centre hill mansion

A beautifully house that should and could be a another jewel amongst those open to the public in Virginia. However, it is in desperate need of funds to restore it to its glory. This mansion has a story of historic value that is fast disappearing. The docents are good.

Welcoming and knowledgeable staff. Great tour. Beautiful home. A must on the to do list when you visit Petersburg. Support this museum!!!

Ordinarily, I don't opt for visits of historic houses while on vacation. However, recently, I was a driver for a group of out-of-towners, who were spending the day in Petersburg. One of the places they visited was Centre Hill Mansion. I'm glad they opted for this historic house, and I'm glad I went.Making the experience very enjoyable was our guide, Billy (I believe that is her name), who was extremely knowledgeable about the architecture, furnishings, and the history of the home owners. As they say, "she knew her stuff" and was able to communicate it well.Built in 1823, the history of the house and its occupants is very interesting, particularly around the time of the Civil War. The rooms have been refurbished with period furnishings, only a few original to the house. Unfortunately, a few rooms have peeling paint and some discolored ceilings (fixed by a tall stepladder, brush, and detergent?). Maybe some community benefactors could be found with some money and cans of paint and bring a bit of sparkle back to the few rooms that need it. Don't get me wrong, this place is very impressive as it is. If you're sightseeing in Petersburg for the day, this should be one of the 3-4 places you visit.

An interesting structure for those with an architectural eye, combining Federal, Greek and Colonial revival styles. The tour gives you a glimpse at life during the 1800's, the rooms decorated with original furnishings. Our guide was very knowledgeable and informative, making sure to point out details in the woodworks significant to the home's history. The only downside is that there is no elevator, and may be difficult for some to maneuver three-stories.

this 'mansion' tour provides information into the changes made to the building from 1823 to the present. The 'rooms' are very large and the history interesting..including the Civil War time.

My husband and I went on the annual Ghost Tour of the Centre Hill Mansion that they do every year on January 24th. This is a beautiful mansion with lots of history and tales of ghostly paranormal activity each year on Jan. 24th. The tours were every 15 minutes from 6PM to 9PM and were small groups, maybe 15-18 people. They were spaced out so that you did not have to wait outside in a line in the cold weather. Everyone waited in the lobby where it was warm (which was very nice since it was about 12 degrees outside!!). The tour was great and the guides were very knowledgeable. I would recommend this tour.

This is not one of your state of the art historic homes that has abundant funding. It needs some funding for some relatively minor, but obvious, repair work. However, if you can get past this fact it was a really great value and overall well kept home. Tour guide, while not overwhelming with knowledge, seemed to know the basics. However, I do believe if he had gotten more questions on the tour that he could have more than ably answered them. Not big on ghost stories which he focused on during the second floor. Typically small tour groups so this provided a nice break from some of the more visited historic sites where you are simply rushed through. Very nice home with an emphasis on decorative arts as well as the notable visitors to the home-Taft, Lincoln. At five dollars, a great value plus nice view of the city from this hilltop. No big signs pointing to it so you have to know in advance where you are going. Steep hill going from Henry St. up to the mansion. Has several flights of steps so may not be worthwhile for those who have trouble with stairs. Plenty of parking on site and a small gift shop. They can take credit cards, but it has to be called in so I would make certain to bring cash!

Two friends and I visited Centre Hill Manson annual open house for a tour. Impressive home in the historical area of Petersburg. During this event, one wanders through the home and the tour is shorter than the paid tour. We read the plaques and pictures in the basement. On the first floor, we were greeted by a young man who told us about the rich history of the home and the people who lived there. He knew dates, names and events of various additions and renovations. He went with us through the first and second floors giving us the information and answering our many questions. When we were finished, he asked if we wanted him to go back to the basement with us for more. He went through the pictures and plaques on the wall relating them back to the history he shared in the various rooms throughout the tour.At the end of the hour we spend with Tyler, I asked if he were in college, he looked surprised and said he was in 9th grade!!!! This is an amazing young man to spend his time to learn and share the history of this magnificent home built in 1823. I can only hope you are lucky enough to have Tyler as your tour guide. I was disappointed that there were not more people talking advantage of this free day. Admission fee is reasonable though- I think it is $5- not sure

Our tour guide was super and gave us a really wonderful tour that was informative and pleasant. The home, itself, is well done and furnished with period pieces and utensils. All in all, a great way to absorb some of the history of Petersburg.

A good effort has been made to present the house as it would have been in its heyday. We'll worth a visit although perhaps more work, and therefore more funding, is needed to maximise the house.

not one to tour on a 99 degree day - very warm - little air circulation on the second floor - heard stories of Ghosts that march in the night (we were there in the daytime!) .

My daughter and I were very well received by the tour guides! We loved learning about the mansion and we were introduced to some very amazing facts about the history of the house and how it related to the town of Petersburg! We loved the experience and will highly recommend the tour to friends and family! Thank you! Military families get in free- that was a bonus for us!

Enjoyed our visit here. We have visited here on several occasions and I always feel like I'm on a movie set!

Centre Hill and its occupants were central to the economic development of Petersburg. It was also Union HQ as the Civil War ended and Abraham Lincoln visited the house, as did President Taft 50 years later.The turning for the house is hard to find but it is a easy walk from anywhere in the historic area. We bought a triple ticket for $11 which included the house, seige museum and Tiffany glass church.

The Annual Ghost Tour of Centre Hill Mansion tonight was truly a delightful event even though there were no ghosts spotted during our tour! The Mansion itself is a precious jewel that Petersburg..., no, Virginia should be extremely proud!! To have this wonderfully preserved historic home available to be viewed by the public, and to have the knowledgeable staff to assist and answer questions is a privilege everyone should take advantage of as often as possible. There are few places where one can go and see such perfectly perserved part of history that displays such craftsmanship and detail in a variety of architectural styles. This is truly a beautiful, elegant home presented with many beautiful period antiques. I would highly recommend a visit and tour of this beautiful location.