The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-04-16
THE STATE BUILDING.
WHERE THE VIRGINIA CLANS WILL
GATHER Ar CHICAGO.
The Handsome Building Erected by the
Old Dominion where Her PRODUCES
VIII Be Exhibited.


their exhibits at the Worlds Fair' Dul
It is Acknowledged by all unpreJudicea
persons that Virginia has the most at
tractive and appropriate building on the
grounds.
Nearly every State and Territory In the
Union, as well as every foreign Govern
meut. will be represented on the FAR
grounds by special buildings in when
will be special exhibits from those states
such as soils, mineral products, grams
and other products. and also ciup rooms
for the people from those States winch
they can call their own headquarters
but all Of these Will be open to the paplc
free OF any charge, as VIII be an oln'r
exhibition buildings on the grounds the
admission at the gate being Inc ohly
charge for the Fair proper.
These State buildings will present
variety of architecture, which Will in a
measure be a history Of the country
California will be represented by a re-
production Of the old monaSteries' whlch
date back 10 the Mexican possession OF
that part OF the country, and are among
the most ancient remains Of early CIVIL
zation on the American continent. FLOR
ida's building will be reproduction OF
the old Spanish fort at ST. Augustine
PENNSYLVANIA by the reproduction OF the
old capitol and other buildings Will be
as historic. They will contain EXHIBITS
among the most interesting 10 the ior-
eign visitors, because they VIII snow
what each State is able 10 produce ana
what are it's natural resources. They
will. in many instances. represent state
fairs with very complete exhibits
The Virginia building will be an exact
representation Of the Mount Vernon man
sion in Fairfax county, Va, where "ash-
ington lived for many years ana "heIe
he died. The Mount Vernon homestead
came into George Washington hdlu9
from his brother. Lawrence Washington
1t was built by their father early III the
eighteenth century.
The main structure will be 81 feet
across the front by 81 feet deep. with an
attic and two-story portico extending lhe
length Of the front, and finished ON Top
with an iron railing on level win the
dormer windows of the top story
Two colonnades extend back from the
wines Of the house a distance OF twenty
feet. each connecting with one ana
half story building. 4oX-0, such as were
called dependencies
Altogether there are twenty-five rooms
in the structure. On the first and second
floors of the main building there are
eleven rooms. in the attic six, and in each
Of the dependencies four rooms. Inc
largest rooms in the building are the
BANQUET hall. 2lN& feet. and the library
16x19 feet. the main entrance hail ASH
ington's chamber, in which ne dled' upon
the second floor. and Mrs. Washington
To NtTI
moved after her husbands death, ana
which she occupied during the remainder
Of her life on account Of its being the
orly room I'm the house which looked out
upon his tomb. .
In the main hall IS a large stairway
foi,i. feet wide. ascending by platforms 10
Tho floors above. On the first platform
of the stairway there is an old Nashiiis-
ton family clock, very interesting MS
torical relic.
mis- han is furnished with antique sofas
and mixtures Of the last century. me
rooms upon the first floor are orAdlnehlel
lac heavy carved or moulded Woou tiln-
,nines and handsome mantels, very am
tioilo This Virginia building VIII NOT only
be an exact representation ia every li'-
ticular 10 the old Mount Vernon slru'liIe'
but everything within II VIII also De
Of the same character. Nothihg H'H'i h
,,,iu he seen I'm the building. except tie
people and library Of books by the VIZ
ldnia authors. As far as can be done
The building will be furnished with ar
ticles which are being collected from
all over the State. the heirlooms on OLD
Virginia families, and with portraits or
the same character. Whatever may be
lacking in furnishing the building with
articles Of this character will be supplied
with furniture made after the same old
fashion.
The building will be presided over by
the lady assistant Of the Virginia board
Mrs. Lucy Preston Beale. a daughter OF
the Hon. Ballard Preston, and grand
daughter to General Preston, former
Governor OF Virginia.
She will have for the attendants in the
building old Virginia negroes, and Will
undertake TO represent In every particu-
lar an old Virginian home Of the colonial
period. There will be very rare collec-
ton Of relics Of colonial times and Of
the Revolutionary war. and everything
which is antique among which viii prob
ably be exhibited the original will Of
George Washington.
The library is TO be FURNISHED entirely
with books written by Nirginians. or
relating to Virginia quite n large collec-
ton Of which have already been made
and ornamented with old Virginia por-
traits. views and other relics Of the colo
NAL period and the last century. Alto
gether the building with the furnishings
will be unique and unequaled I'm its char
acter and appointments. and nothing Ike
it will be found elsewhere except at Mount
Vernon itself.
The regents Of the Mount Vernon As
caoiQtiou have oorfiolIv co-crarofaF q,
the enterprise Valuable bronze paint
ings. furniture and other articles Of
colonial times have been obtained from
the Carriers. the Lewises, the Harrisons.
the PrestOns, and other old families OF
Virginia. Mrs. Kate Green Paul, OF Nir-
ginia, has prepared a list Of over three
thousand books by Virginia authors. ex-
amples Of which will, IT IS hoped. be Sc
cured for the literary exhibit. Mrs
Drewry, Of Westover, VIII furnish a col
lection OF photographs Of notable colo
NAL homes on the lower James. Archaeo-
logists will be interested In a collection
made by Miss Elizabeth Borst Of articles
illustrative OF prehistoric life in Virginia,
recently obtained from mounds near
Luray and other points In the valley.
The Virginia Mount Vernon exhibit is
so varied In character as 10 embrace
features that would not be included I'm
a merely Industrial exhibit. Virginia g
interest for the world at large lies in
her past as well as In her present. II
is largely a historic. not TO say ro-
mantle, interest, which the Virginia
women think should not be ignored in
a representation Of the State at Chicago.
In this building the visitor will thus OBJ
tain an instructive idea of the civilization
and Of the social and domestic life u
the fathers. such as could not otherwise