Governor McDonnell Recognizes 2013 as the Year of the Virginia Historic Home
– Governor and First Lady McDonnell Shine the Spotlight on Historic Homes around the Commonwealth of Virginia –

RICHMOND - Governor McDonnell has signed a proclamation, recognizing 2013 as the Year of the Virginia Historic Home. The announcement was made today by the Mansion Director, Sarah Scarbrough at the Preservation Virginia annual conference in Leesburg, Virginia. View the certificate of recognition here.


2013 marks the bicentennial of the Executive Mansion. As they commemorate this historic milestone, the Governor and First Lady will also recognize the importance of the many historic homes around Virginia. Virginia has more than 100 historic homes, most of which are open to the public as museums and historic sites. These homes offer a wealth of cultural, historical, and architectural information and promote an understanding of, as well as an interest in the story of Virginia.

The Secretary of Natural Resources, the Department of Historic Resources, and the Virginia Association of Museums has joined together with the Governor and First Lady to make this effort possible. The initiative will include the launching of a Virginia historic homes tourism website, which will be live on October 4 and a new historic homes edition of the Time Travelers program for Virginians. By highlighting the educational value of these homes and promoting tourism to the sites, the Governor and First Lady intend to ensure their vitality and enhance their value as Virginia cultural assets.

More information on the Year of the Virginia Historic Home will be posted on the Executive Mansion's website on October 4, http://www.executivemansion.virginia.gov/.

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