Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Virginia. Governor's Office, Records of the Executive Mansion, 2002-2006, Accession 42419, State Records Collection, Library of Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Margaret Hughson, Office of the Governor, Patrick Henry Building, 1111 E. Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, accession 42419, transferred on 18 January 2006 and accessioned 19 January 2006.

Historical Information

Virginia's Executive Mansion has been home, office and center of official entertaining for governors and their families since 1813. It was the second governor's residence constructed in the nation, and is today the oldest governor's residence still used for its original purpose.

The Executive Mansion was Virginia's third state-owned governor's residence. The first two governors under the Constitution of 1776, Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, occupied the colonial Governor's Palace in Williamsburg. In the spring of 1780, Governor Jefferson moved with the government to the new capital in Richmond. For a short period after that relocation, Virginia's governors occupied rental properties.

During the latter part of the 18th century, a second governor's residence was built in Richmond, on almost the same spot the Mansion stands today. The building, a modest frame structure, stood for twelve gubernatorial administrations and was home to three future United States presidents - James Monroe as governor, and John Tyler, Jr. and William Henry Harrison while their fathers were governors.

n 1811, Governor John Tyler, Sr., arguing before the Legislature that the house was "intolerable for a private family," brought about the decision to build the current residence. Under James Monroe's direction and as his last act as Governor, the General Assembly directed "the building of a house for the use of the governor of the commonwealth, on the lot on which the present governor's house stands."

Almost two-hundred years later, with gratitude to Tyler and Monroe, the Mansion remains in the middle of the City. During its long history, the Executive Mansion has been home to 54 Governors and continues to serve not only as a residence to the Chief Executive of Virginia, but also as a place for official state business. There have been 2 major interior renovations (Swanson and Gilmore Administration) and one exterior renovation (Baliles administration) over the long history of the Mansion. The Mansion has seen many famous people and VIPs walk through the mansion, the first floor was almost destroyed by fire, numerous stories of the ghost have been shared over the years, and even hosted three funeral viewings. Families, the children, and their pets have come and gone, but the history that lives within the walls of the Mansion is rich and all who walk through the doors contribute to the legacy of the oldest continually occupied Governor's residence in the United States.

-Taken from Virginia's Executive Mansion Web Site

Scope and Content

The Governor's Office, Executive Mansion records are housed in 5 boxes. This collection documents gifts received by Governor Mark R. Warner (2002-2006), correspondence of the Mansion Director and functions held at the Executive Mansion during his term.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series:

Series I. Gift Files; Series II. Mansion Director's Files; Series III. Mansion Events

Related Material

Web site of First Lady Lisa Collis, 2005-2006 part of the Virginia's Political Landscape, Fall 2005, Web collection .