Historic Smithfield - Preserve History!

Historic Smithfield, completed in 1774, interprets a period in Colonial America where westward expansion intersects with early conflicts between indigenous peoples and European settlers, including an enslaved community for nearly a century. Today, Smithfield exemplifies the enormous growth of Virginia by immigrants and their descendants – establishing the largest of America’s colonies among the original 13 colonies.

Smithfield is the birthplace of several Virginia Governors, US Congressmen, Educators, and Family members influencing the establishment of numerous educational institutions, with Virginia Tech among them.

Today, the original house and grounds of Smithfield provide an interpretive site offering an unfiltered perspective on the past, valuable insight for the present, and inspiration for the future.

The complex histories of the region’s indigenous peoples, the Preston family, and the enslaved community reflect on Courage, Leadership, and Education -- all values that are incorporated in better understanding the past and significant progress which has been made in the centuries since.

Your gift will help support our educational programs for students of all ages, expanding on the legacy of this beautifully preserved living museum. The approaching 250th commemoration of Smithfield provides a nice launch point of programming leading to a similar commemoration of the 1776 American Revolution! Generous support helps all visitors appreciate the impact of William Preston’s original homeplace, his family and surrounding community on the evolution of our great nation as the world’s longest democracy.