The word “neighborhood” comes from the Middle English, nighboer, a farmer (boer) who lived close (nigh), and hood, a suffix which denoted one’s unique condition or character. Ultimately then, the first neighborhoods developed among people who felt a close affinity for one another, both in terms of shared responsibility and social class. Neighbors looked out for one another, lent a hand, swapped stories, offered solace. Neighborhoods reflected the aspirations of the residents and recreated the values of their social class in the children who grew up there.

How good it is to find a home that reflects your highest aspirations; how much better to find it in a neighborhood that embraces you, draws you in, makes you and your family better and more involved. In Henrico County, many such neighborhoods beckon.

River Road
For many, Richmond, Virginia conjures up images of the Old South: stately homes situated on gracious, tree-lined streets; a slow pace of life where iced tea or a Mint Julep can be savored on a screened porch during a long sleepy afternoon; children playing on broad green lawns under a sultry summer sun. Remarkably, the image lives on in one of Henrico County’s oldest neighborhoods.

The River Road corridor, stretching from the Richmond city line at its eastern terminus to Goochland County in the west, charts a course along the James River. Along the way, it encompasses many of Metropolitan Richmond’s most prestigious addresses. Drive west on River Road into Henrico County and the first impression you get is “Old Money.” These homes are not the cookie-cutter construction of new development, but uniquely personal creations, each situated on a spacious lot with long-established trees and gently manicured plantings. While a few are the definition of ostentatious display, most of the homes along this stretch of road are the model of understated elegance.

As River Road passes the newly redesigned Tuckahoe Course of the Country Club of Virginia, tony shops give way to the ivy-covered homes and stunning campus of the University of Richmond. As you pass Forest Avenue, take a left into the secluded Windsor on the James. The all-brick mansions in this small, exclusive neighborhood are meant to impress with vast, manicured lawns and Georgian grandeur.
More typical of the homes along River Road, however, is the well-established neighborhood of Mooreland Farms. Every lot is different and every home is unique. The architecture runs from ’70s era tri-levels, Dutch Colonials, and traditional Cape Cods to energy-efficient homes with vast walls of windows, and multi-storied homes that seem to mold themselves to the terrain. With creative landscaping, homeowners have put to advantage the steeply rolling hills that rise up from the James River, creating shade gardens and terraced lawns. The mood here is gracious living. A long-established neighborhood, Mooreland Farms is an area in transition. Long time residents share the streets with young, well-to-do families. The result is a real neighborhood feel.