A Mansion Was Built And Left To Decay In The Middle Of A Virginia Golf Course
By Celina Colby|Published May 09, 2022
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Celina Colby
Author
Celina Colby is a Boston-based writer and native New Englander who has been covering travel, arts, food, and culture nationally for ten years. When she's not on deadline you can often find her reading, sewing, and searching for the perfect empanada.
The Dunnington Mansion in Farmville, Virginia, had humble beginnings as a brick farmhouse. In 1897, the house was enlarged by the Dunnington Family into the sprawling and regal mansion it is today. Unfortunately, the property isn’t currently receiving the love and care it did under its original owners. The property sits decaying in the middle of a high-end golf course that has sprung up around the land parcel.
The Manor Golf Club that surrounds the house is pristine and well-manicured, a complete contrast to the now-dilapidated historic building.
The rundown exterior and interior of the building look more akin to the film set of a horror movie than the spot where wealthy elites once clinked glasses.
The home was in the Dunnington Family until the 1960s. It was independently owned and (theoretically) cared for between 1960 and 1998, but no information about that period has been found.
The home is located on what's known as Poplar Hill, a 361-acre portion of land that, due to zoning and sales of partial pieces of the land, became enveloped by the golf course.
You can still spot pieces of the building's former glory in its current state. The exterior brick is still intact and inside you can see grand fireplaces and wood paneling. Unfortunately, visitors can't see these details up close. The property is strictly off limits due to safety concerns in its deteriorated state and security monitors the home 24/7.
At some time, the Dunnington Mansion will hopefully receive a well-deserved restoration and be open to the public as a beautiful example of its architecture. But, until then, the property gets more damaged each day, soaking in the elements and creaking towards its demise while golfers swing their clubs carefree across the course just steps away.
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