Longwood is situated on part of a 1250-acre land patent in Albemarle County, obtained in 1735 by John Henry, father of Patrick Henry. The builder and construction date of the original section are both uncertain, but it may have been built by John Michie as early as 1765. The first recorded owner of Longwood is John Michie’s grandson, James Michie, Jr. (1791-1846), known as “Beau Jim,” who is buried here. With its two-story, single-pile format and simple interior woodwork, the house is a representative example of the area’s mid-level gentry housing. Wings were added in the early 19th century. The west wing housed a store and post office operated by James Michie, Jr. In 1940 Longwood was purchased by Gen. and Mrs. Philip Peyton, who modernized the house. On the grounds is the former Longwood School, a small frame building built ca. 1900 as a schoolhouse for African American children.