Put Powhatan, Virginia, on your Spring vacation calendar. This unincorporated community west of Richmond has roots back to the influential James River plantations of the early 1700s. The stately Georgian-styled manor house of the Powhatan Plantation has been restored and is open to public tours as part of a timeshare resort. The rest of historic Powhatan reveals itself on a three-hour driving tour with such key spots as Mosby Tavern that doubled as a courthouse and jail before the Revolution and several Civil War sites.
Planning a visit? Stay at Cozy Acres Campground/RV Park.
The Belmead Mansion on Catersville Road is an architectural treasure known locally as “The Castle;” the property also offers over 30 miles of walking and equestrian trails overlooking the James River. The village proper features a 40-stop walking tour that visits the “Old Jail” museum of the Powhatan Historical Society, the Greek Revival courthouse and the Powhatan Cavalry Troop Monument.
There are only two natural lakes in Virginia and Powhatan Lakes is not one of them. But after a storm breached a dam the 66-acre former resrvoir is now open for fishing with two newly constructed piers and boat launch facilities; it is part of the 4,462-acre Powhatan Wildlife Management Area with trails through mature and emerging forests.
