Rosewell Foundation, Inc.

Rosewell, in Gloucester County, Virginia, is America's magnificent ruin. It is the standing remnant of what has been called the most impressive example of 18th century English plantation mansion architecture. The many thousands of acres of the Rosewell plantation, was the seat of the Pages, one of Virginia"s first families.The mansion, circa 1725, was three full stories plus and English basement. A 1916 fire demolished Rosewell's interior, its roof and some of the massive brick walls. Since 1995, the Roswell Foundation has endeavored to meet its three key missions:1) PRESERVE The foundation commissioned and is following a long-term strategic plan to arrest further deterioration and to restore key structural elements so this magnificent ruin can remain standing for all to see.2) EDUCATE: Rosewell's historical significance transcends its grand and unique architecture the estate is a three-dimensional memento of the Tidewater plantation society. Its demography included the native Americans who lived here (including Powhatan's daughter Pocahontas), the English immigrants who cleared and settled the land, and their African American slaves who built the mansion. The story of this rich societal tapestry deserves to be told.3)INVITE: In order to preserve and educate, the Foundation needs to encourage visitation to Rosewell. Its scale and its setting make Rosewell an historical site that's best appreciated by seeing it in person. Only y in person visits can the Foundation covert guests into "missionaries" to spread the word and into "owners" who can contribute financially to our mission.