John Marshall House

10/02/2026

09/15/2026

Did this object leave you guessing? Here is the answer to our previous post! This is a homespun linen jacket used by John Marshall’s son, Edward Carrington Marshall. You’ll notice his first initial marked along the cover. This jacket protected an atlas that Edward kept with him while studying at Harvard in 1825.

In the collections department at Preservation Virginia, we regularly come across objects at each of our sites that keep us guessing. This piece is a perfect example!

This may not seem like much at first glance, but it once served a very practical and protective purpose.

Study the weathered weave, the faint markings, and the careful hand-stitching. Can you guess what it is or who it may have belonged to?

Join us for our Collections Tour at the John Marshall House on September 13th for the reveal! Purchase your ticket today on our website at preservationvirginia.org/events!

09/07/2026

New week, new ways to ✨ Pull out your calendar and check out this week's happenings downtown 🏙️

📆 DOWNTOWN EVENTS 9/7 - 9/13👇
Check the comments for the full calendar! 📆

TUESDAY, 9/8
🧠 Trivia Tuesday
📍 Basic City B**r Co.
🕥 7 - 9 PM
🗣️ Basic City B**r Co- RVA

WEDNESDAY, 9/9
📖 The Where I'm From Experience
📍 CNTR
🕥 6:30 - 8:30 PM
🗣️ CNTR

THURSDAY, 9/10
🎵 Music at Main Street Station
📍 Main Street Station
🕥 5:30 - 8 PM
🗣️ City of Richmond, VA Government

FRIDAY, 9/11
🖼️ Murals of Jackson Ward Walking Tour
📍 325 N 2nd St
🕥 10 - 11:30 AM
🗣️ The Valentine

🧬Early Virginia Genealogy Workshop
📍Library of Virginia
🕥9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
🗣️Library of Virginia

SATURDAY, 9/12
👟 Run Richmond 16.19
📍 Abner Clay Park
🕥 8 AM
🗣️ Djimon Hounsou Foundation

🌳James River Eco Fest
📍James A. Buzzard River Education Center
🕥11AM - 4 PM
🗣️James River Association

SUNDAY, 9/13
🏠 John Marshall House Collections Tour
📍 John Marshall House
🕥 2 - 3 PM
🗣️ John Marshall House

📲SAVE this post to reference through the week
💌Find the full calendar below! 📆👇
📸 by 🤩 Tag us in your shots as you 🌃

08/25/2026

Today, a special guest shares a story for her favorite corner! Geneva, Site Coordinator for the John Marshall House invites you to learn more about this important historical site at 9th and Marshall Street. Join the John Marshall House and the Valentine for our upcoming Aaron Burr Treason Trial tours on August 28 and 29. Learn about the intrigue of the Burr Conspiracy, the scandalous “Feast of Treason” hosted by John Wickham, and the lasting impact of this monumental trial.

Register for your tour at: https://thevalentine.org/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=109

08/06/2026

We are so thankful for all of Natalie’s help this summer!

07/24/2026

The Fourth of July may be over, but there are still plenty of exciting events to experience at the John Marshall House this year!

Can't wait until then? Join us every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for guided tours of the John Marshall House. Tours begin every half hour, so there's always a great time to step inside and explore the historic home.

07/10/2026

Looking for a volunteer opportunity? Join the Richmond VA Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities and the Descendants Council of Greater Richmond for a weekend workday at the Shockoe Hill Cemeteries on July 18th.

Founded on land purchased by the City of Richmond in 1799 and opened for burials around 1822, Shockoe Hill Cemetery was Richmond’s first municipal cemetery for white residents. The cemetery became the preferred resting place for many of the city's elite, including Polly and John Marshall. After his wife’s death in 1831, John Marshall would often walk the mile from the John Marshall House to Shockoe Hill Cemetery to visit Polly. He was buried next to his wife at Shockoe Hill in 1835.

The Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground was established by the city in 1816 for the interment of free people of color and the enslaved. It is likely the largest burial ground for enslaved and free people of color in the U.S. In 2021, it was listed by Preservation Virginia as one of Virginia's Most Endangered Historic Places.

Volunteers are needed at both cemetaries to help remove trash, clear overgrowth, small trees, and bushes along the fence line, haul accumulated brush, complete string trimming, and uncover long-hidden grave markers.

More information can be found here: https://www.cfengage.org/opportunity/a0CNw0000Cmf7PKMQY/shockoe-hill-cemeteries-cleanup?requiredLogin=1

Please note: Preservation Virginia is not a sponsor of this event

07/06/2026

191 years ago, Chief Justice John Marshall died in Philadelphia. His body was returned to Richmond, where he was laid to rest beside his wife, Mary Willis Ambler, in Shockoe Hill Cemetery

Just two days before his death, Marshall wrote the inscription for his own tombstone, leaving only the date of his passing to be added:

John Marshall
Son of Thomas and Mary Marshall
was born September 24, 1755
Intermarried with Mary Willis Ambler
January 3, 1783
Departed this life
the 6th day of July 1835

As the nation mourned, members of the Richmond Quoits Club, where John Marshall had been a member for more than forty years, voted to leave his place permanently vacant. In tribute to Marshall, the club resolved that its membership would forever remain one member short after his death.

07/01/2026

What are your plans for July 4th? This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, spend your holiday weekend at the John Marshall House and enjoy $2.50 off tickets when you buy online. Just enter code “PV250” for savings on general, AAA/senior (60+)/military, and student admissions. Kids 6 and under enter for free!

Secure your tickets now at fareharbor.com/embeds/book/preservationvirginia/?full-items=yes&flow=1545958 and use code “PV250” to enjoy discounted admission.

06/19/2026