Category Archives: Miscellaneous

Getting to relax on the water is possibly the best part of owning a riverfront property. There are so many great ways to enjoy the river in your backyard. From simply sitting on the bank and enjoying the sights and sounds to finding a swimming hole, going fishing or birdwatching, the opportunities are endless. My favorite, however, has to be floating. This can be done in tubes, kayaks, canoes, or even inflatable novelty rafts depending on the length of the trip and river conditions. It can be a full day trip, just a couple of hours, or overnight with camping involved. Here are some pointers for making your river float low-stress and high-fun!  Continue reading

River Farm which is located just outside of Alexandria, Va is the current home of the AHS (American Horticultural Society) Headquarters. Giles Brent and his wife, Mary Kittamaquund, a princess of the Piscataway tribe acquired the property in 1653.  In 1739 William Clifton became the owner of the property and built the brick home which currently houses the AHS. When he ran into financial trouble, Clifton sold the property to his neighbor, George Washington and it became a part of Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate. It was Washington who changed the name of the property to River Farm. The descendants of the Washington family owned the property for over 100 years. After the Washington’s, River Farm was owned by a variety of people until 1919 when a man by the name of Malcolm Matheson purchased River Farm. In 1971 Matheson decided to put River Farm up for sale. The Soviet Embassy showed an interest in purchasing the property as a retreat for it’s staff but this did not sit well with Matheson or the locals in the area. Matheson ultimately took the property off the market in order to prevent the Soviets from purchasing it. After the property was taken off the market, philanthropist and avid gardener, Enid Haupt took an interest in the property. Haupt was a member of the board of directors of the AHS and the society purchased the property in the 70s. In 1973 the AHS moved its headquarters to the River Farm property. Haupt, who had donated money to pay off the mortgage of the property, stipulated that she would like the property to remain open to the public.  Continue reading

Thinking of buying a riverfront home in Virginia? The James River is one of the longest rivers in America that begins and ends in the same state. It is 340 miles long and covers the entire state. The river begins in the mountains and ends by flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. The James River is home to 1/3 of all Virginians and touches more Virginians than any other feature in the landscape. Living alongside this amazing river you will be able to take advantage of a variety of nature inspired activities from fishing to hiking to swimming all in your own backyard. Below are just a few examples of water sports and activities available to you on the James River. Continue reading

My grandpa loved to drive. Raised on a farm in Madison County Virginia, he joined the Army near the end of WWII as a transport operator, was a plumber by trade, ran a side business mowing what seemed like a dozen yards, and had a room filled with bowling trophies. After he retired, he was always going somewhere, even if for no other reason than just to go and come back. Continue reading

Adventure and fun all in your backyard? I know I’m in! Living on a riverfront affords you something that not many can attain, a fully lived housing potential, don’t know what I’m talking about? Living on a riverfront unlocks another level of enjoying your surroundings and being able to work hard and play hard. Water has been a common source of gathering be it for building a community or building a family. Having a source of water was a very important indicator of sustainable life historically, but now more and more are seeing it as a source of luxury as well as sustainability for the land. Continue reading

Tranquility. That is most often the word used to describe waterfronts, and particularly riverfronts. Because some other waterways can be busy and at time noisy, there is nothing quite like the calming serene nature that is a river. Continue reading