Historic homes of Virginia Beach (10/14) - Kill Devil Hill NC (10/05)

We are going to visit some of the historic homes of Virginia Beach.  So we take the very long drive back into Virginia Beach.  This area is so beautiful if it just wasn't so far to everywhere you want to go.
We make it to the first house just in time for the 11:30 tour.  We are seeing the Francis Land House.  It was built in the 1800's and was home to the Land family and eventually a dress shop in the 20th century.  When the owner of the dress shop passed away he gave the house to the city of Virginia Beach.  It is pretty much in it's natural state, a basement was added by the owner of the dress shop, but other than that is is pretty original.  In front of the house is a great 400 yr old Sycamore tree and a couple of beautiful Magnolia trees.

They have a great garden in the back of the house and a nice little path across the road that takes you to the canal that they used to ship their wares.

 This tour took longer than we expected it to, but we enjoyed it.  Now we are hungry and stop to eat at Boston Market.  Then on to the second house.  This house is about 20 mins away from the first, but like everything else in this area there are no sign so it takes us longer to find it.
This house is called the Lynnhaven House built in 1725.  It has had several owners and when the city of Virginia Beach takes over management of the property.  They had it restored to it's original condition.  The Thelaball's were the original owners.  Francis and Abigail lived here with their 5 son's, an apprentice and a number of enslaved people.  There is two rooms downstairs and two rooms upstairs.  I can't imagine living in this small place with that many people.

 The kitchen dinning hall has a huge old fireplace where all the cooking is done and probably a serving women slept in this room.  They don't let you take pictures inside the house, I wish I could show you how great this old house is.  I am in the middle of reading the Outlanders series, I can just imagine them living in a place like this on Fraser's Ridge.  The parlor is also the master bedroom.  Because the bed and it's coverings cost so much they would have the bed in a room where they could show off their wealth.  The two bedrooms upstairs are pretty good size and could accommodate up to 6 or 7 people.  Back outside we go to the back of the house to see the graves or crypts of some of the people that lived in this house.

This tour was so nice I really enjoyed it much more than I did the first. One of the other couples on the tour was also on the first one with us, this made it nice to talk to someone that had already seen the first house.

We are tired and ready to head back to the RV Park.  We are leaving tomorrow morning for Kill Devil Hill on the Outer Banks of NC.

Sunday (10/05)

We are on our way by 9:30 and took several back roads to the 168 then to the 158 in NC.  We make a stop at a farmers market and buy some great peaches and string beans, and a loaf of cinnamon pecan bread.  Can't wait to have a piece.  We only have about 95 miles to drive today so we are in no hurry.  Before we know it we are crossing over the bridge taking us to the Out Banks.  Kill Devil Hill is about 25 minutes away.  Once we get settled at the OBX Campground we go for lunch in the next town of Nags Head.  We ate at Crazy Dicks Crab Shack.  I wanted to have Dungeness Crab but because there has been a shortage this summer everywhere the price of them has gone out of site so restaurants are not buying them.  That explains why I have not been able to get them anywhere.  I settle for Snow Crab, YUM!!!  Joe had their Pulled Pork sandwich.  You better have an appetite to eat here they give you a lot of food plus hush puppies to die for.  We had a couple of great new beers with the meal and are both in food heaven.  Back at the park a nap is in order then a walk on the beach.  Another great day.