In Henrico County, you never know when a trip to yesterday is just off the beaten path—even when the path is an inter- state highway. That’s the case with the renovated Armour House at Meadowview Park, only a few turns off Interstate 64 in the east end of Henrico County.
At the end of a drive lined with crape myrtle trees, Armour House comes into view beneath spruces towering 100 feet and sur- rounded by varieties of blooming roses. The stately home was built in 1918 by its first owners, Edmund and Sallie Christian, using an interesting blend of architectural styles, along with prominent Victorian gingerbread accents which the couple admired.
Elaine Olay, hostess and site manager of Armour House, welcomes a visitor and immediately offers a surprise. On tiptoe, she enters a garden bed near the side porch where, nearly hidden beneath a cover of crimson azaleas in full bloom, there are three tiny newborn kittens nestled together. It’s good to see life unfolding as it always has in this treasured part of the world.
Leaving the kittens to their mother, Olay begins a tour. “We take a lot of pride in cap- turing the early 20th-century feel of life in this country home. It was enjoyed for so many years by the families who called it home.” She points out, “Even the stairs still creak, just as in the old days.” This includes a particularly noisy eighth step.
Portraits in black-and-white photography of Mr. and Mrs. Christian are prominently displayed on a hallway wall, as though to wel- come today’s visitors. The Christians acquired the property in 1915 and lived in cabins there until completion of the main house in 1918. When Edmund Christian died two years later, his widow sold the property where the cabins stood to Hugh Brenaman. Brenaman promptly established Camp Arrowhead, a day camp for boys that stayed open until the 1970s.
Several owners followed, but eventually, in 1944, the house was purchased by Alex Armour, a prominent Richmond stockbroker at Davenport & Co. who was active at the YMCA and other local charities. Along with his wife, Ruth, and children, Robert and Janet, Armour made the house a family home, which they cherished for decades.
After their deaths, Henrico County pur- chased the Meadowview property in 1999 from the Armour family and, after extensive restoration, opened it for public enjoyment in 2007. In addition to the historic dwelling, Meadowview Park offers visitors many gardens, a walking trail, two tennis courts, a sheltered picnic area with a working stone fireplace, and a playground area.
The old carriage house, now fragrant with freshly cut pine, turpentine, and paint, is the perfect place for community classes that are offered in creative and decorative arts. The Armour House is also available at reasonable rates for such occasions as wed- dings, shower parties, staff retreats, and book club meetings.
Olay relates some of the stories passed down through the Armour and Christian families about life at Meadowview. In the evening, the family would dress for dinner, which was often shared with guests. Dinner was a formal time, no matter how high the summertime temperature. Otherwise, the Armours and their guests enjoyed such casual comforts as picnics; children dip- ping into the chilly, stream-fed ponds; sleigh rides in winter over the rolling hills; and weekly trips to the Richmond farmers’ market for fresh produce.
Friends would come from near and far, some- times for house parties when as many as 18 people would be at home on the second-floor sleeping porch with its gray painted floor and high windows on three sides to catch the breeze on even the hottest evening.
The windows of hand- blown glass provide clear views of magnificent gar- dens and sturdy magnolia trees just begging to be climbed. In the side yard, there’s an area with a tiered fountain and an arbor that is perfect for photographing family portraits and wed- ding party memories.
Olay explains ambitious plans for the future of Meadowview Park, which include not only additions of a butterfly garden and hands-on children’s garden, but also more walking trails, a greenhouse, and flowers throughout the grounds that Sallie Christian once had there, including lilacs, peonies, and irises.
The tour ends at the carriage house. Bidding farewell, a visitor comments, “This is a place where yesterday seems closer than you might imagine on your typical day in suburbia.”
“Thank you!” Olay replied. “I guess you can tell I’m in love with this place, Armour
House at Meadowview Park.” It’s easy to see why she’s in love. Once you visit, you will be, too.
