User:West Virginian/Washington Bottom Farm

	Washington Bottom Farm; "Ridgedale"
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
	U.S. Historic district
Location	Washington Bottom Road (CR 28/3); Ridgedale, West Virginia, United States
Nearest city	Springfield, West Virginia, United States
Coordinates	39°24′49″N 78°44′19″W / 39.41361°N 78.73861°W
Area	251.6 acres (101.8 ha)
Built	1835
Architect	Unknown
Architectural style	Greek Revival
NRHP reference No.	01001328
Designated HD	November 29, 2001

Washington Bottom Farm (alternatively known as Ridge Dale, Ridgedale, and the George W. Washington House and Farm^[a]) is an early 19th century Greek Revival-style mansion and associated farm on a plateau overlooking the South Branch Potomac River approximately three miles southwest of Springfield in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Washington Bottom Farm is located in the unincorporated area of Ridgedale on Washington Bottom Road (West Virginia Secondary Route 28/3), off of Cumberland Road (West Virginia Route 28).

The mansion at Washington Bottom Farm, constructed in 1835, was the residence of gentleman farmer George William Washington (1809–1876), a descendant of George Washington's great-great-grandfather Reverend Lawrence Washington (1602–1653). Washington was an early proponent of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in Hampshire County.

Civil War

Post war ownership

Washington Bottom Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 29, 2001 due to its locally significant Greek Revival architecture. It currently serves as the private residence of Carol and Mike Shaw.

History

Background

Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron

The land upon which Washington Bottom Farm is located was originally part of the "South Branch Survey" of Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron's Northern Neck Proprietary.^[2]^[3] The "South Branch Survey" extended from the north end of The Trough to the confluence of the North and South Branches of the Potomac River.^[2] Lord Fairfax originally planned to maintain the "South Branch Survey" as his personal manor, but later commissioned James Genn to survey the South Branch Potomac River lowlands for sale and lease in 1748, with land lots ranging in size from 300 acres (120 ha; 0.47 sq mi) to 400 acres (160 ha; 0.63 sq mi).^[2] The land tract was also surveyed around 1749 by George Washington.^[3]

The meander in the South Branch Potomac River on which Washington Bottom Farm is located was first settled in 1725 by Peter Peters.^[3] His son-in-law Richard Williams and his family settled on Peters' plantation and were residing there during an attack by Native Americans in 1755.^[3] After arriving home following his captivity by Native Americans, Williams established a settlers' stockade fort in the spring of 1756 known as Fort Williams.^[3]^[4] According to extant documentation, Fort Williams served as a settlers' fort even though militia were stationed there intermittently during the French and Indian War.^[3] George Washington, who was commissioned as "Colonel of the Virginia Regiment and Commander in Chief of all forces now raised in the defense of His Majesty's Colony," was given the task of defending Virginia's frontier with the establishment of forts.^[3]^[5] Washington authorized Captain Thomas Wagoner of the Virginia Regiment to provide militia support to any settlers' forts which were in need of support.^[3]^[5] Troops probably under Captain Wagoner's command were briefly stationed at Fort Williams in the spring of 1758.^[3] While no archaeological evidence of Fort Williams has been discovered, the fort is documented by the land tract's Northern Neck land grant deed.^[3]

Establishment of Ridgedale

George William Washington (1809–1876) and his wife Sarah (Sally) A. Wright (1811–1886) acquired ownership of the plantation after their marriage on February 19, 1830.^[3] Washington was the son of Edward Washington, a descendant of George Washington's great-great-grandfather Reverend Lawrence Washington (1602–1653), and was born near Pohick Church in Fairfax County, Virginia.^[3] Washington was well educated and respected.^[3] His wife Sally was the daughter of John Wright and his wife Rebecca Lockhart Wright of Wheatland in Loudoun County, Virginia, and the granddaughter of Major Robert Lockhart of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.^[3] Major Lockhart served on the Committee of Public Safety during the American Revolutionary War and served as a major in the Lancaster County militia.^[3] In 1817, Major Lockhart devised the Washington Bottom Farm land tract consisting of 700 acres (280 ha; 1.1 sq mi) to Sally, her brother, and her sister.^[3] It was not until after their marriage that Washington and his wife came into sole ownership of the property.^[3]

American Civil War

Dick Ashby died at WBF after the battle with Union forces. The incident took place on June 26, 1861, when Richard the brother of Turner Ashby, mortal

Post-war

Architecture

Exterior

The main residence at Ridgedale farm is a high-style Greek Revival structure.^[6] The three-story brick house stands on a brick foundation an has an L-shaped plan.^[6] The house has a hip roof with a central square cupola and a widow's walk.^[6] The cupola has a window on each side with a 4 over 4 double-hung sash, and brackets under the roof edge.^[6] On the roof are five chimneys, one at each corner and one in the back ell with a slightly flared edge of corbels at the top, and a recessed panel in the center face.^[6]

The front, or south elevation, has a center hipped wooden porch with steps.^[6] The porch has a spindled handrail, wooden posts and deck, and small brackets under the eave.^[6] The main entrance is centered with a single transom and has a Greek Revival feature of a wide trim piece over the doorway.^[6] The house has five bays on each floor.^[6] The windows on the house are all double-hung sash except for the third floor which has small lozenge windows of three vertical lights in the frieze section.^[6] With pine sills and brick lintelsthe first floor windows are 6/9 sash and reach to the floor in the front two rooms.^[6] The second floor windows are 6/6 sash.^[6]

The residence's west elevation is divided into two sections with the front portion of the house and the rear ell.^[6] Each section has three bays on each floor with 6/6 sash windows on the first and second floor and lozenge windows on third floor of the front section.^[6] The rear ell is slightly set back from the facade and has a kitchen porch on the first floor with wooden posts.^[6] A lower level door leads into a basement room, and the first floor door leads into the kitchen.^[6] The basement windows are 3/3 sash windows

The north side of the ell is a blank brick wall with a single lower level entrance that has a brick stairwell and original beaded door..^[6] The north side of the main house has two 6/6 sash windows.^[6]

The east façade of the house has the front portion to the left with a small center porch, which matches the details on the front porch with wooden posts and a spindled handrail.^[6] There are small brackets under the eave and lattice covers the area under the porch.^[6] The porch is accessed from the two 6/9 sash windows from the front and back room, which reach to the floor.^[6] Above these openings are two 6/9 sash windows on the second floor and lozenge windows at the third floor.^[6] The right side of the house is recessed back for the rear ell which has a two-story porch.^[6] The porches were enclosed in the 1940s with glass windows, and were updated in 2010 with 4/4 casement windows and transoms and brick stairs.^[6] The wooden floor remains in its original condition.^[6]

Interior

The interior of the residence has good integrity with original wooden floors, wooden trim, a wide center hall with curved stairs, 12'ceilings, and six panel doors, some of which have graining.^[6] The trim on the second floor with 11' ceilings is simpler with narrow closets in the bedrooms having been added after 1939.^[6] The doorways on this floor have transoms opening into the hallway.^[6] Two bathrooms were added at the front end of the hall with pocket doors and transoms.^[6] The 3rd floor has 9' ceilings which angle and the low lozenge windows and face nailed pine floor.^[6] A narrow dog-leg stairway leads to the cupola and a door opens out to the widow's walk.^[6] A dog-leg stairway also connects to the second floor of the rear porch.^[6]

References

Explanatory notes

^ Cite error: The named reference name1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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Citations

^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
^ ^a ^b ^c Brannon 1976, p. 286.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q Brinker & Jourdan 2001, p. 10.
^ Koontz 2009, p. 147.
^ ^a ^b Kaufmann & Kaufmann 2007, p. 68.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af Cite error: The named reference NRHP was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

Bibliography

Brannon, Selden W. (1976). Historic Hampshire: A Symposium of Hampshire County and Its People, Past and Present. Parsons, West Virginia: McClain Printing Company. ISBN 978-0-87012-236-1. OCLC 3121468. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
Brinker, Loretta; Jourdan, Katherine (July 2001). National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Washington Bottom Farm (PDF). United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
Kaufmann, J. E.; Kaufmann, H. W. (2007). Fortress America: The Forts That Defended America, 1600 to the Present. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-30681-634-5. OCLC 818855388. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
Koontz, Louis Knott (2009). The Virginia Frontier, 1754-1763. Westminster, Maryland: Heritage Books. ISBN 978-1-55613-663-4. OCLC 27088384. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
Maxwell, Hu; Swisher, Howard Llewellyn (1897). History of Hampshire County, West Virginia From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present. Morgantown, West Virginia: A. Brown Boughner, Printer. OCLC 680931891. OL 23304577M. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
Munske, Roberta R.; Kerns, Wilmer L. (2004). Hampshire County, West Virginia, 1754-2004. The Hampshire County 250th Anniversary Committee. ISBN 978-0-9715738-2-6. OCLC 55983178. Retrieved January 4, 2014. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

External links

Category:American Civil War sites Category:Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Category:Farms on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Category:French and Indian War forts Category:Greek Revival architecture in West Virginia Category:Hampshire County, West Virginia in the American Civil War Category:Historic districts in Hampshire County, West Virginia Category:Houses completed in 1835 Category:Houses in Hampshire County, West Virginia Category:Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Category:National Register of Historic Places in Hampshire County, West Virginia Category:Plantations in West Virginia Category:South Branch Valley Railroad Category:Washington family residences

[name1-2] Cite error: The named reference name1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[nris-1] "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.

[Brannon1-3] Brannon 1976, p. 286.

[Brinker1-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q Brinker & Jourdan 2001, p. 10.

[Koontz1-5] Koontz 2009, p. 147.

[Kaufmann1-6] Kaufmann & Kaufmann 2007, p. 68.

[NRHP-7] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af Cite error: The named reference NRHP was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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v t e Washington family
First generation	Lawrence Washington (1602–1652)	Coat of arms of the Washington family
Second generation	John Washington
Third generation	Lawrence Washington (1659–1698)
Fourth generation	Augustine Washington Bailey Washington
Fifth generation	Lawrence Washington (1718–1752) Augustine Washington Jr. George Washington Elizabeth Washington Lewis Samuel Washington John Augustine Washington Charles Washington Henry Washington William Washington Bailey Washington Jr. Lund Washington
Sixth generation	William Augustine Washington Bushrod Washington George Steptoe Washington Lawrence Augustine Washington George William Washington
Seventh generation	John Thornton Augustine Washington George Corbin Washington Bushrod C. Washington Peter Grayson Washington
Eighth generation	Lawrence Berry Washington Lewis Washington Benjamin Franklin Washington William D. Washington Eugenia Washington
Tenth generation	W. Selden Washington
Washington family residences Abingdon Arlington House Beall-Air Blakeley Cedar Lawn Claymont Court Fairfield Ferry Farm George Washington Birthplace National Monument Happy Retreat Harewood Kenmore Mary Washington House Mount Vernon Richwood Hall Ridgedale Rising Sun Tavern River Farm Sulgrave Washington Old Hall

v t e Hampshire County, West Virginia, in the American Civil War
Raids and expeditions	Romney Expedition
Units	Union army: 1st Maryland Cavalry Confederate States Army: 7th Virginia Cavalry 11th Virginia Cavalry 13th Virginia Infantry 23rd Virginia Cavalry 33rd Virginia Infantry 62nd Virginia Mounted Infantry McNeill's Rangers
People	James Dillon Armstrong Stonewall Jackson Angus William McDonald John Hanson McNeill Alexander W. Monroe Isaac Parsons Christian Streit White John Baker White Robert White
Places and tourism	Capon Chapel Confederate Memorial Fort Mill Ridge Civil War Trenches Frenchburg, West Virginia Frye's Inn Hampshire County Courthouse Hanging Rock, West Virginia Hanging Rocks Hook's Tavern Ice Mountain Indian Mound Cemetery Literary Hall (Romney Literary Society) Little Cacapon, West Virginia Mechanicsburg Gap Moorefield and North Branch Turnpike Okonoko, West Virginia Romney, West Virginia Romney Classical Institute Romney Presbyterian Church Sloan–Parker House Springfield, West Virginia Sycamore Dale Taggart Hall Wappocomo Washington Bottom Farm Wirgman Building

v t e U.S. National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia
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Lists by county	Barbour Berkeley Boone Braxton Brooke Cabell Calhoun Clay Doddridge Fayette Gilmer Grant Greenbrier Hampshire Hancock Hardy Harrison Jackson Jefferson Kanawha Lewis Lincoln Logan Marion Marshall Mason McDowell Mercer Mineral Mingo Monongalia Monroe Morgan Nicholas Ohio Pendleton Pleasants Pocahontas Preston Putnam Raleigh Randolph Ritchie Roane Summers Taylor Tucker Tyler Upshur Wayne Webster Wetzel Wirt Wood Wyoming
Other lists	Bridges National Historic Landmarks
Category:National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Portal:National Register of Historic Places