Historic properties abound in Virginia. After all the “First landing” that became Jamestown in 1607 was more than 400 hundred years ago marked the beginning of the colonization of America. Virginia has been the birthplace of eight United States Presidents and Charlottesville, Virginia is home to three of the first five including Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and James Madison. Each of their final homes, Jefferson’s Monticello, Monroe’s Highlands and Madison’s Montpelier are national landmarks and open to the public. Thomas Jefferson was certainly the most influential as far as shaping an architectural style found throughout Virginia’s piedmont. From his iconic Monticello which dubbed Charlottesville with its moniker Nickletown to the spectacular grounds of the University of Virginia with it’s serpentine walls and classic rotunda to the many important plantation homes like Frascati, Somerset Plantation and Barboursville that were built for his friends and colleagues by the same craftsmen that built his private home and his University of Virginia.
For those with a love of history there is a rare opportunity to acquire one of the most significant historic properties to bear the hallmark of Thomas Jefferson. Frascati was built in 1823 for Supreme Court Justice Phillip Pendleton by John Perry, Jefferson’s trusted mason who worked on both Monticello and the University. It stands today much as it did when completed in 1823 and remains a “Monument to the Piedmont”. Frascati is in excellent condition and is perfectly positioned on 62 acres in Somerset. Frascati is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Virginia Historic landmark.
Here’s your second chance to acquire an iconic historic property in the heart of the Somerset estate area. Our buyer had a change of heart and sadly retreated from their commitment in the 11th hour. Frascati is now back on the market and ready for its next chapter with many recent improvements. Don’t miss this opportunity to own a piece of history in this most hallowed ground of Orange County.
Out in the spectacular countryside which surrounds Charlottesville one can find stunning Farms and Estates with acreage suitable for horse farms. Outside the City of Charlottesville in Albemarle County acreage is more affordable with country properties, large and small, available for any budget. The surrounding counties of Orange County, Greene County, Madison County, Fluvanna County, Nelson County and Louisa County offer great diversity in terms of geography, price range and proximity to Charlottesville while also providing access to such delightful small towns as Orange, Gordonsville, Lovingston, Madison, Stanardsville, Palmyra and Louisa. Whether you are looking for land for sale, a home in town, or a place in the country, it’s all here and I would love to introduce you to this part of the world and the wonderful opportunities that await you.
When you’re 29 there are still a lot of new things that might be coming your way. The years were longer then and the end was not in sight. My 29th year with my birthday just a week away in May, 1982 found me driving through the night in my camper topped 68 Dodge step side en route from Lufkin, Texas to Afton, Virginia with all I owned in the truck bed and my fabulous German Shepherd, Jay Jay beside me on the bench seat. I’d been driving east into the night on I-64 with the excitement and trepidation of yet another beginning keeping me awake until finally, knowing I was close, I pulled into a rest stop, backed into a space and crawled into the back with Jay Jay. I slipped into my sleeping bag and with the smell of stale clothes and leather, a panting dog and dark starry skies I pondered my future. Tomorrow I would arrive at Akid Arabian Stud and take the reins as manager/trainer of an Egyptian Arabian breeding farm in Virginia, a state I fled as fast as I could after graduating from West Springfield High School in Fairfax county 11 years before.
I woke with the dawn on that auspicious day to a view over the Rockfish Valley from the top of Afton Mountain. This was not the Virginia of the DC beltway I fled. The sun was rising over the most verdant green valley I’d ever seen. Below was a patchwork of rolling hills, winding roads and streams, bright green pastures and hayfields dotted with farmhouses, and old, brick manor homes. From this mountaintop overlook I embraced this new to me world with heartfelt thanks and expectations of miracles yet to happen.
Now the years are much shorter and much of a life has been lived by that young fellow. Fate has smiled for the most part and miracles have indeed occurred. A forty year career in farm and estate brokerage has made me intimately familiar with those winding roads and the lives people live along them. Two children grew up safe, happy and well and like me have come to recognize what a special place we call home. I often pull over when I’m climbing Afton mountain on I-64 and take a moment to enjoy that spectacular view and give thanks.
Charlottesville has grown in those 40 years, mostly well, but that view is just the same as is was in 1982. The promise it showed me those many years ago was kept and is being kept still for those who choose to embrace it.
When I first looked at Firefly Farm in 1985 its 13 acres were overgrown with broom sage, vicious blackberries, and two foot tall cedars. I had walked it, carefully avoiding rusty barb wire fencing, truck parts, rows of abandoned dog houses and a three sided barn that was home to a very skinny holstein cow. The back pasture was a wide swale of about eight acres with a spring at the bottom of it and when I squinted my eyes enough I could imagine my horses grazing peacefully on its lush green pasture. It had a 1920’s asbestos sided farmhouse with no central heat, an old hand dug well and a two seater out house in the back yard. I was single, a wet behind the ears Realtor with five horses, a dog and a cat. This place looked perfect. A property I had just sold had a tractor I could buy. It was a 1953 Ferguson TO35 and came with a bush-hog, a blade and a boom. I got everything for $2500 and proudly drove it down Route 20 from Stony Point to Barboursville.
The first job for “Fergie” and I was with the boom. The boom attaches to the three point hitch and you can raise and lower it with your hydraulics. By attaching a good chain you can pull a fence post straight out of the ground and you can drag great loads out to a burn pile. Ours was over the out house hole. The boom is a simple implement and one of the most useful. After weeks of clearing old fence lines and pulling out what debris I could find among the three foot high broom sage it was time for the Bush-hog.
The Bush-Hog is a brand name that is used for just about any rotary cutter. It attaches to the three point hitch at the rear of the tractor and has a shaft that attaches to the PTO (power take off), which powers the bush-hog or any other implement that requires mechanical power. My bush hog was five feet wide with two heavy blades capable of cutting everything from grass to baby cedar trees and even occasional rock outcroppings. I still had no idea what my fields looked like under all the scrub so I carefully ventured forth with the bush hog in a fairly high position. I marveled as I glanced behind me to see clean pasture emerging pass by pass as Fergie chugged along in second gear. Finishing that back field was one of the most rewarding moments of my life as I gazed at the neat mowed rows with nary a blemish. No rocks, no unwieldy ditches, hardly even a bump as this hidden gem showed itself once more. I patted Fergie on her cowling as I would a horse after a good ride and marveled at my luck.
I lived at Firefly Farm for thirty years and raised two great kids in our old farmhouse which also cleaned up nicely. It really was perfect for that time in my life. One year I forgot to put antifreeze in Fergie’s radiator and a hard freeze cracked the block. I felt guilty for being a poor steward for this hard working tractor but she was done for. A neighboring mechanic took her for parts. On my 50th birthday, (2003), I gave myself a brand new Kubota L3400 (34 horse power). It’s a mid sized diesel tractor and came with a front end loader and a new bush-hog. Unlike Fergie, this Kubota is tinker free and now twenty years later still serves as well as when it was new. The front end loader is indispensable now and I could not imagine getting a tractor without one. I guess I’ve never named this “new” tractor but I have given it many pats on the neck after a good work out.
Today, Gaby and I live at lovely Somerview Farm just 10 minutes from dear Firefly Farm. We’ve just two horses now and grown, well settled kids and our first grandson. I still have pasture to maintain and firewood to cut and move and fences to take care of. Of all my passions and hobbies, those moments of working on our land, man and machine, with my tractor are a favorite.
I did not mean to tell a story but really just wanted to offer advice to anyone contemplating their first tractor. It means much more than just buying a tool. It means a new lifestyle. Congratulations if that’s you!
Historic Somerset: A Rare Opportunity to Own a Piece of History
When Frascati was completed in 1823 in Orange County, Virginia for Phillip Barbour who had just retired as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, Somerset was already a pretty good neighborhood. Less than two miles away as the crow flies was Montpelier, the home of James and Dolly Madison where the United States Constitution was drafted. Madison had been retired since his second term as president ended in 1817. Five miles south was Somerset Plantation built for Thomas Macon and his wife Sarah, sister to James Madison. Somerset Plantation was the largest home in Orange County at the time and was situated on a commanding hill overlooking the Piedmont and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Just to the south was the home of James Barbour, Phillip’s brother, a lifelong statesman having served as Virginia’s Governor during the War of 1812 and then as Senator and Secretary of War from 1814-1825. Thomas Jefferson designed Barboursville and indeed influenced all four of these remarkable homes all of which employed the craftsmen he used to build Monticello and the University of Virginia.
Today, Montpelier, Frascati and Somerset plantation still exist much as they did in the 19th century. Barboursville was gutted by fire on Christmas day in 1884 yet the ruins remain and are preserved by Barboursville Vineyards, one of Virginia’s premier wineries. This unspoiled part of Orange County is still entirely rural and each of these historic properties still command significant acreage. A drive through Somerset on Route 20, (Constitution Highway) or Route 231, (Blue Ridge Turnpike) will wind through rolling farm land, past antebellum estates and simple farm houses. You’ll catch your breath as each curve presents new vistas of grazing horses and cows and crops like corn, soybeans, alfalfa and sorghum with the Blue Ridge Mountains always present to the west.
I had the occasion to enjoy a gathering at Frascati with my wife this winter and as we sat in the magnificent parlor listening to someone playing the piano we imagined what other gatherings had listened to music in this very room. Surely, Phillip’s brother James, their neighbors James and Dolley Madison and the Macons of Somerset Plantation would have been regular guests. Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe were also contemporaries and friends and would probably have been overnight guests after a 20 mile carriage ride. History lives vividly in these important houses which are just four of the the 37 properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Orange County https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/068-0304/.
Frascati is an historic treasure and the rarest of of opportunities to acquire to such an important home in museum quality condition in one of Virginia’s most beautiful estate areas. Frascati is proudly offered for sale through Wiley Real Estate.
A rare opportunity to acquire a significant historic estate in a superb location just 30 minutes from Charlottesville and the University of Virginia.
The house is described in the Virginia andmarks Registry as well as in the National Register of Historic Places as “one of the outstanding architectural monuments of the Piedmont.”
Click below for the full description of this amazing property! To go directly to the listing click the button below.
Is Virginia’s Piedmont horse country? You bet! With five active hunts, Olympic caliber trainers, some of the best equine vets in the country and all the assets any breeder, trainer or hobbyist could ask for, this is natural horse country.
It’s no wonder that the Charlottesville countryside is well known throughout the world as one of the finest places to raise horses. The fertile fields and healthy climate have been home to generations of fat ponies and Derby winners. That said, all land is not equal when it comes to keeping horses. It is possible to find land in the Charlottesville area that is absolutely perfect for horses. It would consist of a nice deep soil with few if any rocks. It would be gently rolling and well drained and it would already be in good grass, your horse’s favorite food.
This is horse country and a horse can thrive here and live entirely off the land for most of the year. It’s not all horse country though so do your homework. Up close to the mountains the pasture will be rockier and harder on your horse’s feet. That beautiful flat bottomland along the creek looks great when dry but will often be a wet soil that can be unhealthy for hooves. Clearing woodland to make pasture can be done but it takes years to build up the grass to compare with established pasture.
If you want to breed horses you’ll want to look at the type of grass growing in your fields. The fescue grass found in much of this area needs to managed if broodmares are grazing on it. Finding a place that is already fenced and has existing stabling is usually the best buy and finding a place that allows riding off the property can be a huge benefit in how you can enjoy your horses without trailering.
I’d actually be a pretty good person to ask. I’ve lived in Orange County since 1983. I was a transplant from Sonoma County CA and never imagined I’d live here the rest of my life. But, here I am 40 years later having raised a family, grown a career and roots in one of America’s most beautiful terroirs. Horses are what brought me here. (Want a horse.docx) and a love and understanding of the land is what is what made me stay and be successful in country property brokerage in this area.
Orange county was settled early in America’s history (1734) due to the high quality of the soils for agriculture, the amenable climate and overall beauty of the this rich land in the piedmont of the Blue Ridge mountains. In the 1820’s Orange County was home to President James Madison at Montpelier, Supreme Court Justice Phillip Barbour at Frascati, Virginia Governor James Barbour at his home designed by Thomas Jefferson (https://www.monticello.org/ research-education/thomas-jefferson-encyclopedia/barboursville/) who along with James Monroe lived just 20 miles distant in Albemarle County. It is likely that each of these statesmen would have enjoyed each other’s company at Frascati, a remarkable home in Somerset which is listed for sale for the first time in 45 years. Frascati (Somerset, Virginia) – Wikipedia.pdf.zip)
Orange County also played a pivotal role in the Civil War with the full armies of both the north and south encamped in Gordonsville and Rapidan then culminating in the terrible battle at Wilderness. Artifact hunting for civil war relics with metal detectors is a popular past time here. It is said that any large shade tree extant during the Civil War in the vicinity between Somerset and Gordonsville was a confederate encampment and and old horseshoes, buckles and bullets are still found regularly.
Today Orange County is much quieter but still sublime with a character that draws those looking for a simpler, small town lifestyle. There are two small towns in Orange County, Orange, the county, seat with a population of around 5000 and Gordonsville with around 1500 residents. There are groceries, pharmacies and fast food if you are just passing through and a cornucopia of antique shops, taverns and fabulous old neighborhoods if you slow down and have a real look.
I live in Somerset just 15 minutes from either Orange or Gordonsville and we do most of our shopping locally. We can expect to see folks we know at the grocery store and walking down Main Street. It feels friendly and inclusive. It’s also nice to know that Charlottesville and all it offers; UVA, two major hospitals, hundreds of amazing restaurants and entertainment venues is less than 30 minutes away.
For us, the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful, affordable life in the country and the small town experience or Orange and Gordonsville coupled with access to one of the most exciting university towns in America is the best of both worlds.
It’s easy to look back at market trends and graph exactly how the last 10 years played out. It was a typical first half of a sine curve with a slow but steady start, (post recession), a nice boost in activity as a hot buyers market ate up well priced inventory, (Obama years), and then a wild ride through 2021 as scarce inventory and crazy low interest rates met a surge in demand due to Covid and a hot economy that sent prices through the roof and disappointed buyers gasping for air.
So, here we are, interest rates for a 30 year fixed are about 7.25 today. The change sheet had lots of expired listings, a few price reductions listed and we’re asking each other, What now?
I think it’s safe to say that the boom has happened and we are sitting at the top of the curve right now. Buyers will have to adjust their thinking in terms of loan affordability. Sellers haven’t really felt a slow down yet especially for well placed properties in the Charlottesville MSA since the inventory is still low. That change should be making itself known in a couple of quarters as sellers start thinking that perfect timing may be passing them by. In geometric terms we should be heading back down from the peak. We hope for and expect a soft landing due to a more responsible lending environment since 2008 and while buyers may be dealing with historically typical interest rates they should have more inventory and better prices to consider soon.
It’s hard to look forward and predict exactly what the next ten years will bring but if the last forty mean anything that sine curve will keep on rolling up and down like clockwork.
The C’Ville Expert is authored by John Ince, of Charlottesville Country Properties,
John Ince – Listing Agent in Charlottesville VA
specializing in the sale and marketing of farms, estates, and country residences within 50 miles of Charlottesville, Virginia. Apart from his 35-year career in Charlottesville real estate, John enjoys being an ambassador for one of the best places to live in America. For anyone who places a priority on “quality of life”, Charlottesville and its surroundings must be on your shortlist of where to spend the rest of your life. The town of Charlottesville is remarkable, a true melting pot with cultural venues not found in cities ten times the size. The countryside is breathtaking and just scant minutes from downtown with lush farmland and historic estates many tracing back to original land grants. The Blue Ridge Mountains rise to the west moderating our weather and providing endless recreational activities with hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and fly fishing for native trout all within 20 minutes of downtown. We hope you’ll enjoy some personal insights into the lifestyle one can enjoy here from these posts and that you will refer to Charlottesvillecountry.com for more information on real estate in this wonderful area.
