By Demetra Aposporos

	The gardens at Tuckahoe

As one of the first plantations along the James River in Richmond, Tuckahoe was established by one of Virginia's oldest and most notable families, the Randolphs. Sitting on a picturesque parcel of land with manicured, era-appropriate gardens, Tuckahoe's outbuildings include the tiny one-room schoolhouse where Thomas Jefferson started his education. If this sounds like a storybook setting, it is, and if you wish you could visit—well, you can. Tuckahoe is open for tours year-round (house tours by appointment; self-guided tours of the grounds daily). You can even rent the gardens for weddings and other events. The plantation is so picturesque and historically accurate that it was the backdrop for the film Story of a Patriot, a 1956 classic about Colonial life starring a young Jack Lord. So if you've always wanted to travel back in time and experience life on a notable plantation, check out their website www.tuckahoeplantation.com

For more on Tuckahoe and its connection to Thomas Jefferson, see A Family Affair in the Jan/Feb issue of Old-House Journal, Click Here.