Surry in Surry County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

The River House

Chippokes State Park

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

1. The River House Marker

Inscription. The River House is a prime example of a Virginia frame construction popular in the tidewater area during the 17th-19th centuries. A central interior passage, with equally-sized rooms on both sides helps with cooling during the long summers. Each successive owner has left their mark, etched into the bones of the house.

Constructed in two phases, the first half of the house was built in the 1830's. Albert Carroll Jones purchased the property in 1837 and expanded the house around 1847. Evidence of this addition can be seen by looking at the division of the brickwork above the basement door.

The Stewarts began restoring the house after acquiring Chippokes in 1918, but never finished The missing front and back porches and stairs indicate the halt in restoration work.

(sidebar)
Stars on the Chimneys
The stars on the chimneys stacks aren't just for decorative purposes. They are anchor plates that keep the chimneys upright and prevent them from pulling away from the house. The anchor plates were added later in an effort to stabilize the house.

(caption) 1928 photo of the exterior of the River House facing the

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Jones-Stewart Mansion.

Erected by Chippokes State Park.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1837.

Location. 37° 8.521′ N, 76° 43.604′ W. Marker is in Surry, Virginia, in Surry County. It can be reached from Quarter Lane east of Plantation Road, on the right when traveling north. The marker is located on the grounds of Chippokes State Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 868 Plantation Rd, Surry VA 23883, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Coastal Virginia

and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in the Tidewater,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

2. The River House Marker

nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Chippokes Plantation (within shouting distance of this marker); A History of Silence (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Steam: The Great Connector (approx. 0.2 miles away); An Agricultural Legacy (approx. ¼ mile away); A Mansion of Many Colors (approx. 0.4 miles away); Packard Garage (approx. 0.4 miles away); Paradise Garden (approx. 0.4 miles away); Enslaved Laborers Memorial (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Surry.

Also see . . .
1. River House Tours. (Submitted on December 20, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
2. Chippokes State Park. (Submitted on December 20, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on December 28, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 20, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 188 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 20, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.