Randal at Swannanoa Garden Arbor - Afton, VA 9-4-10 PHOTO BY BEN - The Nature In Us - Donna L. Watkins

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Estate in Nelson County 9-4-10

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Donna in Meadows of Swannanoa, Afton, VA 9-4-10 PHOTO BY BEN

Randal at Swannanoa Garden Arbor - Afton, VA 9-4-10 PHOTO BY BEN

View From Driveway As We Approach - Swannnanoa Palace - Afton, VA 9-4-10

Front of Swannnanoa Palace - Afton, VA 9-4-10
In 1911 Major James Dooley of Richmond, VA purchased 1000 acres of Afton Mountain land from Mr. Yount, a farmer. In 1912 he started construction on the Palace. The exterior is white Georgian marble and is partially based on buildings in the Villa Medici, Rome.

Front View From The Other Side - Swannnanoa Palace - Afton, VA 9-4-10
Major Dooley graduated from Georgetown University and enlisted in the Confederate army in 1862. He was wounded and after his release from the hospital, he was assigned to the ordinance division at Staunton, VA. During his assignment there he met and wooed Sally May, often picnicing on the Palace site.

Side View - Swannnanoa Palace - Afton, VA 9-4-10
After the war he returned to Georgetown University where he received his law degree. In 1890 he and Sally May built Maymont in Richmond, VA. While he dabbled in politics, he was the mayor of Richmond and was a member of the VA legislature.

Randal and Ben - Swannnanoa Palace - Afton, VA 9-4-10
It reportedly took over 300 artisans 8 years to build the structure, complete with Georgian marble, Tiffany windows, gold plumbing fixtures, and terraced gardens. When the property was built it had state-of-the-art fixtures for the time period. Electricity and plumbing was installed in the house. It was the first house that had electricity in Nelson County and to accomplish this it had its own power plant on the property. There also was an elevator and dumbwaiter to bring food up from the basement kitchen to the dining room on the first floor. Despite the lavish expenditure, it was only occupied for a few years following completion in 1912. Major Dooley died in 1924 at the age of 82. He left Swannonoa entirely to his wife, Sally May along with several million dollars. Sally May Dooley died in 1926 at the age of 79.

Garden Fountain - Swannnanoa Palace - Afton, VA 9-4-10
Sally May left the estate to Major Dooley's two sisters when she died. The sisters sold Swannanoa in the same year to the Valley Corporation from Richmond. They planned and opened a country club in 1929 and closed it in 1932.

Front Terace - Swannnanoa Palace - Afton, VA 9-4-10
In 1944, A.T. Dulaney formed Skyline Swannanoa, Inc. and the 10 stockholders purchased Swannanoa Palace.

Randal at Swannanoa Garden Arbor - Afton, VA 9-4-10 PHOTO BY BEN

Randal at Swannanoa Garden Arbor - Afton, VA 9-4-10 PHOTO BY BEN

Randal at Swannanoa Garden Arbor - Afton, VA 9-4-10 PHOTO BY BEN

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