Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-08-08
HISTORIC MANSIONS.
Virginia Has Many Colonial Build
ings TO Preserve.


ings to Preserve.
The State of Virginia, Mother OF
Presidents" is rich in colonial man
sions and buildings of historic interest.
Just a few weeks ago, MOntville, the
colonial home of Patrich Henry, was
on the point of being burned by its
owners, descendants of the great Nir-
gianian, merely because it had become
infested with bats. But the Society for
the Preservation of Virginia Antiqul-
ties has taken steps which will permit
the maintenance of the venerable
building and its eventual purchase and
conversation into a museum.
Many priceless monuments of Ameri-
can history dot Virginia area, most
famous of them all being Mount Yer
non, the home of President Washing
ton on the Potomac river, This is the
greatest patriotic home shrine in the
country, and is the best preserved and
managed. Another mansion, Mount
pelier,' in Orange County, was built by
President Madison, who did such val
liant service in maintaining the cOnstl-
tuition in its early days.
Every Democrat worships the home
of Thomas Jefferson, famed "Monti-
Cello,' in Albemarle County. The home
is in close prmXimity to the University
of Virginia. Monticello was captured
and sacked during the wars with
Britain, but the property itself was
uninjured.
Mount Airy" on the Rappahannock
river, in Richmond County, is not SO
we'll known as the famous structures
already enumerated, yet it presents a
beautiful picture of the colonial life OF
a century ago. Its broad acres have
been in the hands of the Taylor family
for 80 years. Only few homes, such
as the Chew mansion, in Germantown,
Philadelphia, have remained in any
one family for so long a period. An
other most famous home is Tick
ahoe,' on the James river, near Rich
mOnd. Here lived Thomas Mann Ran
dolph, brother Of John Randolph, the
great orator, both of them direct de-
scendants of PocahOntas.
Chelsea" in Yorktown, Va, was the
residence of Gov. Nelson. 1t is one of
the Oldest houses in the state, and it
was from this building that the order
to fire was given in the siege of York
town.
Kenmore" in Fredericksburg, was
built by Col. Fielding Lewis, who mar
ried Betty Washington. He strove to
build for her the finest residence III
the country, and came pretty near to
succeeding, the interior decorations
being especially notable. At ken
MORE" Mary Washington, mother of
George, died.
The grand character of Robert f..
Lee, name revered in north and south.
is shown in his magnificent home,
Arlington" in Fairfax County. 1t is
across the river from Washington.
One of the most famous of colonial
homes is MISSIONER" which was built
by William Byrd, president of the
Colonial Council of Virginia, author of
the Westover Manuscripts. About
twenty-five miles below Richmond, in
Charles City County. is Berkeley,
which evokes special interest in being
the birthplace of William Henry Har-
rison. the most popular general of his
day, and twelfth President of the
United States. In the same county as
the Harrison birthplace is sherwood
Forest once the home of another Pres
ident John Tyler.
Oak HILL" home of President Mon
roe, completes the more important of
notable list of mansions, whose careful
preservation is at once the privilege
and duty of Virginia.