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Dooley Mansion
In 1886, Wealthy entrepreneur and philanthropist Major James Dooley and his wife Sallie May Dooley purchased a 100-acre plot of land along the James River. This site would eventually be transformed into a grand Gilded Age estate which they named “Maymont,” a combination of Sallie Dooley’s maiden name and the French word for mountain. Completed in 1893 by architect Edgerton Stewart Rogers, the 12,000-square-foot Dooley Mansion is a combination of the Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne styles. The Dooleys occupied the home for 32 years until Sallie Dooley’s death in 1925. Shortly thereafter, the mansion was opened to the public. The Maymont Mansion has been maintained as a museum ever since, with the Maymont Foundation taking responsibility for the site and its restoration beginning in 1975. The house stands as an illustration of the opulent aesthetics and lifestyle of the Gilded Age.
Carriage House
Designed by Richmond architects Noland and Baskervill, the Normandy-style Carriage House was completed in 1904 along with the Stone Barn, Water Tower and Gatehouse.
Gardens
The Italian Garden, Japanese Garden and Arboretum were all commissioned by the Dooleys during their 32 years living at Maymont. These gardens, as well as smaller specialty gardens, are open to the public to tour.
For more information on Maymont, visit www.maymont.org.Â
{Photo Credits: Richard Cheek for Historic Richmond Foundation; Exterior mansion shot, HRF archives}
