Bon Air National Historic District
In the late 19th– and early 20th-centuries, planners and developers became increasingly interested in natural areas as places to escape the city center. Bon Air was established as a nearby resort community outside of Richmond in 1877. More than a century after being established, Bon Air retains much of its original historic character. In 1988, it became the first community in Chesterfield County designated as a national historic district and listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register and National Register of Historic Places.
In June 2023, Capital Region Land Conservancy recorded a conservation easement protecting 5.26 acres in the Bon Air Historic District as well as the residence known as “Huntly” that was built by James Waddell Gordon (1869-1952) in 1917. “Huntly” is one of only 45 original structures that comprise the historic district. This conservation easement preserves the house and original summer cottage on the property, the tree canopy across the property, as well as the public view of open space.
