The first thing Evelyn Stewart saw when she stepped out of the Packard at Chippokes was a sea of blue and white flowers. They danced in the spring breeze that nudged Evelyn’s scarf across her shoulders. Mesmerized, she adjusted her stylish cloche hat and followed her husband, Victor, to the front steps of the old Jones Mansion they had just purchased.

The blue flowers have become a spring legend at Chippokes

Victor gave his lovely young wife a grin of excitement, and unlocked the front door with a huge skeleton key. In the dark foyer, the plaster was cracked and dust filled the corners, but the exquisite molding and staircase still made for a grand entrance. As they walked through the empty rooms, Evelyn could begin to see the grandeur that had once been, and felt a rush of excitement at the prospect of restoring it.

By the end of that year, 1925, renovations had begun at Chippokes. The mansion hadn’t been lived in for over a decade and would take a lot of work. Although they were both Northern transplants, Evelyn and Victor jumped into fixing up their own Southern plantation house with gusto. They joined historical societies and corresponded constantly with historians and architects to ensure they did right by the house. Victor’s successful lumber business and Evelyn’s careful bookkeeping ensured there was never a shortage of money during the renovations.

Across the James River, the Stewarts’ friends Abby and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. were busy with a historic renovation of their own: Colonial Williamsburg. While the Rockefellers rebuilt the historic town from the ground up, they enjoyed shopping for antiques with the Stewarts to furnish their buildings. Evelyn loved vintage Persian rugs, and bought dozens of them on these trips. She also bought furniture, mirrors, and more to make the mansion feel more like home.              

Life at Chippokes was never dull; the plantation was always bursting with life. Friends, family, and even strangers would often stop in to see Evelyn’s beautiful home and have tea with her. \

Besides her darling sheepdog, Evelyn kept turkeys, sheep, cattle and her beloved horses, Governor and Colonel. Many tenant farmers lived on the property, and their children would often come to the mansion for cookies or coffee ice cream. The Stewarts never had children of their own, but they loved to see their tenants’ and relatives’ children playing on the mansion lawn, where the blue flowers grew every spring.

Children play with a lamb and the Stewarts' sheepdog near the Mansion, 1930s

The garden behind the mansion was Evelyn’s pride and joy. She had a great deal to be proud of, especially since she managed the entire estate while her husband worked in Petersburg, but the garden was her favorite spot. Evelyn planted crepe myrtles, boxwoods, azaleas, and much more. She carpeted the paths with spring-flowering bulbs, creating vast tapestries of color and texture that varied by season.

Ultimately, the masterpiece she called her Paradise Garden grew to cover five acres and encompass thousands of flowering plants. It was here, watching the soft spring breezes caress leaves and flowers, that Evelyn felt most peaceful.

The aptly named Paradise Garden at Chippokes

After devoting their lives to restoring Chippokes, Evelyn and Victor began to discuss what would happen after they passed away. Who would take care of the mansion's meticulously polished floors, its sumptuously furnished rooms, and the stunning Paradise Garden?

After seeing the value of public history at the Rockefellers’ Colonial Williamsburg, the Stewarts decided that their beloved Chippokes should become a park. After Victor passed away in 1965, Evelyn worked hard to make his dream come true. She donated Chippokes to the State of Virginia in 1967, with the stipulation that she would live in the mansion for the remainder of her days.

For two happy years, Evelyn watched with rapture as her home was transformed into a public haven. When she passed away in 1969 at age 85, she was buried beside her devoted husband in the Paradise Garden, tucked into the shade of the crepe myrtles.

The Jones-Stewart Mansion, as it appeared when Evelyn Stewart donated it to the State

The hard work and determination that the Stewarts put into their home can still be seen today. You can step inside the Jones-Stewart Mansion, furnished just as the Stewarts left it, for a guided tour on any Saturday or Sunday from 1-5 pm.

However you capture the charm of Chippokes, you can thank Evelyn Stewart for giving the State of Virginia one of its very best parks.

Chippokes State Park is open year-round. It is located on the James River in Surry County, Virginia. For a Google map, click here. For more information, visit our website here, or call the park at 757-294-3625.