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The original house was built around 1838 and operated as Mitchell’s Brick House Tavern until about 1849. The tavern was located on the Stage Road between Washington City and Lynchburg. The stage stopped at the tavern three times a week.
There were originally two rooms on each level.
An English basement on the ground floor level contained the kitchen and the public tavern. Patrons entered through a door under the front porch stairs.
The two rooms on the main floor were a communal dining room and a ladies’ drawing room.
The upper floor contained two bedrooms--one for men and the other for women.
Dr. Arthur Hopkins purchased the property in 1857 and renamed it "Oakland." He and his family lived in the house and he used it for his medical practice. Dr. Hopkins died in 1862.
Due to turmoil of the Civil War and Reconstruction, no one bought the house until 1872 when William Goodwin purchased Oakland for his son Edwin. Eventually, the property grew to include 670 acres adjoining Oakland to the east. Oakland remained in the Goodwin family for 132 years.
The Nelson County Historical Society purchased Oakland and the surrounding 11.63 acres in 2004.
Oakland (listed as Mitchell’s Brick House Tavern) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. More information about the history of Oakland can be found at the VA Department of Historic Resources.