Maymont Park

Maymont Park is a Victorian-era estate with a historic mansion, formal gardens, and a nature center set on roughly 100 acres (40 hectares) along the James River in Richmond, Virginia. The grounds combine manicured garden rooms with wooded areas and animal enclosures that showcase native species.

An industrialist named James Dooley built the estate in the late 19th century and filled it with artworks and imported materials from Europe. His widow bequeathed the entire property to the city, which opened it to the public starting in the 1920s.

The name comes from a private family estate built during the age of industrial wealth in America. Visitors walk through rooms filled with dark wood paneling, embroidered textiles, and hand-painted wallpapers that show how the elite lived at the turn of the century.

Entrances are located on Shields Lake Drive and Hampton Street, each with nearby parking lots. Pathways around the grounds wind through gardens and wooded slopes that can be steep in places.

The arboretum section holds more than 200 tree species from different continents, including Atlas cedars and Japanese cryptomerias rarely seen in the region. Some of these specimens were planted shortly after the estate was completed and have grown to notable sizes.

Location: Richmond

GPS coordinates: 37.53528,-77.47778

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:27