Belle Grove


  • Address: US 301
  • Travel Genus: Sight
  • Sight Category: Building

Belle Grove stands as one of the major eighteenth century plantation houses of lower Rappahannock Valley. Its original owner and exact construction date have not been positively established, although it appears most likely that it was built after 1790 for John Hipkins, a merchant from the town of Port Royal, across the river. Hipkins purchased the 700 acre Belle Grove tract from Francis Conway III in 1790, and several years later he conveyed it with the existing house to his son-in-law, William Bernard. That the house was built in this period is supported by the fact that the property's fair market value price increased from 2000 pounds in 1790 to 5000 pounds in 1798. Since William Bernard took out a fire insurance policy on the present house with the Mutual Assurance Company in 1796, it seems evident that the house was erected between 1790 and 1796. - NRHP, 11 April 1973


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Belle Grove
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Timeline

Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
1731/01/09 Nelly Conway Born Nelly Conway born at Belle Grove Plantation in Port Conway, Virginia (home lost)
1751/03/16 James Madison Born James Madison born at Belle Grove Plantation in Port Conway, Virginia (home lost) James Madison's Birthday
1790/00/00 John Hipkins Home Current house probably built for John Hipkins
1839/00/00 Carolinus Turner Home Belle Grove purchased by Carolinus Turner, he soon remodels and enlarges the house

Data »

Particulars for Belle Grove:
Area of Significance Architecture
Criteria Architecture-Engineering
Criteria Consideration Birth place or grave
Sight Category Building
Criteria Person
Area of Significance Politics-government
Owner Private
Historic Use Single dwelling



US National Registry of Historic Places Data »

Accurate at time of registration: 11th April 1973

PLACE DETAILS
Registry Name: Belle Grove
Registry Address: On U.S. 301
Registry Number: 73002029
Resource Type: Building
Owner: Private
Architect: unknown
Architectural Style: No style listed
Area in Acres: 380
Contributing Buildings: 1
Certification: Listed in the National Register
CULTURAL DETAILS
Level of Significance: State
Area of Significance: Politics-government, Architecture
Applicable Criteria: Architecture-Engineering, Person
Criteria Consideration: Birth place or grave
Period of Significance: 1825-1849, 1750-1799
Significant Year: c 1790, 1839
Associated People: Madison,James
Historic Function: Domestic
Historic Sub-Function: Single dwelling
Current Function: Domestic
Current Sub-Function: Single dwelling

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