Reindeer in Chesterfield? Almost… It’s the county’s unique elk herd

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Did Santa Claus and his reindeer make a stop in Chesterfield County? Almost... It's actually the county's unique elk herd.

Chesterfield is home to a herd of elk -- including 17 females and seven males -- that have lived in the county for a century at Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR), a military logistics installation covering 611 acres along the northern Route 1 corridor.

“We’re the only Department of Defense facility in the world that is permitted to exhibit wildlife, so we’re really proud of that,” said Jimmy Parrish, a facility engineer at DSCR who has worked with the elk for 21 years as part of the installation management team.

According to the county, a Canadian transplant named James Bellwood purchased 2,000 acres of property in northeastern Chesterfield in 1997.

(Photo Courtesy of Chesterfield County)

Bellwood and his sons built their farm into a Virginia agricultural model, and he also set aside acreage for a wooded park where wildlife could roam freely.

He later traveled to the Yosemite National Park and Washington state and brought back a mating pair of elk to start a herd on his land, which increased to more than 20 under his stewardship.

Following his death in 1924, Bellwood's sons agreed to sell the farm's land after the Department of War contacted them in 1941 to acquire part of the land to establish a supply depot in Richmond. Though there was one condition: the sons wanted to keep the elk on the land.

“There was a handshake agreement that was then put in writing. That’s why we have the elk and will always have the elk,” Parrish said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources regulated Bellwood elk herd, and a large-game veterinarian keeps vaccinations up to date and makes sure that each animal has a registered ear tag.