent homes over many generations.