Harewood is one of several
houses
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air cond ...
in the vicinity of
Charles Town, West Virginia
Charles Town is a city in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States, and is also the county seat. The population was 5,259 at the 2010 census. It is named for its founder Charles Washington, youngest brother of President George Washingto ...
built for members of the
Washington family.
Description
The house was designed by
John Ariss
Architect John Ariss (sometimes spelled Ayres) (1725–1799) was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia to a family long settled in the Old Dominion. Two of his works have been classified as National Historic Landmarks. A rare surviving, documente ...
for
Samuel Washington
Samuel ''Šəmūʾēl'', Tiberian: ''Šămūʾēl''; ar, شموئيل or صموئيل '; el, Σαμουήλ ''Samouḗl''; la, Samūēl is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the bib ...
in 1770, using a
center-hall, single-pile plan. The two-story limestone house has a raised basement and flanking stone wings. Exterior details are simple, with only a
modillion
A modillion is an ornate bracket, more horizontal in shape and less imposing than a corbel. They are often seen underneath a cornice which it helps to support. Modillions are more elaborate than dentils (literally translated as small teeth). All ...
ed cornice at the eaves of the shallow hipped roof. The interior is detailed in the manner of the Tidewater-region houses that Washington and Arris were familiar with. Interior detailing is extensive with Doric pilasters in the main downstairs rooms.
History
Samuel Washington moved to Harewood from his farm on Chotank Creek in
Stafford County, Virginia
Stafford County is located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is a suburb outside of Washington D.C. It is approximately south of D.C. It is part of the Northern Virginia region, and the D.C area. It is one of the fastest growing, and highes ...
to Harewood, accumulating by the time he died in 1781
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
visited the house several times.
James Madison
James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for hi ...
and
Dolley Payne Todd were married at Harewood on September 15, 1794.
Dolley's sister was Lucy Washington, wife of Samuel Washington's son,
George Steptoe Washington
George Steptoe Washington (August 17, 1771 – January 10, 1809) was a Virginia planter and militia officer who died at the age of 37 of tuberculosis.
He was a nephew of the first President of the United States George Washington, and one of the l ...
, who had inherited the estate.
The property remains in the Washington family.
See also
*
Blakeley (West Virginia)
*
Cedar Lawn
Cedar Lawn, also known as Berry Hill and Poplar Hill, is one of several houses built near Charles Town, West Virginia
Charles Town is a city in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States, and is also the county seat. The population was ...
*
Claymont Court
*
Happy Retreat
References
External links
*
*
Colonial architecture in West Virginia
Farms on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia
Georgian architecture in West Virginia
Historic American Buildings Survey in West Virginia
Houses in Jefferson County, West Virginia
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia
John Ariss buildings
National Register of Historic Places in Jefferson County, West Virginia
Plantation houses in West Virginia
Stone houses in West Virginia
Washington family residences
Houses completed in 1770
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