The History of the Church Point Manor
From a Victorian farmhouse to a premier event destination, discover the rich heritage of our historic estate.
A Legacy of Elegance Since 1860
For over 160 years, Church Point Manor has stood witness to American history—from harvesting the finest oysters of the Lynnhaven to becoming the nation's largest Guernsey dairy producer, and from hosting prisoners of war during World War II to hosting President Barack Obama in 2008. Now listed on the Virginia Beach Historical Register, this Victorian treasure has been lovingly restored to host the weddings and celebrations that will become tomorrow's cherished memories.
The Beginning: A Victorian Farmhouse
One of the rare surviving 19th century farmhouses in the area, the Victorian farmhouse features the original Italianate detail at the cornices and decorative window lintels. G.G. Garrison built the house in 1860 to live near his father, who owned the nearby Bayville Manor. For the next 50 years, the Church Pointfarm supplied the county with the finest oysters of the Lynnhaven.
The Finest Oysters of the Lynnhaven
For half a century, Church Point Manor served as the heart of one of the region's most renowned oyster farms. The waters of the Lynnhaven River produced oysters that were celebrated throughout Virginia and beyond for their exceptional quality and distinctive flavor. The oyster beds around Church Point became a small cornerstone of the local economy, employing dozens of watermen and supporting the growth of the Princess Anne County.
The Truitt & Burroughs Era
The house was then sold to Elijah Fillmore Truitt, a Norfolk man, whose family owned the house for most of the early part of the 20th century. The Burroughs family bought the property in 1932, combining the farm and its property to the adjacent Bayville Farm. Mr. Burroughs hired and housed a couple local farmers and their families throughout his years of ownership to help manage the farms: the Mast family (the 1930s) and the Porter family (1945 - 1972). The farm managers and their families lived in and worked from the Church Point Manor House, and the farm continued to grow until World War II made agricultural labor scarce.
World War II & Camp Ashby
In need of labor, the United States Army supplied the farm with a workforce of WWII prisoners of war from the nearby Camp Ashby. These laborers were paid a wage of $.80 per day — roughly equal to the daily wage of an American private. With the prisoners repatriated back to Europe in 1946, citizens of Norfolk and Princess Anne County flooded in to work Manor's fields once again.
The Golden Age of Dairy
By now, the farm focused on dairy - providing a protein-rich, golden-hued milk from a large herd of Guernsey cattle. By 1960, the farm was the nation's largest producer of Guernsey milk. In the 70s however, consumer demand shifted away from Guernsey milk, and the farm's finances began to tighten. As dairy operations declined, portions of the property were sold off, and the Church Point Manor house fell into disrepair, its future uncertain
Transformation to Bed & Breakfast
In 1993, developer Jahn Summs purchased historic Manor and converted the property into a charming bed & breakfast and neighborhood pub. The B&B passed through the hands of local developer and Norfolk's Admirals hockey team owner, Mark Garcea, to businessman Gerald F McDonnell. The bed and breakfast entertained guests like President Barack Obama and Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, and the Manor's restaurant, The Cellars, won the title of Best Restaurant in Virginia by OpenTable in 2015.
A New Chapter: Restoration & Reopening
The Manor closed down in 2016 and sat vacant for two years. In 2018, the property passed into new ownership and began an ongoing restoration that continues today. We reopened in 2021 for weddings, events, and overnight stays—and each celebration helps support the preservation, restoration, and improvements that make the property grow more beautiful year after year.
