The Ford House is a
Georgian Revival
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover— George I, George II, Ge ...
former home (now a commercial building) built c. 1835. The most famous resident,
Antonia Ford, was a spy for the
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
. It was placed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 1987 as part of the
City of Fairfax Historic District.
Antonia Ford
Born and raised in
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax ( ), colloquially known as Fairfax City, Downtown Fairfax, Old Town Fairfax, Fairfax Courthouse, FFX, or simply Fairfax, is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth ...
, Antonia Ford was able to remain in the town once occupied by
Union forces in mid-1861. Ford was able to gain intelligence from Union troops, which she passed on to
Confederate leaders. She was eventually discovered and arrested on March 13, and incarcerated in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
at the
Old Capitol Prison
The Old Brick Capitol in Washington, D.C., served as the temporary Capitol of the United States from 1815 to 1819. The building was a private school, a boarding house, and, during the American Civil War, a prison known as the Old Capitol Priso ...
.
Notes
External links
{{National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places in Fairfax, Virginia
Georgian Revival architecture in Virginia
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia
Houses completed in 1835
Houses in Fairfax, Virginia
Historic district contributing properties in Virginia