Mission

The mission of Preservation Virginia is to inspire and engage the public in fostering, supporting and sustaining Virginia’s historic places through leadership in advocacy, education, revitalization and stewardship. We envision a future … In which people seek a more complete understanding of the past, value the connections between people and place, and support the protection of places where history happened. Preservation Virginia, a privately-funded, statewide historic preservation leader founded more than 100 years ago, works to ensure the relevancy of the Commonwealth’s historic places. The multifaceted and impactful nature of our advocacy programs, six historic sites and partnerships with other organizations has allowed us to create a holistic approach to saving the places that connect us to our diverse, complex history. Owning and operating six historic locations puts Preservation Virginia in a unique position: we serve as both the statewide voice for historic places while demonstrating preservation best practices at our own sites. Put together, we advocate for sites not in our portfolio while administering ones that are. Preservation Virginia, a privately-funded, statewide historic preservation leader founded more than 100 years ago, works to ensure the relevancy of the Commonwealth’s historic places. The multifaceted and impactful nature of our advocacy programs, six historic sites and partnerships with other organizations has allowed us to create a holistic approach to saving the places that connect us to our diverse, complex history. This approach underscores our belief in the power of community engagement and embracing the places of our past as vital resources for present and future generations. The results can be seen in the rural towns that now have thriving Main Streets, the success stories of endangered historic places revitalized with Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits and our studies that show the positive economic impact of historic preservation on Virginia’s economy. The six historic site locations open to the public, owned and operated by Preservation Virginia include The John Marshall House in Richmond, Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown in Hanover, the Cape Henry Lighthouse in Virginia Beach, Bacon’s Castle and Smith’s Fort in Surry and Historic Jamestowne.