The History

The site of Carter Hall was at the heart of an 5,000 acre estate when construction began on the manor house in 1792. Nathaniel Burwell, the great-grandson of Robert “King” Carter, had inherited this land. He eagerly built his new home on land he would use for wheat to replace tobacco as well as a place to move his family from the hot summer days on the James River. He built two mills for grain crops and began life anew in the Shenandoah Valley.

Carter Hall for the most part stayed in the Burwell family albeit distant cousins who purchased the property over the years. Although Carter Hall was updated and extensively renovated in the 1930's by Gerard Lambert of pharmaceutical fame, the main house and dependencies maintain much of the look of Colonial times. The stately Great Hall with its marble fireplace, wide pine wood floors and “flying” staircase provide a special environment in which to meet.

In 1977, Carter Hall became the home to Project HOPE through the generosity of benefactors who knew of HOPE’s need to find a permanent land-based home after the SS HOPE was decommissioned.

Call us at (540) 837-9482 to speak directly with our meeting services.