Executive Mansion

Welcome to Virginia’s Executive Mansion, home to Virginia’s governors since 1813, and the oldest governor’s residence in the country still used for its original purpose. Terence R. McAuliffe, Virginia’s 72nd governor, is the 55th governor to reside in the mansion. The mansion’s original grounds included a separate cookhouse, smokehouse, stable, ice house, carriage and cannon houses. Three of these original buildings remain: the main house, cookhouse (now used as a guest cottage) and the carriage house. Today, the mansion also includes private living quarters for its governors. The mansion is located within the gates of Capitol Square, a park-like area that includes the State Capitol building designed by Thomas Jefferson, a Bell Tower dating from 1824, and other state government buildings.