Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 12/02/1969
NRHP Listing Date 09/15/1970
DHR's Virginia Board of Historic Resources easement
NRHP Reference Number 70000805
An extensive archaeological excavation conducted by the Department of Historic Resources in 1978 revealed the form and size of the Lancaster County mansion of Robert (“King”) Carter, colonial Virginia’s richest and most powerful planter. Carter began building the house at Corotoman in 1720 and lived there until it burned in 1729. The excavation uncovered the foundations of what must have been the most prodigious and richly appointed house of the period: a 40′ X 90′ two-story structure with corner towers connected by a long veranda. Archaeological evidence confirms that the central passage was paved with marble and that the fireplaces had marble trim and were lined with delft tiles. The thousands of artifacts recovered at Corotoman, including fragments of tankards, storage vessels, porcelain teacups, and wine bottles, as well as buckles, clasps, and hardware, help to reconstruct the lifestyle of one of the great figures of America’s colonial era.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: January 10, 2022
