Land Once Part of Patrick Henry's Scotchtown Protected Forever
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.
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.
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.
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.
