Historic Village of Bensley

Historic Village of Bensley. circa 1909. Located at this site was the beginning of one of the earliest residential communities in Chesterfield County., Historic Village Of Bensley, Created by Albert Bensley in 1909, the Village of Bensley was marketed as a modem, convenient streetcar suburb , only 20 minutes from Richmond on the electric Interurban line. This was one of the first planned communities in the county. It was unnecessary to own an automobile to enjoy suburban life in Bensley. It offered homeowners an affordable residential setting situated at a “beautiful and healthful elevation overlooking the James" complete with electricity, pure Chesterfield water, sewer facilities and high speed interurban railway access., During summer months, Bensley residents rode the streetcars to the Bellwood picnic grove and to amusement parks including Petersburg Lakemont Park and Richmond's Forest Hill Park., The trolley also provided city dwellers an opportunity to escape the heat by riding the electric line to the old Falling Creek swimming hole and campsites at the Village of Bensley. Families from Richmond, Manchester and Petersburg traveled to Bensley on afternoon trolley cars, camped out, and returned to town on one of the early morning cars. This electric line was part of the charm of Bensley but was abandoned in the 1930s as the automobile became more prevalent. Albert Bensley, who also owned a lumber mill, was selling built homes on lots of up to 4 acres. Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, he bought a plantation of 430 acres called Chester Hill., Bensley developed the acreage surrounding the plantation home into Bensley village. Notable historic features of the Bensley community are the Falling Creek Ironworks and Wayside Park, (Virginia’s first state wayside), where the famous double-arched bridge designed by Claudius Crozet and completed in 1828 was once part of the Manchester-Petersburg turnpike. The turnpike was designed in 1816 and was a leading engineering design , it was one of the first of the state highway system., (captions) , Bensley Village Map , The William Stubbs home is the second oldest home in Bensley built in 1905. It has remained within the family and was operated as a tourist home for many years. The home was occupied by David Walker, former Chesterfield County treasurer and his son H.B. Walker, former commissioner of revenue. , The Glenconner home originally called Chester Hill, was built in 1843 and is the oldest home in Bensley. It was designated as a Historic Landmark in 1988.