Turkey Island

Turkey Island is a Virginia historical marker in Henrico County, dedicated 1994.

Rte. 5, 1,000 feet west of intersection with Willis Church Road

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Soon after landing at Jamestown in May 1607, Captain Christopher Newport, while exploring the James River discovered Turkey Island (two miles south). He named it for the large number of wild turkeys there. In 1684, William Randolph purchased Turkey Island; it then became the seat of the Randolph family. His descendants included Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, and Robert E. Lee. Robert Pickett acquired Turkey Island in 1836. During the Civil War, the large family dwelling was burned by Union troops. Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett and his family lived there in a small cottage after the war.

TodayHistorical map

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David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Historical maps covering this location

1630 · Nova Virginia Tabula. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1862 · Map of the battle ground near Richmond, showing plainly, every point of interest of the… (Digital Commonwealth, Boston Public Library)
1864 · Hughes Military Map Of Richmond & Petersburgh, Va. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1894 · Bermuda Hundred, Virginia (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)
1895 · White House-Harrison's Landing. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

Nova Virginia Tabula, 1630, covering the location of Turkey Island, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — Nova Virginia Tabula, 1630, covering this location. David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

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Turkey Island

Historical maps covering this location

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