Charles City's Shirley Plantation, located just a short drive from Williamsburg, is Virginia's oldest plantation and North America's oldest family-owned business. Originally settled in 1613, the current mansion was constructed in 1738 and remains in much the same state today as its 18th century beginnings. Hand-carved woodwork, family portraits, and remarkable artifacts - including two recently discovered 17th-century monogrammed silver spoons - can be found inside the mansion. Other notable events have occurred at Shirley, such as:
- Service as a supply depot for the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War
- Service as a field hospital for the Union Army during the Civil War
- Birthplace of Anne Hill Carter - Gen. Robert E. Lee's mother
Other original structures on the grounds include the stable, smokehouse, root cellar, pump house, and dovecote.
