Reynolds Homestead, Greek Revival plantation house in Critz, Virginia
The Reynolds Homestead is a two-story brick structure with a hip roof in Critz, Virginia, accompanied by several outbuildings including a kitchen, milkhouse, and icehouse. The preserved buildings demonstrate the daily operations of a large household in the early 1800s.
Abram Reynolds built this plantation estate in 1814, which later gained prominence as the birthplace of R.J. Reynolds, who founded a major tobacco company. The property witnessed transformative changes during America's early history.
The property maintains two separate cemeteries reflecting the distinct histories of the Reynolds family and the people who were enslaved there. This physical separation tells visitors about the layered and difficult past of this place.
Virginia Tech manages this historic site and provides visitors access to preserved rooms filled with 19th-century furnishings. Guided tours help explain the different aspects of the estate and its past.
In 1863, 88 enslaved people were liberated from the estate, a turning point that transformed the grounds from a plantation to a place of remembrance. This significant liberation marked a crucial moment in how the site came to be understood today.
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