Hear the Voices of Our Past
Preservation Virginia’s Efforts to Safeguard Historic Sites
By Julie Matthews
A leader behind statewide efforts to protect and promote the Commonwealth’s historic places is Preservation Virginia, with their work focusing on preservation, education and advocacy. Since 1889, the organization has helped save more than 400 historic places and it currently owns and operates six historic sites, spanning approximately 100 miles of history, from Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown in Hanover County down to Cape Henry Lighthouse in Virginia Beach with the John Marshall House (in Richmond), Historic Jamestown (in James City County), and Smith’s Fort and Bacon’s Castle (both in Surry County) in between.
While all of these sites are important in their own right, Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown is not to be missed. One of the oldest sites in Hanover County, Scotchtown is Henry’s only original standing house open to the public. Called the “orator of the American Revolution,” Henry lived here from 1771 to 1778 and conceived some of his most revolutionary ideas including his famous “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech, which he delivered on March 23, 1775 at the Second Virginia Convention at St. John’s Church in Richmond. In 1958 Preservation Virginia acquired the remarkable site and restored the building and grounds to reflect how it looked back during this pivotal time period.
With 2025 marking the 250th anniversary of Henry’s monumental speech, there’s no better time than now to explore Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown. “There is nothing quite like visiting a historic site and immersing yourself in history!” says Dawn Burnett, Scotchtown Site Coordinator. “By walking on the same floorboards that Patrick Henry walked on, or walking the grounds and having a quiet moment to contemplate the lives of the enslaved, you are able to get a better sense of what life was like in those tumultuous years leading up to the revolution.”
Scotchtown hosts a variety of events, as well as summer camps and field trips. “The best way for people to interact with Scotchtown is during a special event,” says Patrick Laird, Scotchtown Site Coordinator. “Whether they come out for one of our many special tours or a unique demonstration, they can really take a deep dive into the site beyond that of a regular tour. Regardless of when they actually visit the site, they will always be welcomed by knowledgeable staff who will surely make every visit a memorable one.”
In 2025, the site will open a new exhibit, “Give me Liberty! Patrick Henry in the Fight for Freedom.” In addition, Preservation Virginia is actively building out its descendants initiative to ensure more voices and stories of those that lived there are heard and honored. Furthermore, in 2026 a number of significant renovations will be made to the site. “Supported by recent Virginia 250 grant funding, we’re working to make Scotchtown more accessible for all visitors,” says Will Glasco, CEO of Preservation Virginia. “Within the next year, new pathways and accessibility ramps will be installed, and the parking area improved. We want everyone to have the opportunity to experience history where it happened, and this new initiative will make that possible.”
Scotchtown is open March through December. Learn more about Preservation Virginia and purchase tickets by visiting PreservationVirginia.org.
Wanna Go?
preservationvirginia.org
804-648-1889
204 West Franklin Street Richmond, VA
