Mount Airy

Mount Airy is a stone masonry mansion from the 18th century located in Warsaw, Virginia. The structure features a two-story central block with flanking dependencies connected by covered passages in a five-part architectural arrangement.

Colonel John Tayloe II built Mount Airy in 1764 as one of the nation's first Neoclassical villas. The house shaped early American architecture with its innovative style blending European classical design with colonial ambitions.

The name Mount Airy refers to its elevated setting where the Tayloe family lived and conducted their affairs across generations. Visitors can see the burial grounds on the property, which hold Francis Lightfoot Lee, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, along with many family members.

The property remains a private residence, so access is by prior arrangement only. Visitors should plan ahead and coordinate with the owners to view the grounds and gardens.

Mount Airy served as the management center for multiple connected plantations along the Rappahannock River. This network of agricultural operations sprawled across a large area before the Civil War, showing how colonial-era business structures worked at scale.

Location: Richmond

Location: Richmond County

Architects: John Ariss

GPS coordinates: 37.97220,-76.79140

Latest update: December 8, 2025 13:40