Late last week we were informed by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation that it has successfully sold Carter’s Grove Plantation, a National Historic Landmark located in Williamsburg, Virginia. The estate was sold to a group formed by well-known preservationist Samuel M. Mencoff.

When we last visited Carter's Grove in 2012, it was privately owned and undergoing various repairs for interior maintenance issues that had been deferred. Below is a press release from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, which outlines the next chapter in the rich history of Carter’s Grove.

Colonial Williamsburg Announces Sale of Carter’s Grove Plantation

National historic landmark protected in perpetuity by conservation easement; new owner to assure preservation in close collaboration with the Foundation

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – On Sept. 11 the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation sold Carter’s Grove Plantation, including the Georgian-style mansion and 400 acres of land that are subject to a conservation easement, as well as an additional 76 acres adjoining the property. The buyer is Carter’s Grove Associates LLC, a Delaware limited liability company formed by Samuel M. Mencoff, a well-respected preservationist from Chicago who has restored properties in the Midwest and in Newport, Rhode Island.

The conservation easement, which was placed on the property in 2007, is co-held by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. The easement protects the site’s historic, architectural, visual, archaeological and environmental resources in perpetuity.

Colonial Williamsburg recently regained ownership of Carter’s Grove at the conclusion of the bankruptcy filed in 2011 by the limited liability company that acquired the property in 2007. Working with the court-appointed trustee during the bankruptcy process, the Foundation funded and oversaw repairs to the mansion that restored it to its previous condition.

The Carter’s Grove Plantation site, located on the James River eight miles southeast of Williamsburg, is a historic landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places and on the Virginia Historic Landmarks Register. The mansion is considered to be one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in the country.

“Sam Mencoff is superbly qualified to be the steward of this important property,” said Colin G. Campbell, president and chief executive officer of the Foundation. “His commitment to historic preservation, demonstrated through his completion of a number of important restoration projects, is well known in the preservation community.”

“Carter’s Grove is a treasure, in many ways chronicling the history of the New World,” said Mr. Mencoff. “My family and I are honored to embrace the stewardship of this remarkable place, fully recognizing the privilege it is and the responsibility it confers. My team and I look forward to working closely with Colonial Williamsburg to preserve this important piece of our national heritage for generations to come.”

Media contact:

Joe Straw
757-220-7287
jstraw@cwf.org