Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-05-19
The Mt. Airy Estate in Shenandoah
County, Va.

County. Va
rFrcm the Cor. New Ii aven Conn, Register.
The fine old mansion OF my friend and its
locality have long borne the appropriate name
Mount Airy a name which will awaken joy
ul reeollections in the minds OF the hundreds
who have enjoyed its hOSptalilics, and which
will ever be remembered with pleasure by the
thousands OF the officers and soldiers who,
during the late war, so often fought up and
down the Valley. The most graphic descrip
tlon Of the place cou!d only depict small part
Of the glorles OF this magnificent estate. My
feeble efforts will scarcely give faint outline
Of them.
am guilty of no exaggeraton in saying at
the outset, that it is one OF, t not the finest
private estate OF the world. The house is
very large stone mansion, which, in its day,
must have been an uncommOnly fine structure,
and was built OF the limestone of the planta-
ton. The main body is some forty feet square
with a stone wing on the north for dining
room and long building upon the rear for
sleeping rooms. lt stands upon an emlnence
of about fifty feet fronts 10 the West, and
oyerlOOks one of the finest inland prospects
which the eye OF man often looks upon. The
whole plantation consists OF about 900 acres
of the best land, being some seven miles in ex-
tent east and west two and a hall miles north
and south. The house is situated about q mile
east and three quarters OF mile north OF the
centre at the foot of the eminence on which
il stands and spreading out one mile north
and south, aud two miles to the west,
lies a broad plain of twelve hundred acres
Of the finest bottom land in the world.
This plain is formed by two rivers into sort OF
miniature peninsula, being skirted on the west
and north by the North Fork Of the Sheuan-
dOah, here large and Iapid stream, only for
liable IN places, aud on the east, cutting through
It's northeast corner, by Smith 3 Greek, also
noble stream OF water generally fordable in
places, but OF such volume as 10 be we'll entitled
10 the name of river. These two rivers meet
at the north east corner OF the plantation, where
the Creek is absorbed by the river. Looking
over this great plain to the west, and over the
i've or more miles Of the plantation, the blue
hills of the Alleghanes are seen in the far dis
tauce of thirty miles, through notches of the
more plainly visible North Mountain nearer by.
The effect of this popularity OF the scenery is
very striking il looks like gigantic picture
frame to a magnificent landscape OF natures
painting. South and North again, up and
down the Valley, the view is very extensive
ard picturesquely beautiful whilst on the east,
in the rear OF the house, and forming the back
grouHd Of the picture, rises abruptly, upon the
estate, and at the distance OF mile, the lofty
and very peculiar Massanutten Mountain. The
whole Is noble panoramic view and as there
is scarcely an object distinctly seen, which does
not acknowledge itself the property of my friend,
the tout ensemble seems worthy to be called
Duke dom.
The Massanutten Mountain mentioned above
deserves a description; rising abruptly not far
from llarrisonburg in the south, and terminal
ing abruptly near Strasburg in the north, and
l.. L.. L., Ao,N
cuts the Shenandoah Valley longitudinaly in
straight line. ltwas queer freak Of Nature,
to upheave such a long narrow mountain. in
such place.
iou may we'll suppose that 10 such coun-
try home, surrounded by kind friends, whose
hospitality was frank, unpretending, and un
bounded, passed week IN unaoyei happi-
ness
pom such an estate it was to be expected
that the size OF the individual fields would cor
respond with the extent of the plantation, aud
tha, supeiintendance Of the labor upon it must
be done on horseback The fact is so, and ac-
cordngly the gate OF every field has lis long ul-
right handle to the latch, and can be opened
without dismountina; and 1t will give some
ilca Of the extent Of open arabic land upon the
plantation, to say that in all those days OF con
tinuous riding We never once passed from the
the same ground.
Farming is here performed upon stipend
ops scale, aud it is of course conducted upon
different principles from those adopted in Con
lectlcut, everythlns which can be done by ma
thlnery, is so done. and every cxpcdient for
saving manual labor is adopted; six hundred
acres OF wheat, and four hundred acres of corn
will be gathered this year, four hundred head
of cattle will be lated tor the mar ket; the wheat
Is sold in the grain market, but as the cheapest
best, and most economical mode of improving
the condition of the soil, the corn fipds its mar
ket in the fat Of teeves and hogs; when ripe, it
j. cut up at the root, and stacked in large
shocks in the open field and during the .eed
ing season, is spyead broadcast, anhusked upon
,he lclds to be manured, and the cattle are
tuned upon IL for feeding; and the hogs as
scayeugers This may seem To small farmers
waStetul proceeding but it must be consider
ei that drawing and spreading manure upon
hundreds OF acres OF land, yearly, would be
aborious and expensive operation.
The plantation is worked under the superin
tendence Of two Of the sons Of my friend, one
!.e5idlas 1t Nit. Aiyy, and the oihcr in tne
Louise al the south side Of the plain, and at the
loot OF Rude's Hill, so often mentioned in the
histories of the late war,