In Richmond, Virginia, there is a fine example of the Gilded Age estates that were prevalent at the turn of the previous century. Millionaires at that time demonstrated their wealth through the opulence of the estates. A Richmond financier named James Dooley was a member of this echelon of society and his home, Maymont, still stands as an expression of this bygone era. Luckily for the people of Richmond, the 100-acre Victorian country estate of James Henry and Sallie May Dooley is now a park and open to the public. It sits above the beautiful James River and the house and extensive gardens are worth visiting.

Any mansion of the Guilded Age wouldn’t be complete without #distinctivedoors and I’ve included one here for my friend @tattoodjay.

Sallie Dooley was the impetus behind transforming the property into a series of distinct garden environments. Below are some shots of the different gardens I took with my old Canon Sureshot.

Japanese Garden

Italian Garden

Specialty Gardens

James Dooley died in 1922, and upon Sally’s death in 1925, Sallie left the estate in her will to the city of Richmond and it has been a park ever since.

The Maymont Foundation was founded in 1975, to take on responsibility on behalf of the City to raise funds to preserve and operate the park. Maymont is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is open to the public for free.