Belle Isle Manor was built around 1760 for Thomas Bertrand Griffin and wife Judith Burwell of Carter’s Grove. Constructed by enslaved labor, this small, formal Georgian-style home was the centerpiece of a prosperous tobacco plantation and warehouse. Single story wings were added by the Rawleigh W. Downman family who owned the property from 1786 to 1862. Following the Civil War, the farm changed hands many times, mostly owned by absentee landowners. Brothers David and Allie Somers purchased the property in 1912 and used it as a working farm building. The interior paneling was sold to Henry Francis du Pont for use in his Winterthur home, where it can still be seen. In the late 1930s the home was photographed and surveyed for inclusion in the Historic American Buildings Survey.
In 1939 Herbert Lee Boatwright and wife Suzanne (nee Pollard) embarked on a detailed restoration of Belle Isle and the surrounding terraced gardens with the help of Thomas T. Waterman. The beautiful landmark became a community centerpiece as the Boatwright family welcomed friends and family for frequent visits. Thanks to efforts by the Boatwright family, Belle Isle Manor is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and as a Virginia Historic Landmark.
Belle Isle farm was purchased by Edward and Rosemary Gruis in 1980. The couple allowed several studies to be conducted on the property including dendrochronology of the original building materials, providing a clearer picture of the period and construction of the home. Most of the land was eventually deeded to the Bay Company for subdivision, while the Gruis family retained only the house and surrounding ninety acres.
In 1993 the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation purchased the Bay Company land to create Belle Isle State Park and the manor house and it’s grounds became a private inholding in the park. Without full-time residents Belle Isle Manor fell into disrepair. The property remained privately owned until 2015 when it was purchased by DCR for inclusion in the Belle Isle State Park. The historic home is currently closed to the public awaiting funding for full restoration.
A COMMUNITY EFFORT
Since 2015, community groups and volunteers have joined park staff in working to breathe new life into Belle Isle’s overgrown gardens and take the first steps toward preserving this Northern Neck treasure. After completion of a full historic structures report, there is a clearer picture of the scope of restoration needed to protect and maintain the property. High-priority repairs include further masonry cleaning and repair, foundation stabilization, and lead and asbestos abatement, with a goal of a complete interior renovation. At this time additional funds are needed to move forward with repairs.
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP
Make a contribution: Tax deductible contributions to the Belle Isle Restoration Project can be made by check to Virginia Association for Parks, PO Box 9205, Norfolk, VA 23505 with a notation on the memo line “Belle Isle Restoration.”
Volunteer your time: From gardening and hands on restoration projects to researching the property’s rich history, help is needed. Learn a new skill or lend a practiced hand while spending time with friends and neighbors. Join the Friends of Belle Isle State Park or contact the park for more information.
Share the story: Help spread the word about the Belle Isle Restoration Project.
Check out a short video outlining the project here: Belle Isle Restoration Project
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT Katie Shepard at katherine.shepard@dcr.virginia.gov.
FRIENDS OF BELLE ISLE STATE PARK 