The purpose of the tour was to raise awareness of the importance of engaging interested people in the preservation of Historic Greenfield. The area now designated for restoration includes three buildings of Antebellum era structures including Colonel William Preston’s Plantation Kitchen, the saddleback-style slave cabin and the Bowyer/Holladay house, as well as two historically significant cemeteries in addition to the slave cemetery.
The tour was led by Danny Kyle, local historian. It focused on Revolutionary War patriot Colonel Preston’s timeline and life when his family lived in Botetourt County. Participants learned about his family, the slaves who lived and worked there, the way of life in this part of the state during the late 1700s, as well as archaeological artifacts unearthed there. They also were able to see inside the three locked buildings, which are slated for restoration.
During a picnic lunch at the Preston Memorial, Kyle talked about the First People (Indians) and the intrusion of European Settlers and how it framed frontier life at that time.
One of the largest patriotic women’s organizations in the world, DAR has more than 185,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters across the country and several foreign countries. DAR members promote historic preservation, education and patriotism via commemorative events, scholarships and educational initiatives, citizenship programs, service to veterans, meaningful community service and more. For additional information about DAR and its relevant mission, visit www.dar.org.
The Historic Greenfield Preservation Advisory Council is tasked with assisting the county in the preservation process of the 29.6-acre site and strives to provide the community with interpretive events, student field trips and public programs among other educational opportunities. For more information visit www.HistoricGreenfield.org.
