Hanover County, VA – Adding to their legacy of caring for their land, Caroline Cherry and her family recorded a second conservation easement with Capital Region Land Conservancy (CRLC) – this time on their property known as “Hickory Bottom.” The latest easement protects 258 acres of working farm and forest land in western Hanover County along Coatesville Road. With the property known as “Cherrywood” that was previously protected in 2023, the Cherry family has now conserved a combined 388 acres with CRLC. The easements help the Cherrys achieve their goal of preserving the land and passing it on to future generations.
In early 1990 the Cherry family moved from Maryland to Beaverdam to make their home at Cherrywood having amassed nearly 400 acres of the family land. Thirty years later Caroline Cherry reached out to CRLC staff wanting to conserve her family properties known as Cherrywood and Hickory Bottom. The family’s long history in the Beaverdam area of Hanover County dates to Caroline’s great grandfather Farley Berkeley Talyor (1845-1906) who owned most of the land along the road known today as Taylor Road and to her father’s purchase of historic Hickory Bottom in the 1950’s.
The history of Hickory Bottom dates back to when the property was originally part of the larger Scotchtown tract owned by Charles Chiswell with approximately 960 acres being sold to its most famous owner Patrick Henry in 1771. Subsequent owners of Scotchtown included John Mosby Sheppard who sold off the nearly 400-acre Hickory Bottom tract to his son-in-law John Dudley George Brown upon his marriage to Harriet Isabella Sheppard in 1824.
“Hickory Bottom” was evidently given its name from the stand of hickory trees which grew along the banks of nearby Needstone Creek (aka Needstan Creek) and is shown on an 1820s plat that is now in the possession of Preservation Virginia. The Scotchtown house was later purchased by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (known today as Preservation Virginia) in 1958 after it was abandoned upon the death of Sally Sheppard Taylor, a distant cousin of the Cherry family.
“Similar to many communities throughout Virginia, western Hanover County is facing increasing development pressures,” said Will Glasco, CEO of Preservation Virginia. “As stewards of Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown, we’re thrilled that Capital Region Land Conservancy is continuing their impactful efforts by preserving viewsheds in this historic community. Together we can ensure the history and cultural landscape of Hanover is protected for future generations.”
“The protection of Hickory Bottom is a great achievement” remarked Jane Myers, Director of Land Conservation at CRLC. “A history of excellent stewardship is already visible on this land evidenced by careful and considerate forest management techniques” she added, “which have protected over a half mile along Needstan Creek where an abundance of native plants was blooming during a recent visit.”
A forest stewardship plan guides the future management of the family forest that includes the protection of 30 acres of wetlands, as defined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wetlands Inventory and extensive riparian areas where timber harvesting is prohibited.
With over 190 acres of prime farmland or soils of statewide importance, as identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, the easement allows for the continuation of farming that has existed on the property for more than a century. Ecologically, the 155 acres of managed timber and forestland provides important services which includes protection of water quality, protection of air quality, aesthetic quality, and the moderation of climate, including the offsetting of carbon emissions. These same acres are mapped as an area of “Moderate” ecological integrity as identified by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) Virginia Natural Landscape Assessment model. “Moderate” score means the property contributes to ecosystem services such as wildlife and plant habitat, biodiversity conservation, open space, recreation, and water resources protection.
Jerome Facchina, son of Caroline Cherry and Charlie Facchina, manages the family land and is passionate about promoting wildlife habitat and wildlife experiences for future generations. Commenting on this historic achievement, he remarked, “After witnessing the growth and development in Hanover County, it is extremely gratifying knowing the farm that I have spent so much time on will be here forever and will afford future generations many of the same outdoor experiences that I have been fortunate to have.”
Hickory Bottom is visible along almost a mile of Coatesville Road (State Route 671) and the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail (also known as U.C. Bicycle Route 76). The easement requires views of across the front 500 feet of the property to be open and free of any structures for the public to enjoy the rural character of the area.
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About Capital Region Land Conservancy (CRLC): Capital Region Land Conservancy is dedicated to conserving the natural and historic resources of Virginia’s Richmond region for the benefit of people and nature. The nonprofit land trust serves the City of Richmond and 19 surrounding counties. Since 2005, CRLC has helped protect more than 15,000 acres, including easements on more than 5,000 acres.
