March 16, 2014 / Joanne Yeck

Buckingham Houses: Mount Ida

Courtesy Library of Virginia

The dwelling house at Mount Ida was once one of Buckingham County’s grandest homes. Its story will be told over four posts here at Slate River Ramblings.

In 1937, Garnett Williams surveyed Mount Ida for the Virginia Historical Inventory. The burning of Buckingham Courthouse in 1869 made a typical deed search impossible. She began with William Leitch, unaware of previous owners.

Originally a plantation of at least 1,000 acres, Mount Ida sat not far from New Canton and the James River in northeastern Buckingham County.

Mrs. Williams described the impressive dwelling:

The dwelling is a lovely eleven room house. From the small square front porch one enters into a lovely hallway. Facing the hallway is a winding stairway leading to the second floor. To the right of the hallway is a large bed room with plastered walls and wide wainscoting, while to the left is a room known as the living room, with the most expensive hand carved trimmings, lovely hand carved mantels, plastered walls with wide wainscoting, and large cross panel doors with shop made hinges and large imported locks with brass knobs. All the rooms on the second floor have plastered walls with wide wainscoting. The weatherboarding is of heart pine.

There is a picket fence around the yard. The old rock style that was used many years ago can still be seen by the front gate, in the beautifully kept, one acre yard.

In 1937, many outbuildings were still standing at Mount Ida, including the kitchen, with its wine-cellar/basement, and the old dairy.

Coming next: William Cannon: Builder of Mount Ida