Hanover County Real Estate
Prior to the arrival of English settlers, Hanover County was a hunting ground for the Pamunkey and Chickahominy Native American tribes. The area was settled by plantation owners and tobacco farmers in the late 17th century.
Founded in 1720, Hanover County is approaching its 300th anniversary. Filled with history, it has 39 sites on the National Register of Historic Places or the Virginia Landmarks Register and 56 Virginia Historical Markers. Richmond National Battlefield Park maintains four Civil War battlefields in Hanover and Hanover County maintains battlefield parks on the North Anna River and Cold Harbor.
Hanover County’s symbol is the old Courthouse at Hanover Courthouse, which dates back to about 1740 and is one of the oldest in Virginia. Hanover native Patrick Henry gained fame as a young lawyer in its courtroom when he argued the “Parson’s Cause” case against the English Crown in 1763. This case is still re-enacted every summer in the historic Courthouse by actors associated with a non-profit organization called The Parson’s Cause Foundation. Also on the grounds of historic Courthouse are an Old Stone Jail that operated from the mid-19th century until the early 1960s and a memorial to Confederate soldiers that was dedicated in 1914.
Across Rt. 301 from Hanover Courthouse is Hanover Tavern, which originally served as an overnight stop on the stagecoach route between Richmond and Williamsburg during Colonial times. Visitors to the original Hanover Tavern included George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette and Lord Cornwallis, who surrendered to Washington at Yorktown. Patrick Henry lived at the Tavern for several years after his marriage to the daughter of the Tavern’s owners. The oldest section of the current structure dates back to 1791. The history of the tavern includes Barksdale Theatre, the nation’s first dinner theater, founded in 1953.
During the Civil War Hanover County was a frequent battlefield as Union troops commanded by various generals attempted to fight their way to Richmond through the Confederate army commanded by Gen. Robert E. Lee. There are many Virginia Civil War Trails markers here as well as roadside monuments called “Freeman markers” after Douglas Southall Freeman, who catalyzed the formation of Richmond National Battlefield Park in the 1930s. Richmond National Battlefield Park includes four battlefields in Hanover: Beaverdam Creek, Gaines Mills, Cold Harbor and Rural Plains at Totopotomoy Creek.
Hanover County has the lowest real estate property tax rate in the Richmond Region, which makes for a competitive business location. Some of the major businesses that have taken advantage of the tax rate include: Bass Pro Shops, FedEx Ground, and The Vitamin Shoppe. These businesses located in the county with help from the Hanover County Economic Development and the Greater Richmond Partnership, regional economic development organizations.