Roanoke Plantation, human settlement in Virginia, United States of America
Roanoke Plantation is a historic estate in Virginia that once belonged to Richard Randolph and was later managed by John Randolph. The property includes two small wooden houses that served as a summer house and winter house, along with outbuildings such as a smokehouse.
The estate was founded by Richard Randolph in the 1730s and remained a large farm in the region for generations. John Randolph, who lived there later, ordered in his will that the enslaved people working on the plantation would be freed after his death.
The name Roanoke comes from Native peoples who lived in the region long before European settlement. The remaining cottage is a plain brick building that shows how the owners lived and what mattered to them during those times.
The plantation is located near the small town of Saxe in Charlotte County and is visible from the road today. The remaining cottage and grounds can be viewed from outside, but visitors should respect the privacy of current owners and avoid entering the property.
John Randolph arranged in his will for freed people to receive farmland in Ohio, where some of them later tried to build new communities. A descendant from that group eventually became the first black mayor of a city in Ohio.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
