Sir William Berkeley
Oxford-educated, Sir William Berkeley (1605-1677) was governor of Virginia from 1641 to 1652 and from 1660 to 1677, holding office longer than any other governor of Virginia, colonial or modern. Under his leadership, Virginia changed from a colonial outpost to a center of agriculture and commerce. His creation of the bicameral General Assembly helped establish the origins of American political self-rule. Nathaniel Bacon's Rebellion in 1676 threatened Berkeley's legacy. After Bacon suddenly died on Oct. 26, Berkeley regained his authority as governor and ended the rebellion by January 1677. The site of Berkeley's Green Spring House is north of here.
Marker is at the intersection of Greensprings Road (Virginia Route 614) and John Tyler Highway (Virginia Route 5), on the right when traveling south on Greensprings Road.
Courtesy hmdb.org
