Friendship – the Perfect Blendship for Conserving Historic Chelsea Plantation

Protecting Historic Chelsea Plantation was a great accomplishment for the Conservancy in 2012 and for me personally, as the Conservancy’s Executive Director. What made it especially meaningful was the opportunity to get to know the landowner, Billy Richardson, and his best friend, Dr. Bill Bennett.

It is no surprise that when Billy decided to permanently protect his beautiful 568-acre parcel of land located on the Mattaponi River in King William County, that he asked for Bill’s assistance. Bill didn’t hesitate in making the commitment to help his friend conserve the property that he, too, had grown to love through the years.

Bill and Billy’s friendship spans almost four decades. The two met in Vero Beach, Florida, when Billy was on his honeymoon and Bill was enjoying the sunshine with his college buddies. Billy talked about his Virginia plantation and invited Bill and friends to visit. A road trip from North Carolina to Chelsea was the start of this amazing friendship. Bill and his wife, Karen, moved to Chelsea after Bill left his full-time faculty position at the MCV Dental School; they actually lived in the plantation manager’s house when Bill started his dental practice in Williamsburg!

Bill and Billy were a delight to be around during the year we worked together to protect Chelsea. They shared stories about their escapades of days gone by on a regular basis, and could, at a moment’s notice, entertain with a repertoire of well-rehearsed limericks, jokes and other ditties. To see them interact is to know that their friendship is long-standing and endearing.

For Billy, ensuring that Chelsea Plantation would be preserved for the generations to come was paramount. On the day we signed all of the legal documents, Billy said, “My family and I take great pride in knowing that the protection of this land through a conservation easement will forever preserve an important piece of Virginia’s history.” I know it was a proud moment for Bill, too, who knew so well that his efforts had helped his friend achieve his dream.

When I think of Bill and Billy, I will always be reminded of the words from a song by Cole Porter from the play “Anything Goes”:
It's friendship, friendship,
Just a perfect blendship,
When other friendships have ceased to jell
Ours will still be swell!