Old Virginia: The Pursuit of a Pastoral Ideal

by William M.S. Rasmussen, Robert S. Tilton

Remembrances of "Old Virginia" conjure intense pride, yet are also rife with troubling contradictions. For the phrase includes both the impressive accomplishments of the Founding Fathers and Jamestown’s ignoble beginnings; it encompasses plantation owners’ dignified gentility, but also their dependence on the institution of slavery. With over 200 images, Old The Pursuit of a Pastoral Ideal presents an unbiased survey of the history of this elusive term, disentangling myth from fact.

256 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2003