Kingsmill Plantation in James City County was listed on Preservation Virginia’s 2025 Most Endangered Historic Places list on May 15. The listing is due to a proposed 28-home subdivision by Escalante Golf near the 18th-century historic site. The development plans include building on areas potentially containing significant archaeological findings, including possible enslaved dwellings and burial sites. An archaeologist warned against disturbing known and unknown archaeological areas on the site. Escalante Golf stated they will donate the central historic portion, including the manor house foundation and dependencies, and provide funding for preservation. Residents and a newly formed Kingsmill Heritage Society expressed concerns about the development’s impact on the site and community space, citing lack of communication. Escalante Golf maintains they are following county regulations and have completed archaeological surveys. Preservation Virginia added the site to raise awareness about the threat to irreplaceable history.
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