Carter Hall: A Landscape History

Prepared for
The Garden Club of Virginia
Prepared by
Megan N. Turner
2013 Rudy J. Favretti Fellow

Copyright (c) 2013 by The Garden Club of Virginia

All Rights Reserved.
All material contained herein is the intellectual property
of the Garden Club of Virginia except where noted.
Permission for reproduction, except for personal use, must
be obtained from:
The Fellowship Committee, Chair
The Garden Club of Virginia
The Kent-Valentine House
12 East Franklin Street
Richmond, VA 23219
www.gcvirginia.org

Table of Contents
Prehistory 4
Colonel Burwell Period
6

The Role of Gardens
19
George H. Burwell Period
25

The Mysterious Mr. Spence
31
George H. Burwell Jr. Period
36
Sharpe Sisters Period 38
Eben Richards Period 40
The Bacon Plan 42
Henry Bacon Jr. 44
John Townsend Burwell Period
45
The Manning Plan 50
Warren Manning 52
Gerard Lambert Period 54
Rachel Bunny Lambert 62
Christopher Period 65
Wade Muldoon 75

Valley Horse Culture 76

Stone Walls at Carter Hall
80
Earthworks at Carter Hall
83
Circulation at Carter Hall
98
Period Landscape Graphics
102
Historic Road Modelling 102
Viewshed Study 103
Potential Historic Roads 104
North Yard Evolution 106

Carter Hall Tract Evolution
107
Project HOPE 108

Existing Conditions in 2013
112

Landscape Scale Tree Survey
118
Bibliography 120

Prehistory

arter Hall stands on a small promontory in the
picturesque Shenandoah Valley, overlooking the cottonwoods
that in places trace the distant Shenandoah River to the east and
south and the Blue Ridge Mountains beyond.

The house was once nestled in an ancient grove of trees
that were part of an ancient oak savannah that may have extended
northwest to Boyce, north to Berryville and south and east to
the Shenandoah River. A few remaining traces of the original
oaks may still be seen at Pigeon Hill (Mary Moore, personal
communication May, 24, 2013). The grove, now diminished by
development, age, disease, and natural disaster, once stood as a
majestic backdrop upon which Nathaniel Burwell established a
new seat for his prominent family and a new economy in what is
commonly referred to as the valley of Virginia.
The Carter Hall grove and much of the lower Shenandoah
Valley has been described as an open grazing ground for the
Indians game when European settlers arrived (IBT). The ancient
trees in the grove, being left to grow in the prairie to full and
picturesque stature, branched out close to the ground (IBT).
4

Few Native Americans had dwelt in the Valley since the
mid-seventeenth century, however it seems these rich hunting
grounds remained important places for the reckoning of territory
by Indian tribes (Plant, 1). The area was also used as a highway
for tribes such as the Senedos as they migrated seasonally (Twenty,
61).

The first permanent European settlement of the Valley
occurred in spring of 1732, when Jost Hite (also spelled Hans
Yost Heydt) and sixteen other German and Scots-Irish families
migrated from Pennsylvania (Fred, 5). The Shawnee continued
hunting the lands of the Valley early into the immigration of
Europeans before eventually moving to the Blue Ridge Mountains
as the numbers of European settlers increased (Shadow, 9).
According to Farland and Greenhalgh (1978), there were no
skirmishes recorded between early settlers and Native American
tribes in the area.

Early European settlers, like the explorers before them,
described great forest trees of oakwhere much game abounds,
(Plant, 1) and clearings devoid of trees that had likely been burned
seasonally by Native Americans to maintain pasture attractive to
deer, buffalo, and elk (Twenty, 62). Settlers, recognizing these
intentional acts of land management sometimes referred to these
tracts of prairie as Indian old fields (Plant, 1) or rich barrens
(Breeding, 6). It has been reported that by 1754 there was an
abrupt departure of the Indians (Shadow, 9).

Late in the 18th century, English families came to the
Valley as Tidewater barons to settle land held by Lord Fairfax
(Twenty, 81). Leading this new wave of migration was Nathaniel
Burwell, who brought with him a culture and economic system
that would once again change the landscape of the lower Valley.

Figure 1 - Original grove tree located just north of the entrance to the property. [Credit: Author]

Figure 2 - Branches of the original White Oak; an identification tag has been affixed to the trunk. [Credit: Author]

Colonel Burwell Period

(ca. 1792 - 1814)

States Constitution (Tract, 6). Col. Nathaniel Burwell (an

honorific title) was an able and active business man, and many
prominent Virginians named him executor of their wills
(Breeding, 8).
Col. Burwell remarried in 1789 to Lucy Baylor (Cartgen,
9) with whom he had an additional five sons and three daughters
(NBEV). Soon after, the family began visiting his Valley holdings
so that Lucy might escape the heat and malarial threat of the
Tidewater. By 1800 Colonel Burwell had built a new family seat
in the Valley and named it in honor of his childhood home. After
forty years spent shaping the landscape and culture of Clarke
County, he died in 1814 at Carter Hall and was buried nearby in
the Old Chapel cemetery.

athaniel Burwell was born in 1750 at Carters Grove,
his familys plantation on the James River (Civil, 8). His father,
Carter Burwell, had named the plantation after his maternal
grandfather, Robert King Carter, a scion of wealth and power in
Colonial Virginia.


Upon his fathers death in 1756, six-year old Nathaniel
was the eldest son of nine children, and inherited the house and
James River Plantation. The family did not live in the house
again until Nathaniel came of age in 1771 (Grove, 6). The next
year, he graduated from the College of William and Mary with
the highest honors in mathematics and married his first wife,
Susannah Sukey Grymes, a first cousin. The couple had seven
sons and one daughter before Sukey died in 1788 (NBEV).


A pragmatic and successful businessman, Burwell took
over administration of Carters Grove while also managing land he
inherited in the Shenandoah Valley. Active in civic and political
life, as was expected of a man of his social status, Nathaniel
Burwell was Lieutenant (or commander) of the James City
County Militia. He also represented James City County in the
Convention of 1788 and voted for the adoption of the United
6

Tidewater Culture comes to the Valley

In the late 17th century a power struggle took place between the
Northern Neck Proprietary (led by Robert King Carter, agent
to Lord Fairfax) and the colony of Virginia (led by Gov. William
Gooch) over who had the right to grant land in Shenandoah
Valley (Separate, 5). The struggle resulted in very different land
patterns on either side of Opequon Creek, and paved the way for
what would become Carter Hall and Millwood.
Whereas Governor Gooch required one family per every
thousand acres granted, King Carter did not require the land
to be settled. Instead these areas held by the Northern Neck
Proprietary were saved for later speculation and as insurance
against soil exhaustion. In addition, these reserved lands provided
the opportunity for tenant farming (Separate, 5). The lands that
Carter selected were parts of the Valley underlain with limestone,
a strong indicator of prime farming land (Separate, 6).
The first independent European settlers of the lower
Shenandoah Valley came in the early 1730s to plant the fertile
soil with small fields and mixtures of crops including corn, wheat,
rye, oats, barley, hemp, flax, and occasionally tobacco (Plant, 206).


These early settlers of predominantly German and ScotsIrish origin lived west of the Opequon River on small homesteads
with little disparity between the rich and poor (Plant, 151). They
engaged in a diverse economy, exchanging goods and services.
Some settlers held non-agricultural jobs but farmed on the side
for subsistence. Farm building was not an immediate priority
among these early settlers, but came later and required a community
effort of borrowed labor and services (Plant, 197).

By 1760 the demand for flour to feed the growing,
urbanized population of Europe during the early stage of
the Industrial Revolution exceeded the capacity of European
agriculture. As a result flour prices rose to the point that it
was profitable to ship flour from inland areas of the American
continent to Atlantic ports to supply overseas markets (Plant, 10).
Wheat quickly became the primary staple export of the Valley
(Plant, 207).

Homesteads were clustered to take advantage of not only

shared labor, but proximity to mills and roads. Water mills were
the lifeblood of the economy and an important feature of the
landscape. Located along creeks, the mills provided a more efficient
way to crack grains and produce flour for family consumption
(Plant, 154). The mills were considered public places and were
regulated by county courts (once established), so no one could be
refused grinding services as long as the millers fixed toll could be
met (Plant, 157).

After obtaining his inheritance, Col. Nathaniel Burwell
established his own quarters in the Valley. By 1774, half of the
tobacco he produced was grown in the Shenandoah Valley and
27% of his total profits were derived from his Valley operations
(Plant, 280). Tobacco production in the Tidewater began to
suffer due to soil exhaustion, making land holdings in the Valley
all the more important. Other Tidewater planters who also had
quarters in the Valley included Hugh Nelson, Robert Carter, and
John Page (Separate, 10).

At this time, King Carter was also settling the land, but in
a very different way. In 1730, he issued huge tracts of land held
by the Northern Neck Proprietary to his family, including 89,800
acres east of the Blue Ridge (Early, 3). In addition, he leased in
perpetuity 50,212 acres on the west bank of the Shenandoah,
which were tended by slaves and overseers (Shadow, 9). During
this time, King Carters heirs established tenancies and quarters
in the Valley (Separate, 3). A quarter consisted of five hundred
to one thousand acres, worked by ten slaves who were managed
by an overseer (Separate, 10). Soon after inheriting Valley land
it seems, Col. Burwells grandfather, also Nathaniel Burwell, was
leasing land for tobacco plantations that later became part of Col.
Burwells Carter Hall estate (Pioneers, 429).

By the time of the Revolution, approximately 350-400
acres of the lower Valley were devoted to tobacco, which historian
Samuel Kercheval wrote was first introduced and pursued by
immigrants from the eastern counties of Virginia (Plant, 279).
Despite the economic importance of the Valley to Col. Burwell,
he remained at Carters Grove, in the culturally and politically
important Tidewater area, becoming the County Lieutenant of
James City County militia in 1776 (Civil, 8).

In 1771, Col. Burwell inherited over 5000 acres in the lower

Valley held in trust for him since his fathers death in 1756 (Plant,
279). The Colonels tract extended along the Shenandoah River
roughly from what later became Millwood to Berrys Ferry (Angl).
Col. Burwell then purchased an addition 2500 acres in order to
expand his agricultural and speculative enterprise (Plant, 279).

By the mid-1770s the population of the Shenandoah
Valley was around 35,000 with concentrations of greater than ten
persons per mile in Frederick County. Commercial trade became
more prominent than subsistence farming, making gristmills very
important features of the early industrial landscape (Fred, 15).
Wheat prices, unlike other products critical to supporting the war
effort such as hemp for rope, beef, and tobacco, doubled after the
Revolution (Plant, 280).

In the 1780s planters from Tidewater Virginia, many
of whom had already established quarters, began migrating to
the Valley to take advantage of productive land (Shadow, 8).
7

Lewis Burwell
Robert King Carter

Judith Armistead

Hon. Lewis Burwell II

(d. 1710)

Elizabeth Carter

Lucy Ludwell
Grymes

Susanna Grymes
7 sons, 1 daughter

Lucy Page Baylor

5 sons, 3 daughters

(inherits Carter Hall 147 acres)

Robert (inherits New

Market 680 acres)

Philip (inherits
Chapel Green 814
acres)

Lewis (inherits

Prospect Hill 921

acres)

Agnes

Thomas Hugh
Burwell
Virginia Sharpe

Margueritte Crenshaw
Burwell

Isabella Dixon

Thomas Burwell

Sybilla Sharpe Burwell

Figure 3 - Partial Burwell family tree. [redit: Author]

Col. Nathaniel
Burwell
Carter Hall

Carter III
Inherits Carters
Grove

Nathaniel
The Vineyard

Elizabeth
Burwell

Joanna Burwell

Robert
Burwell

6 daughters

Mary (with Eliza,

(inherits 1028 acres)

Maj. Nathaniel
Burwell (d. 1721)
Fairfield

Lewis President Burwell

Kingsmill

Carter Burwell
Carters Grove

Lucy Higginson

inherits River
Farm - 636 acres)

Thomas Hugh
Eliza Page Burwell
Nelson Burwell
(marries Thomas Hugh
Burwell Randolph 1868) (inherits Spout Run
Farm - 760 acres)

George H. Burwell

Nathaniel

George H. Burwell Jr.

Mount Airy Farm
John Townsend Burwell

G. Lambert

Rosalie Wheat

Charles Burwell

Although Col. Burwell had not yet taken up residency in the

Valley, he did begin to shift his production there.

In 1782 as the Revolutionary War ended, Col. Burwell
transferred 45 slaves to his new plantation in the Shenandoah
Valley (Civil, 8). Around that time, Daniel Morgan settled in the
Valley as a war hero and built his home, Saratoga, out of stone
quarried from Opequon Creek, using labor of Hessians captured
during the Battle of Saratoga (Fradin, 5).

The Valley economy suffered slightly in the 1780s as
European countries refused trade with the new nation and
Virginia imposed duties on products brought from other states.
Fortunately, settlement across the Appalachians in Kentucky
opened new markets for Valley products (Plants, 283).

In 1785, counting on the sustained profitability of wheat,
Burwell and Morgan constructed a large mill along Spout Run.
The large mill processed grain seven days a week for long hours
using slave labor. Using his political influence and knowledge
as a former commercial wagon driver, Morgan petitioned local
government to reroute a major roadway to pass the mills front
door. During this time, Burwell spent summers in the Valley
to oversee his operations and in 1786 built a house, Brookside,
in which to live (Burwell-Morgan Mill National Register
Nomination).

operate a Shenandoah ferry as well as a mill on the Shenandoah

used to crush iron ore brought down from the Blue Ridge
Mountains (Cartgen, 5). In addition to being able to oversee his
profitable Valley enterprise, Colonel Burwell moved to the Valley
to benefit his wifes health by removing her from the endemic
malarial fevers of the Tidewater lowlands (Separate, 11) along
the James River.

Other prominent Tidewater planters also migrated to
the Valley after the Revolution, including Thomas T. Byrd, and
Robert, John, and Matthew Page (Plant, 280). These Tuckahoes
or Tidewater people who settled east of the Opequon brought
a marked change in culture and land use to the Cohees from
Pennsylvania who settled west of the Opequon (Separate, 12).
Whereas by this time Winchester was an industrializing city and
the Cohee farmers remained on relatively small and clustered
acreage of diversified fields, the Tuckahoe planters created a
landscape of large manor houses set on expansive plantations.
Tidewater planters also brought Anglican religion to the Valley,
which had largely been settled by Quakers. In effect, the Tidewater
planters altered the perception that Frederick County was an
appendage of Pennsylvania (Separate, 12).

Driven by high wheat prices, the year 1790 began a period
of economic prosperity for the Valley that lasted until the Civil
War (Separate, 3). That same year, Col. Burwell began importing
horses to his 8,000 acres of land (NBEV) west of the Blue Ridge,
which became an important economic and social feature of the
Valley (Breeding, 8). Within several years, the entire Burwell
family was living year-round at Brookside, their temporary house
in Millwood (Tract, 6). Brookside was located along Spout Run
within short walking distance of the Burwell-Morgan gristmill
where it remains today as a private residence.

Tobacco prices continued to decline in the 1790s and
Burwell sought to capitalize on the more important commodity,
wheat (Separate, 11). By 1796 Col. Burwell had diversified to

Figure 4 - Brookside, the first Valley home for the Col. Burwell family. [Credit: Author]


Around 1799, the Colonel had given the Tidewater
plantation at Carters Grove to his son, Carter Burwell, to run
and focused his attentions solely on the Valley (Cartgen, 5).

Designing Carter Hall the House

Around 1792, the year the family moved to live year-round
at their summer house, Col. Burwell began constructing a
permanent home in the Valley. Like the house his father had
built before him, Col. Burwell designed a house that portrayed
his exalted place in society (Grove, 4).
The archetypal house plan for wealthy colonial planters was
Governor Spotswoods palace, a great house surrounded by clusters
of dependencies, a layout given formal balance by the addition
of adjoining offices symmetrically arranged on each side of the
central block. The elevated central unit of this house archetype
subordinated its associated structures to give it a strong sense
of dominance and submissionintensifying the view of the
great house as a self-sufficient rural community. The style spread
with other notable examples such as Stratford Hall, a remodeled
Corotomon, and Nomini Hall (Grace, 215).
The infusion of Tidewater culture to the Valley in the
1790s transformed the purpose of architecture from function to
form and style (Shadow, 9). The house built by Col. Burwell is
representative of this Tidewater Invasion of a stately lifestyle in
mansions made possible by slave labor (Shadow, 9). Prominent
families (the Pages, Randolphs, Meades, Nelsons, and Byrds) in
the Valley began building houses based on the archetypal model,
and influenced by noteworthy Tidewater examples with which
they were most familiar: Brandon, Shirley, Westover, and Carters
Grove, Colonel Burwells childhood home (Shadow, 9).
It is difficult to ascertain all of the attributes of the original
mansion due to the lack of documentation and (at least) four
subsequent renovations. However, it is clear that the original
structure was late-Georgian in style (NRN Section 7), an
architectural style that had overrun the Atlantic region by the
end of the 18th century (Plant, 321).
10

Using limestone quarried on the property (Shadow, 45),

the house was built as a large two-story structure with interior
chimneys at the west and east ends. The central block, with
a five-bay arrangement and single-pile interior was flanked by
symmetrical two-story, two-bay wings (NRN Section 7). The plan
for Carter Hall, in keeping with Georgian principles, stressed
balance and symmetry, and a goal of harmony in its form, which
was thought to project values of reason and order (Plant, 321).
Some materials for the house are thought to have been brought to
the site from other areas including items carried across the Blue
Ridge Mountains by ox cart from a port in Falmouth, Stafford
County (Lambcoll). Imported materials included cypress shingles
transported from the Tidewater area for their resistance to decay,
and walnut logs carried across the Shenandoah to build porticos
(Cartgen, 5).

The stone house was oriented north-south, with a southern
face to absorb the winter sun and paired windows on the front and
rear in order to allow summer breezes to blow through the house
( James, 336). By 1795 the main portion of the house was almost
complete (Cartgen, 5), although work on the walls continued in
1797 (Disburse, 1797).

Despite the continued construction, it seems the family
may have moved into the house in 1797, based on a ledger entry
listing a disbursal of 1 4p, By Reason of My Move to House
(Disburse), although this is unclear. The charge may have referred
to Col. Burwells personal secretary, Samuel Baker (CCH, 172)
who frequently referred to himself in first person when listing
payments received for work on the mill, replacing flooring at
Brookside and other odd-jobs he performed for Col. Burwell
(Disburse, 1795).

A series of three porches (CHCW, 40) existed along
the north faade of the house, which were likely built by Colonel
Burwell as porticos, and constructed of walnut, a wood that is
typically straight-grained and known for its strength. It is unclear
if there was also a portico leading to the entrance (south face) of
the house, although it was likely marked only by stairs leading to
a pediment-covered doorway.


In the spring of 1800 the roof of the new house was
being painted, or perhaps stained (Cartgen, 8), and glass windows
were installed in the cellar that same year (Ledger, 1800). By
December of 1803 a secondary east wing as well as a dependency
to the west of the house had been added (Mutual Assurance
Society Policy #2290, December 24, 1803). Both structures were
built of stone with wood roofs. It is not clear what purpose the
secondary east wing served, but it may have been a kitchen. An
1803 insurance policy valued the house at $10,000 and the school
at $1,000. The west dependency, used as a school house, may
actually have been built as early as 1797 (Civil, 11). However,
further research to locate an insurance policy dating to 1797 is
necessary to confirm this early date. According to the Mutual
Assurance Society, with whom Col. Burwell was insured,
policies were reevaluated every seven years or when additions
were made to the policy. It is known that in September of 1800
large pine tables had been made for the School House, which
helps to narrow the date of construction further (Ledger, 1800).

By 1805 Col. Burwells insurance policy was amended
to include an east dependency. The stone and wood building,
which provided symmetry for the house was used as a kitchen
and sleeping quarters for three slaves (Civil, 11) and featured a
ten-foot wide fireplace along the western wall.


Benjamin Henry Latrobe has been credited with the
design of Carter Hall (Separate, 12). Sometime around 1805,
Latrobe assisted the Colonels first cousin, Robert Carter
Burwell, in designing a house nearby named Long Branch. It
is interesting to note that like Carter Hall, Long Branch was
situated adjacent a powerful spring on rolling fields with views
to the Shenandoah and Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and
south. It is also possible that Col. Burwell may have designed the
house himself by utilizing style books such as those by William
Adam, William Kent, and James Gibbs which were common
among Colonial gentlemen (Shadow, 9). An entry in Colonel
Burwells disbursement ledger dated May 8, 1801 indicates he
purchased a Book on Archetecture [sic] (Ledger). While this
was clearly after the mansion had been built, it may have informed
the design of outbuildings, gardens, or the property as a whole.

Wall

Once completed, Carter Hall became the center of social

and economic life of the area (Sotheby).
Dairy House
Smoke House

Smoke House

School House
Stone Dwelling House

20

40
feet

Kitchen House

Figure 5 - Diagram of Carter Hall ca. 1803 based

on a Mutual Assurance Society Policy. [Credit: Author]

11

Designing Carter Hall the Property

It is likely that Carters Grove was a strong influence for Col.
Burwells design of Carter Hall, as the two houses share the same
general plan, a plan popular in Colonial and early Republican
Virginia (Cartgen, 36). However, there are noticeable differences.
Carters Grove, like many Tidewater mansions was built facing
the water, which was viewed as the primary entrance and most
important faade for plantation homes. It sat assertively atop
man made terraces to dominat[e] everything around it, (Grove,
5) another important feature to advertise the sophistication and
prestige of the homes owner.
Unlike his father, it appears that Col. Burwell relied on the
dramatic natural topography of Carter Hall, which falls away in
all directions in a series of small rolling hills, rather than create
an air of grandeur with constructed terraces. The exception is to
the west of Carter Hall where the land maintains a comparable
elevation. Whereas Carters Grove and other Tidewater mansions
displayed their grandeur to the primary entrance on rivers, Carter
Hall was positioned to overlook the hamlet of industry Col.
Burwell was developing in Millwood, approximately one-quarter
mile south of the house, down the steep and rolling terrain.
The spot Col. Burwell selected for his new home was a
high point within his Valley holdings, overlooking not only
Millwood, but also the Shenandoah Valley beyond. It was covered
in groupings of majestic oaks and walnuts, which created the
famous grove (Record, 25). As Col. Burwells head teamster
described it circa 1789, the site for the Colonels new house was
a grove with no forestlargely an open grazing ground for the
Indians game (Cartgen, 10). The house was situated to take
advantage of a rushing spring located just to the east at the foot of
bluff covered with ancient oaks ( James, 335). According to family
history, hundreds of oaks were cleared to build the house and,

12

open vistas over the surrounding country; that to the

south offer[ed] a view of the Blue Ridge from each of
the principal rooms of the house, and that to the east
showing the mountains still nearer, and allowing one to
trace the course of the Shenandoah by the white trunks
of the sycamores along its banks ( James, 334).
Construction of the house required some clearing of the trees,
however large areas of the magnificent grove were retained that
extended from the north of the house to the west and southwest of
the house ( James, 334) as well as a cluster of ancient oaks placed
on the bluff southeast of the house. It is interesting to note that
Benjamin Latrobe, often cited as architect of Carter Hall, did not
restrict his work to buildings, but by 1800 had also designed at
least two gardens. Latrobe adopted a Picturesque style, designing
landscapes in a loose, naturalistic manner (Korn, 101) that may
have guided the design of Carter Halls landscape.
Like many Virginia houses built by English families, Carter
Hall stands at some distance from the public highways, buffered
by extensive grounds and large trees (Historic, 112). It is likely
that the entrance to the west of the house dates to the earliest days
of the property, based on the relative evenness of the terrain and
the transverse relationship between the line of the entry gate and
the front door of the house. There may have been two additional
entrances to the property. According to Mary Moore, archivist
at Clarke County Historical Association, there was likely an
entrance at the southern boundary of the property, located at the
bottom of the hill near the edge of Millwood. This entrance would
have been used by slaves to access the manor house (Personal
communication, 5/16/2013). A third entrance may have existed
north of the house along what is now known as Mt. Airy Hill
Lane.
Despite the lack of documentation on the circulation patterns
on the property, there is some information about other features
the property contained. By 1798, Carter Hall had a hen house,
duck house, two turkey troughs, two duck coops, a rabbit hutch,
a pigeon box, hog pens, cattle sheds, bee hives, and horse stables
(Cartgen, 9).

In addition, the Col. kept a box of guinea pigs (Ledger, 1801).

While it is not currently known where each of these features was
located, it is likely that at least some of them were within the
boundary of the Carter Hall tract.
Around 1800 a teacher was living in the upstairs of the west
dependency and teaching the Burwell boys downstairs as well as
some other neighborhood boys including William Meade. The
school house as well as the kitchen house (east dependency?)
utilized ladders for entry, which, based on the distance from the
door to the ground level were likely located in the rear of the
buildings (Ledger, 1803).
An often told anecdote describes Meade (who would later
be Bishop of Virginia) getting caught in the apple orchard by
Col. Burwell after having been hoisted over the fence by his
classmates (Civil, 12). The story informs us of the existence of
a fenced orchard, which was likely within close proximity of the
school house. It is also interesting to note that during this time
the Valley was supporting a larger population than ever before
and land was being cleared at a rapid rate, rendering wood a very
rare and valued commodity (Plant, 289) for building even fence
posts, let alone paling fence around an entire orchard.
By 1801, a wash house was erected adjacent to the main
house (Cartgen, 8), although it is not clear where. Additional
outbuildings added in the next few years included a smoke house
located north of the west dependency, a second smoke house
located north of the space between the east dependency and the
mansion, and a wooden dairy approximately six feet north of the
eastern smoke house (1805 Insurance policy #8631).
In 1804, the privy houses, likely located in the north yard,
were fenced in (Cartgen, 8) and on September 6 of the same
year Colonel Burwells ledger notes an expense To making fruit
Dryers for Mrs Burwell (LVA Archives, Nathaniel Burwell,
Record of Disbursement 1794-1804).

Assuming it takes an apple tree between three and seven
years to mature, it is likely that at least part of the orchard from

which Mrs. Burwell was drying fruit was planted by 1801, or more
likely, by 1797 - the year the Burwells moved into Carter Hall.

It is unknown when the outbuildings located at the
northern extent of the north yard were built, although records
reviewed from the Mutual Assurance Society suggest that it was
after 1805. Based on their stylistic similarity to the house, the
fact that there are six of them, and the intensive labor required
to build them, the stone outbuildings in the north yard likely
also date to the Col. Nathaniel Burwell period. Further research
into insurance records held at the Library of Virginia archives is
necessary to determine an exact date. It is suggested that by 1805
the mansion property contained an ash house (used for making
soap), a corn kiln house, a poultry store, store house, laundry,
stables, gardeners house and shed, shop and shed, and habitations
for the household slaves as follows: Sallys and Pattys houses,
Billys and Worsters Houses, Nats House and Mimys and
Cook Betsys Houses (Cartgen, 8). In essence, by 1805, Carter
Hall was a self-sufficient plantation (Civil, 13). One component
of self-sufficient plantations were slave gardens, which were often
referred to as huck patches (Sarudy, 55). While there is evidence
that such slave gardens existed in Clarke County, at least in later
periods (Gold, 98), there is no indication of where a huck patch
may have existed at Carter Hall.
The pattern of the outbuildings on the landscape is unclear,
although household activity was likely contained around the north
yard. In the Tidewater, Virginia plantation holders had spacious
properties to accommodate rotating fields and diverse functional
areas. In order to maintain oversight and access to their vast fields,
plantation owners often placed their houses at the center of their
property (Separate, 15), such as at Stratford Hall. However, this
was not always the organizing factor for plantation landscapes,
as evidenced by Kings Mill, Carters Grove and many other James
River plantations. Today, the hilly topography to the east and
south of Carter Hall seems to create a natural divide between the
household areas and the intensive agriculture and industrial areas
beyond, however the original organization is unclear.
13

Designing Carter Hall the Landscape

According to historian Warren Hofstra, two Virginia
institutions in New Virginia (as Shenandoah Valley was
known by Tidewater planters) were responsible for shaping the
landscape of the Valley: the plantation and the farm (Separate,
13). Unlike the farm, which existed in the older settlements west
of the Opequon in modern Frederick County, the plantation has
been called the child of modern individualism. For the planter,
the plantation became a personal vehicle for his social, economic,
and political advancement in a capitalist setting (Separate, 13).

Col. Burwell had an important impact in shaping the landscape

of what later became Clarke County. While his grandfather, King
Carter, was responsible for establishing the large parcels of land
that later became widely dispersed estates for the social elite,
Col. Burwell established a pattern of development and industry
that remains visible today. Plantation culture was largely selfsufficient and required very large acreage, which suppressed not
only a clustering of homes, but also the development of towns as
centers for manufacturing and other services not performed by
small farms (Plant, 11).
In 1782 Colonel Burwell began constructing a grist mill
(Civil, 8) on Spout Run with his business partner, Daniel Morgan,
adjacent to the tanyard, which Colonel Burwell had established
several years earlier (Gold, 42). The mill is thought to have been
built using the labor of Hessian prisoners captured by Morgan
in 1777 after the Battle of Saratoga (Gold, 42). The mill was
built as a merchant mill, with the intent that small farmers and
other plantation owners would bring their grains to the BurwellMorgan Mill. While circulation patterns are unclear to the author,
it is known that a toll bridge operated south of the mill on Spout
Run until the 20th century and that a road ran past the mills
front door (Burwell-Morgan Mill website).
By the time the grist mill was complete there were
approximately 50-60 people living in the surrounding area,
a manufacturing center known as Millwood (Fradin, 6).
14

Most of these people were likely enslaved, and worked at

Col. Burwells other business ventures that had been established
around the mill. These businesses included a coopery, tavern, store,
boot and shoe maker, and wagon maker (Fradin, 6).
In 1785 the Colonel leased land to Mr. Tuley to establish a
tanyard also along Spout Run, west of the mill. The tannery was
very successful, and with his earnings Tuley built The Tuyeleries
(Gold, 42) a Federalist style mansion in White Post, Virginia.
It is possible that cabins to house farm slaves were also located
in Millwood near the base of the Carter Hall hill (Mary Moore,
personal communication 5/16/2013). A note in his ledger of
1796 indicates repairs to his servants doors in Millwood (Ledger,
1796). Other residents of Millwood included millers and other
non-slave business operators, as well as slave overseers (Civil, 13).
The Colonel also built a stable in Millwood in 1797 (Ledger,
1797).
Col. Burwell took charge of the disorganized Anglican
Church in the Valley and focused its activity near his operation
by donating land several miles northwest of Carter Hall for a
chapel (Separate, 12). Col. Burwell had purchased the land from
Hugh Nelson of York County as part of a large tract north of
the parcel he had previously inherited (Tract, 5). The Old
Stone Chapel, built in 1793, may have had additional symbolic
importance regarding the role of the church in the new country.
Col. Burwell famously disagreed with Thomas Jefferson over the
role of the church in government and according to the Colonels
great-grandson, George Burwell III, thought advocates for the
separation of church and state were Godless free-thinkers, bent
on robbing The Church of its glebe lands and perquisites (IBT).
In addition to the Burwell-Morgan Mill in Millwood,
Colonel Burwell built a second mill on the Carter Hall property,
which later became known as the Bosteyan Mill. Certainly built
before December 1803 when an insurance policy from that year
lists the Carter Hall mill as being occupied by James Wilder
(MAS Policy #2291, December 24, 1803), it may have been built
as early as early as 1795 as a ledger entry from that year indicates
payment for repairs to the new mill (Disburse, 1795).

carter hall

House Mill

Figure 6 - General map of the Carter Hall landscape showing location of mills used by the Carter Hall plantation, the town of Millwood, and properties once belonging to the
original Carter Hall estate. [Credit: Author; base: Google Maps]

15

Further capitalizing the economic value of the local

waterways, by 1796 Burwell had established the Tilthammer Mill
to crush iron ore brought down from the Blue Ridge Mountains
(Cartgen, 5). The mill, located due east of the mansion along the
Shenandoah was likely the site of an earlier mill built before the
Colonel inherited his Valley holdings. Around this same time
he had developed a vineyard and Vineyard Tavern, which he
converted to a blacksmith shop in 1803 (Cartgen, 5), perhaps due
to its proximity to the Tilthammer Mill. The vineyard was the first
of its kind west of the Blue Ridge Mountains (Breeding, 9), and
the structure remains in the Burwell family as a private residence.
The Colonel also appears to have operated a sawmill (Disburse,
1794). A Cole House is also identified as needing repairs to its
roof (Disburse, 1796). The Colonel also made use of the local
springs, including the spring below his house and a spring at
Prospect Hill where he built a locked cellar by March of 1800
(Ledger, 1800) and grew corn (Ledger, 1802). The Prospect Hill
aquifer continues to supply drinking water to residents of Boyce
and Millwood (SSA). The use of the springs may have changed
to accommodate changing needs or landscapes, as a ledger entry
from August 12, 1802 notes, To moving the springhouse
(Ledger, 1802).
In addition to his Millwood industry and grain and livestock
production, the Colonel produced flax at his New Market quarter,
and appears to have leased land to smaller farmers such as Joseph
Vincent who grew tobacco for him (Ledger, Omissions page, date
illegible).
Always the shrewd business man, Col. Burwell distilled the
corn and rye he grew to maximize its profitability. The spirits were
worth more per weight than their raw components (IBT, 5) so
he set up a still house at both the upper mill and the lower
mill. The Colonel produced whiskey as well as small beer (Civil,
10). Hogs, cattle, and wheat remained his staple commodities,
however (IBT, 5). It is possible that as early as 1776 the Colonel
had a set of stills on his Shenandoah quarters to produce
whiskey distilled by Scotch-Irish farmers (Legends, 41).
16

The distillation of whiskey was a departure from the Colonels

Tidewater culture, which traditionally consumed rum and brandy
(Legends, 41).

By 1800 Colonel Burwell owned 4,000 acres of land
belonging to the original Carter Hall tract and had purchased
approximately 4,000 more acres. At that time he had 184 slaves
working at his farming and industrial operations (such as the
coopers shop), owned 126 horses, dabbled in racehorse breeding,
and traveled the county in a fine carriage (Long, 7). The Colonel
divided his 8,000 acre holdings into eleven small farms (Tract,
5), which he began giving to his sons in 1804 beginning with
Nathaniel Jr., and Philip (Tract, 5). To son Philip he gave the
Chapel Green farms, consisting of 814 acres with 34 negroes and
horses, cattle, etc., belonging to the Chapel Green homestead
(Pioneers, 277).
In addition to shaping the landscape of the Valley, Col. Burwell
played an important role in establishing connections between the
Valley and cities along the coast. Most of the whiskey the Colonel
distilled along the banks of Spout Run was sold to customers in
Williamsburg (Cartgen, 5), at Burwells Mill and a store located
at Carters Grove (Legends, 41). The flour ground in Millwood
was shipped to Alexandria by horse teams and some was then
sent down the Potomac River on large flat-bottomed boats
that were then taken apart and sold for lumber once reaching
their destination. Other shipments were transported down the
Shenandoah to markets north of Millwood (IBT, 4). The Colonel
also conducted business in Winchester, frequently at a local
branch of Alisons Store, which was based out of Fredericksburg
(Mary Moore, personal communication, 5/24/2013).

Designing Carter Hall a Garden?

Colonel Burwell bequeathed to his wife, Lucy, a life
interest in and to the Carter Hall mansion, its gardens, yards
and pastures, and its outhouses, stables and other houses
to it appertaining (Cartgen, 10). The plural form used and
the distinction between garden and yard, indicates that John
Townsend Burwell, great-grandson of Colonel Burwell, was
correct in suggesting around 1924, It is probable that there was a
flower garden here from the first occupancy of the house ( James,
338).

It is clear that at least one fenced garden existed by 1800
(Cartgen, 8), which was entered through a latched gate (Disburse,
May 22, 1800). The fenced garden was likely cultivated in the
north yard of the house and was viewed not only from the upper
floors of the house, but also from a garden patio and porticos
constructed of hewn walnut logs that had been transported
over the river (Cartgen, 5). The design and placement of these
viewing structures is unknown, but it appears that they likely
provided three distinct sitting areas, or porches (CHCW, 40).
A ledger entry added in the omissions page sometime prior to
1805 indicates that the sills were framed for the porch on the
addition, which suggests that the eastern secondary wing of
the house also had a patio that connected to the garden (Ledger,
Omissions page, date illegible).

In addition to a fence, it is clear that the garden contained
hot beds used to extend the growing season and start young plants.
A ledger entry from the spring of 1801 indicates that 144 light
sashes were constructed @ 6 for Hot Beds as well as bars and
hooks to hold the sashes open (Ledger, April 12, 1801), which
has been interpreted as belonging to two 72-pane sash hot beds
(Cartgen, 8).

During the Colonial era gardens were devoted primarily
to food production and by the summer of 1803 the Carter Hall
garden was full of produce.

A ledger entry specifies payment for making a Box to
gather Vegetables in (Ledger, July 2, 1803). The importance of
the garden for providing produce for the household and perhaps
other uses is further exemplified by the Colonels estate appraisal
which lists a pair of mill scales and weights (Estate).

A gardeners house and shed were built sometime before
1805, both of which were listed in the Colonels ledger on the
omissions page (Ledger), though the date is illegible. The privy
houses may have also been located in or adjacent to the garden. A
ledger entry from 1803 notes that garden posts were hewed
for the privey [sic] houses fence (Ledger, 1803).
At least one other fenced-in garden area, technically an
orchard, also existed, producing fruit by 1804. The orchard was
surrounded by a high enclosure (Civil, 12).

The layout, contents and character of the garden are
uncertain. And though the author explored various possibilities
including the three below, it is unknown who designed the
garden. Although garden designs were frequently developed
by landowners themselves or by professional acquaintances,
it seems that it was more common for designs to be generated
by professional gardeners brought to the colonies as indentured
servants. Once the professional, though indentured, gardeners had
implemented successful designs, less skilled workers were relied
on to maintain them although professional gardeners oversaw
management (Sarudy, 79).

Prior to the Revolutionary War this maintenance work
was performed by indentured white servants as well as free
and slave blacks (Sarudy, 78). Landowners who had established
gardens that met their household needs were known to have sold
the remainder of their gardeners indenture to other landowners,
or to rent out their unused time to other landowners looking for
new designs or special horticultural assistance (Sarudy, 79).

17


After the Revolution, it became more common for wealthy
land owners to hire independent professional gardeners (Sarudy,
78).

Little evidence was found to indicate that Col. Burwell
took interest in garden design, though he did purchase a book
on architecture in 1801 (Ledger, May 8, 1801). However, in
March of 1803 Col. Burwell paid passage of a man the author
transcribed as Aaron Wands from London (Ledger, 1803). This
may have occurred after a garden had already been put in place
and the indentured servant may have been employed in another
skilled trade, perhaps as a blacksmith. The year that Mr. Wands
travelled to Virginia coincides with the April 1803 conversion of
the Vineyard Tavern to a blacksmith shop. While this is purely
conjectural and requires further research, it is known from the
appraisal of Col. Burwells estate sometime after 1814 that an
enslaved blacksmith named Nat worked at Island Farm (Estate)
who would have been trained by a skilled tradesman, perhaps
Aaron Wands.

A second possible designer for the Carter Hall garden is
a slave named James. According to an unpublished manuscript
written by Kent Brinkley entitled, Plantsmen and Tradesmen,
cited in Sarudy (1996), one Nathaniel Burwell had a slave named
James who was much coveted by the Williamsburg gentry. James
had served under four head gardeners at the Governors Palace
and was considered a master at pruning fruit trees, transplanting
native seedlings, and forcing plants in hot beds and bell glasses
(Sarudy, 86). It was common during the era for landowners
to rent out the services of slaves and indentured servants with
special skills, a practice which not only provided their owners with
additional income, but provided more landowners with access
to skilled labor, which they might not have otherwise been able
to afford (Sarudy, 79). Both Governors Botetourt and Francis
Fauquier paid twelve pounds per year to rent James services from
the Burwell family, while Governor John Murray Dunmore and

18

Governor Patrick Henry each paid the family fourteen pounds

(Sarudy, 86). Based on the start and end dates for the terms of
office for the Governors mentioned, James was rented out to
various governors ca. 1760 to 1770s with a minimum of eight
years and maximum of 21 years.

Efforts to acquire the original unpublished document
by Mr. Brinkley were unsuccessful. Unfortunately, it is unclear
if the Nathaniel Burwell mentioned by Brinkley is Col. Burwell
of Carter Hall. It is possible that another Nathaniel Burwell
existed during this time period, perhaps a cousin of the Colonel.
Attempts to identify family members by the same name other
than the Colonel, his grandfather, and son were unsuccessful.
However, it seems very likely that James belonged to the Carters
Grove estate based on the proximity to Williamsburg, and the
time frame. Whether or not he moved with the Colonel to the
Valley is yet another mystery.

A third possible designer of the original Carter Hall
garden was a gardener known to work on the property. The
gardener, a slave named Dick, was one of thirteen slaves out of a
total of forty whose title was listed on the estate appraisal. Dick
was valued at $100, which was closer to the value placed on the
Burwell daughters maids and elderly slaves such as Old Fanny
(valued at $30) than the coopers who also belonged to the tract
and were valued between $200 and $750 (Estate). This suggests
that he was either not highly skilled as a formal gardener or was
no longer in the prime of his life. Alternatively, there may have
been no market for renting out his services, making him a less
valuable investment than James had been at Carters Grove.

Due to the lack of documentation found about any
gardens Nathaniel Burwell may have created at Carter Hall, it
seems that the Colonel was likely not consumed with gardening
as a hobby. Without information about the form and content of
the garden at Carter Hall, it is helpful to explore what could have
existed based on a review of contemporary garden elements.

The Role of Gardens

In the early 18th century some of the more affluent
Virginians began to see ornamental possibilities as they
arranged their grounds around practical plantation layouts. One
of these early designers was Robert King Carter at his estate,
Corotoman (Martin, 107). Taking advantage of the regional
topography, many gentry in the Chesapeake built homes on rises
of ground and created terraced gardens that frequently sloped
down toward a body of water. This impressive embellishment
of the landscape often formed the main approach of the house
(Sarudy, 24). A kitchen garden was often planted at the base of
the ornamental terraces, which were enclosed with white picket
fences or walls. These falling gardens were frequently at the front
of the house; however, as historian Barbara Sarudy points out,
there were examples of kitchen gardens placed in the rear of the
house (Sarudy, 35). The Governors Palace in Williamsburg is one
such example.

to eat meals and savor cool breezes and the fragrance of blooms
(Sarudy, 107). The garden may have been an especially important
place for women, who rarely left the house or ventured beyond
the immediate vicinity of their gardens and grounds. Women
utilized the garden as a space to stroll in the cooler evening, while
men used the garden as a space to entertain guests (Sarudy, 108).

For wealthy planters in early Virginia, the garden was
the gentlemans stage and a device with which to help define his
position in the emerging republic. In order to project a positive
image of themselves to passers-by landowners designed gardens
and spaces around their homes that displayed order, control,
and regularity (Sarudy, 49). As Benjamin Henry Latrobe, an
architect and landscape designer often credited with the design
the house for Carter Hall, wrote in 1798, When you stand upon
the summit of a hill, and see an extensive country of woods and
fields without interruption spread before you, you look at it with
pleasurethis pleasure is perhaps very much derived from a sort
of consciousness of superiority of position to all the monotony
below you (Sarudy, 32).

In addition to providing landowners with a visual
expression of their place in society, gardens were central to family
life (ASLA, 4).The garden served as a recreation and gathering area.
During hot weather at least one small area of the garden, typically
adjacent the house, was used for family gatherings (ASLA, 4)
19

Describing the Colonial Garden

The Colonial garden is difficult to define precisely because
it was adapted to different environmental conditions and property
sizes (ASLA, 3). Despite the inherent variation, there are some
key elements common to gardens of the period.


The gardens of wealthy landowners in the early Republican
era took their precedent from English gardens (Favretti &
Favretti, 17). Philip Miller, an 18th century English garden
authority who wrote The Gardeners Dictionary, recommended
central-axis gardens with matching squares on either side of a
gravel walk leading out from a door at the center of the house
(Sarudy, 21). Many Colonial gardeners followed Millers advice,
building rectangular gardens adjacent to their homes that were
twice as long as they were wide (Sarudy, 21). The garden was
typically confined to one area and segmented into different use
areas. A primarily ornamental garden was directly adjacent to the
house with a large kitchen garden beyond that was used to grow
fruits and vegetables. By mid-century, the main-axis symmetry
recommended by Philip Miller dominated garden style in the
mid-Atlantic (Sarudy, 21). The long central walk located on
axis with the house acted as an extension of the dwelling and led
into the garden (Favretti & Favretti, 17). The central walk usually
terminated in a vista or decorative garden feature such as a statue
or armillary sphere, or alternatively in a gate to a field or other
garden (Favretti & Favretti, 17).

These early American gardens not only tamed and
beautified the landscape around homes, but provided muchvalued utility. Planting choices and the arrangement of spaces in
18th century gardens were based on an implicit moral sanction
against purely ornamental design (Sarudy, 62). The utility for
consumable goods as well as recreation which guided Colonial era
garden and landscape design resulted in plantation estates which
functioned as a complete environment with house and setting,
culture and nature usually playing complimentary architectural
roles (Kelso, 159).
20

18th century gardens also provided important food
resources as well as recreational spaces and were often protected
by fencing. (Favretti & Favretti, 15). Wooden paling fences were
most common, but in rocky terrain, such as that of Carter Hall,
stones cleared from building sites and agricultural fields were
used (Favretti & Favretti, 15). Stone walls, like those constructed
of brick, were typically found in gardens of wealthy landowners.
Those wealthy enough to have stone walls made use of them
to espalier fruit. The stone absorbed the heat of the sun and to
ripen produce sooner (Sarudy, 62). Kitchen gardens commonly
contained hot boxes as well as raised planting beds (Favretti &
Favretti, 15).

A common recreational feature of Colonial gardens was
a bowling green. These smooth, level turf lawns were typically
located at the highest terrace level of the garden and provided a
100 foot by 200 foot rectangular court for playing bowls. Bowling
greens were often slightly depressed below the surrounding
ground surface to form a barrier for balls (Sarudy, 34).

Walkways exhibited the marriage of utility and ornament,
with shade and visual screening provided by alles of fruit-bearing
trees (Sarudy, 55). The alles were usually wider through the center
of the garden than the secondary intersecting paths (Sarudy, 57).
In rural agricultural areas, early gardens were more functional
and walks and paths were not as rigid as garden parterres in
towns. Rural gardens did have parterres, although they were
located closer to the house if part of the plan (CG, 23). Walkways
often terminated at decorative features such as benches, gates,
or sculptural features such as fountains or astrolabes. It was also
common for walkways to terminate in grassy mounts or small
constructed earth mounds which afforded more extensive views
of the surrounding landscape (Sarudy, 33).

Garden areas were often defined by a single or double row
of hedges or trees (Sarudy, 57). Planting beds were also frequently
bordered with ornamental plants and herbs, providing sensory,
medicinal, and culinary benefit (Favretti & Favretti, 15).


During the second half of the 18th century gardens
featured flowers segregated by type rather than arranged in
intricate designs and knots as they were earlier in the century
(Sarudy, 27). After the Revolution, turf gained popularity
particularly for wealthy landowners whose terraces were defined
by plain grass flats (Sarudy, 27).

Colonial gardens often featured elements other than
plants. Fishponds were popular features of early American
gardens for both decorative and culinary purposes (Sarudy, 61).
Garden sheds and decorative houses (follies) were also common.

Landscape Gardens

Decorative alteration of the landscape often extended
beyond the enclosed kitchen garden, particularly in rural areas.
By the late 1700s, wealthy properties covering vast acreage were
designed in the natural style (CG, 22), which sought to create
a bucolic setting for the manor house. This English style which
reached its height under landscape gardeners such as Lancelot
Capability Brown (CG, 22) was focused on connecting the house
to the larger landscape by opening views to natural areas beyond
the house as well as framing views within the property (CG, 23).
The approach to the house was emphasized to heighten the sense
of arrival (CG, 23). To achieve these goals, designers utilized
carefully placed clumps of trees in turf lawns (CG, 23) as well as
the natural or enhanced topography of the site. Native trees and
plants composed the vegetal palate and were placed informally
(Favretti & Favretti, 27) to mimic natural conditions. Fences were
used sparingly to maintain unobstructed views into the distance
(CG, 23). In order to keep out grazing animals, ha-ha walls were
constructed (Favretti & Favretti, 27).

Eastern Seaboard from New York to South Carolina (Korn,

99). Benjamin Latrobe favored a naturalistic picturesque style,
apparently finding George Washingtons gardens at Mount
Vernon around 1796 to be extremely formal (Korn, 101).

Garden Management

Garden design in the 18th century was under the purview
of the master of the house, whether he composed the design
himself or oversaw the design work of a hired designer (Sarudy,
48). The master of the house also oversaw the more practical
aspects of the grounds and gardens while their wives supervised
greenhouse activities (Sarudy, 48). The lady of the house also
toured the gardens daily in order to develop a menu for the
kitchen staff (Sarudy, 107) and supervise garden management
(Sarudy, 78).

The ha-ha was the first element of the Picturesque, or
natural style to come to Virginia prior to 1740, and was used by
Thomas Lee as part of his 1730 design for Stratford Hall (Korn,
96). By 1770, the picturesque style was established along the
21

Precedent Family Gardens

In addition to understanding what an original garden at
Carter Hall may have looked like based on the qualities common
to 18th century gardens of the Eastern Seaboard, it may be
instructive to review the garden landscape of two family estates
with which the Colonel may have been intimately familiar. Upon
Carter Burwells passing in 1756, his brother Lewis Burwell
became guardian of five-year old Nathaniel and his siblings. It is
possible that during his childhood Nathaniel lived at his uncles
estate, Kingsmill (Kelso, 163) which was a few miles west of
Carters Grove along the James River.

Based on archaeological research it is known that
Kingsmill had a garden plan very similar to that of the Governors
Palace in Williamsburg (Kelso, 163) which maintained a formal
courtyard at the house faade and placed a kitchen garden
and pleasure ground at the rear of the house with views to the
wooded landscape beyond. Similar to the Governors Palace at
Williamsburg, the front of Kingsmill was adorned with a formal
parterre garden that was entered by a central approach walk,
traversed by a serpentine walkway, and contained by fences and
planting hedges (Kelso, 163). At the southern side of Kingsmill,
Lewis Burwell designed and constructed a three-tier rectangular
falling garden that extended nearly 500 feet from the house south
toward the James River. The three terraces were covered in turf and
connected by stone steps, which was a unique feature compared to
contemporary gardens that used grass ramps to connect terraces
(Sarudy, 29). The terraces led down to an enclosed kitchen
garden. The large kitchen garden was not terraced, but divided
into quadrants by two central walkways (Sarudy, 29).

After coming of age in 1771, Nathaniel Burwell claimed
his inheritance and moved with his family to Carters Grove,
his childhood home. The garden there, which was rediscovered
through archaeological research in the late 1970s, was nearly the
same design as the garden belonging to Carter Burwells cousin,
Lewis (Sarudy, 29). Located south of the main house, the garden
22

decorated the formal faade of the house and provided views

extending to the James River. Immediately adjacent to the house
was a three-tiered terrace flanked on both sides by sharp slopes.
A six-foot wide crushed oyster walk led from the house through
the lawn to the terraces, which were connected by ramps (Kelso,
161).

Archival and archaeological research indicates that
Nathaniel took an interest in gardening at the property, at least
when it came to rebuilding his fathers garden enclosure, which he
did soon after inheriting the property (Kelso, 161). The enclosure
included a ten-foot tall paling fence intended to keep out cattle,
deer, and small animals like rabbits and groundhogs (Kelso, 162).
Perpendicular paths consisting of sand and clayey soils provided
circulation through the rectangular garden leading to gates. To
the south of the terraces were symmetrical planting beds which
contained vegetables surrounded by bands of bright flowers such
as pinks (Kelso, 162). It is possible that animal grazing and crop
production occurred adjacent to the garden (Kelso, 161).

At right:

Burwell family gardens were likely strongly influential in the design of the
original garden at Carter Hall. A diagrammatic study of the gardens at Kingsmill (built
by Col. Nathaniels uncle) where Nathaniel spent much of his childhood and Carters
Grove (built by Nathaniels father) show similarity of house layout and placement of the
formal garden in relationship to living spaces. The three houses also appear to share
an orientation towards a formal prospect.

Noteworthy differences between Carter Hall and the two precedent properties
include the fact that the likely extent of the Carter Hall garden area was smaller, and
may not have been symmetrical across the house and dependencies. The eastern
boundary of the original Carter Hall north yard was identified by the researcher based
on the original service buildings. Further research into the evolution of the outbuildings
at Carter Hall may help to clarify the extent of the formal garden during the Colonel
Burwell period.

Kingsmill ca. 1730

Lewis Burwell III

Carters Grove ca. 1751

Carter Burwell

Office

Carter Hall ca. 1797

Nathaniel Burwell

Turf Ramp

Kitchen

Planting Bed

Fence

Proposed Garden Area

School House

Gate

Facade
To River
(unverified)

Gate
Facade
To River

Ditch

Facade
To Blue Ridge
Mtns.

Scale Approximate

100

All plans presumed

to be oriented
North

Figure 7 - Precedent Garden Study; it is likely that Col. Burwells design of Carter Hall was influenced by the layout and design of his familys properties in the Tidewater. [Credit: Author]

23


Both family estates were located approximately five
miles east of Williamsburg, the 18th century capital of Virginia
colony. Williamsburg was a focal point for many things during
this time including politics and courts, markets and trade, as well
as consumables and fashions. In addition, it was also a locus of
an active trade in garden seeds and plants and dissemination of
style and horticultural knowledge by professional English- and
Scottish-trained gardeners (Trade, 14).

If the original garden at Carter Hall was based on family
precedent established at Kingsmill and Carters Grove, then it
is likely that the garden was rectangular, contained shallow turf
terraces close to the house and symmetrical rectangular planting
beds organized about a long central walkway. Additionally, the
garden was likely enclosed by fencing and organized hierarchically
with small fruits, decorative flowers, and greenhouse located closer
to the mansion. A larger kitchen garden was likely located at the
northern end of the yard, closer to the line of outbuildings.

24

George H. Burwell Period

(1814 - 1873)

hen Col. Nathaniel Burwell died in 1814, his
estate had not yet been deeded to his descendents. While most
of the land was later divided amongst his survivors, the Carter
Hall mansion tract was a valuable and contested property. The
Colonels two oldest sons, George Harrison and Thomas Hugh
Nelson Burwell were entered into a special lottery in which the
two brothers were the only participants (Civil, 14). George was
the lucky winner of the lottery, inheriting Carter Hall and 147
surrounding acres (Houses, 67).

George continued his fathers farming operations on
the tracts he inherited, which, based on records uncovered to
date, appears to have focused on Island Farm. Records indicate
that George grew corn and red and white wheat and that his
farming operation was very successful, with corn being sent to the
distillery as well as being milled for his horses and the people
(VHS Burwell Papers 1770-1965, Section 8). It is also possible
that the farm was either rented out, or managed by a hired
assistant named James Richeson (VHS Burwell Papers 17701965, Section 8). During this period, George began subscribing
to industry periodicals such as American Farmer. High wheat
prices during the 1820s and 1830s brought a new wave of

economic prosperity to the Valley and encouraged a second

generation of migration from the Tidewater region (Shadow,
8). Around 1820, George began a racing horse stable (Civil, 15),
a sport which gained increasing popularity, and thoroughbred
horse breeding became another source of economic growth in the
Valley (Shadow, 8).

In addition to owning agricultural land at Island Farm, an
undated plat shows George owning a total of 319 acres including
the Carter Hall property, the majority of the town of Millwood,
and the Bosteyan Mill (VHS Burwell Papers 1770-1965, Section
9), which was the original mill located at the southern boundary
of the Carter Hall plat. Noteworthy on the plat is the BurwellMorgan mill which is labeled Garvins Mill Lot and does not
appear to be owned by George. The property appraisal in 1828
valued the house and surrounding 147 acres at $6,500, while
the mill and six associated acres were valued at $10,000. The
discrepancy speaks to the fact that mansions were much more
common than mills, especially the large Burwell-Morgan mill,
which provided income for the estate (Spur, 6). In 1840, the land
in Millwood was divided into individual lots (Separate, 30).

George, like his father, was very generous in recognizing
the needs of the countys Anglican Church. George sold the
church a piece of land adjoining the village of Millwood for
one dollar according to an indenture dated 8 April 1832 (Chapel,
93) and on May 15th paid $100 as subscript for building the
Episcopal church (VHS Burwell Papers 1770-1976, Section 8).
Christ Episcopal Church was built on the lot in 1834, to which
George continued to show support. The original church burned
in 1947 (Quiet).

In 1836, cultural, economic, and political differences
between landowners east and west of Opequon Creek led the
states legislature to form Clarke County from the Eastern half
of Frederick County (Separate, 3). An analysis of census records
by historian Warren Hofstra, showing that slaves accounted for
more than one half of Clarkes population, but only one-sixth
25

of Fredericks, indicates the difference in culture and economy

between the two sides of the Opequon (Separate, 27).

Soon after Clarke County was founded, a depression ended
the prosperous period of wheat production (Shadow, 10). How
George Burwell responded to the changing economy is unclear
at present. However, it seems that if his plantation was negatively
affected, it may not have been for long. In 1832 George rented a
holiday house at Ambler Hill (VHS Burwell Papers 1770-1965,
Section 8) and by the 1860 Agricultural Census, George was the
largest landowner in Clarke County, controlling a total of 2080
acres, 1632 of which were improved. He held livestock worth
$9,000, farm implements and machinery worth $1,500, and the
cash value of his farm was listed at $104, 360 (Census). In 1857
George became a Life Member of the Valley Agricultural Society,
which was headquartered in Winchester (Burwell family papers,
1770-1965, Section 9).

George may also have diversified his income, helping him
to maintain his wealth during the short depression. George was
involved in a steamboat enterprise on the Shenandoah River, the
Shenandoah Steamboat Company, which was chartered by the
Virginia Legislature on March 22, 1847 (Twenty, 149). While the
Shenandoah River was a major transportation route for flatboats
transporting goods from Valley mills along with the Valley
Turnpike (Wayland, 5), the steamboat company was unsuccessful

and short-lived (Twenty, 149): the river route, which was only
navigable in the spring (Gold, 23) lost popularity when railroads
came to the Valley in the 1870s (Wayland).

Designing Carter Hall the House

During the 59 years that George Burwell owned Carter
Hall, the mansion and landscape underwent many changes.
George, described as a friend of architects and painters as well as
horse breeders, (Legend, 33) seems to have been well connected
to, and interested in, cultural and design trends in high society.
Receipts held by the Virginia Historical Society show the purchase
of shipments of port and Madeira, Spanish cigars, and fine fabrics
such as cashmere, silk, grenadine and doeskin, purchased from
New York. At least one child toured the British Isles as a student
(VHS Burwell Family Papers, 1700-1965, Section 6) George
also stayed connected to popular culture through subscriptions to
the American Turf Register and Sporting Magazine, Winchester
Republican, Richmond Enquirer, American Farmer and the
National Intelligencer and the occasional purchase of other
sporting magazines (Papers 1770-1965, Sections 5-15). Later
in life he also became a life member of the Virginia Historical
Society (Burwell family papers, 1770-1965, Section 9)

George, his wife, Agnes, and their children lived in great
comfort and style, according to son George Jr. (Cartgen, 15).
Georges cultural sophistication and interest in living a stylish and
comfortable life also led to a period of significant design work on
both the house and garden of Carter Hall.

George made significant alterations to the main
house and dependencies following a Greek Revival style most
prominent between 1825 and 1860 (McAlester, 179). He
removed the hipped roof from the wings and dependencies
Figure 8 - An undated photo of the Burwell Morgan mill and tollgate on Spout Run,
facing east. It is likely the area looked similar during the George H. Burwell era. [Credit:
Handley Library Lewis Neill Barton Collection 485-81]

26

(Civil, 17) and added a secondary east wing to the main house
(Shadow, 45), throwing off the symmetry the original design
enjoyed. Several receipts for large quantities of plaster of Paris
indicate that George may have covered the original stonework
with a stucco appearance as early as 1827 (Papers 1770-1796,
Folder 6).

The most dramatic alteration to the house, which remains
today, is a 72-foot long full-faade portico extending the length of
the central block of the main house. The portico features 30-foot
tall Roman Ionic columns constructed with hand-carved capitals
(Shadow, 45). The design for the porch is popularly credited to
Dr. William Thornton, designer of the United States Capitol
and the Octagon House, a home in Washington, D.C. built for
Georges cousin, Colonel John Tayloe. While no evidence has yet
been found to prove that Thornton was responsible for the design,
it is certain the two men knew each other, and likely considered
each other close associates. Dr. Thorntons champion race horse,
and noted sire, Rattler was stabled at Carter Hall from 1826
to 1827, (Shadow, 45) around the time the portico is thought to
have been built.

George pumped water from the spring approximately 300
yards to the main house for use in the yard and the stables. Wooden
pipes laid during this time were unearthed by landscapers during
the 20th century (Civil, 20).

Designing Carter Hall the Garden

During Georges period of ownership, the United States
developed a landscape gardening tradition, beginning with the
publication in 1841 of A.J. Downings Treatise on the Theory
and Practice of Landscape Gardening. The volume was touted
as the most influential book on landscape design in America
by his contemporaries (Karson, 5) and revitalized a desire for
country living. Downings treatise was written to provide guiding
principles for Americans wishing to embellish their country
homes out of a sense of patriotism. Downing advocated attractive

landscapes as a way of encouraging a return to country life that

promoted social and domestic happiness (Karson, 5). During
this time, plantation gardening as a fashionable amusement and
art flourished (Martin, 114).

Writing in his 1850 edition of History of the Shenandoah
Valley, Samuel Kercheval stated that Carter Hall was among
the most elegantly improved estates west of the Blue Ridge.
According to an account published by John Townsend Burwell,
a descendent of George Burwell, a major garden design was
implemented around 1830 by a man named Spence, a Scot
(HGW). According to John Townsend Burwell, Mr. Spence
designed the North yard as a series of three terraced gardens.

The main area of the flower garden was on the highest
terrace adjacent the house. The garden was likely contained by
a picket fence that divided it from a little lawn next the house
( James, 338). The flower garden had most of the gardens shrubs,
likely hemlocks. Evergreen shrubs (likely hemlock) also lined a
small vista down the center of the garden to a pool ( James, 338).

The middle terrace contained a pool and a pleasant little
grove of seven white pines. ( James, 338) The pool seems to have
been stocked with fish and played an important role in family
stories. While courting George and Agnes daughter, Isabella,
Peter Helms fell victim to a prank by Isabellas brothers, which
ended with him in a state of undress in the fish pond, where he was
promptly discovered by Isabellas displeased father (Cartgen, 15).
It is possible that the middle terrace as well as parts of the lower
terrace were also planted with bulbs. The pool was built sometime
before 1861 when Isabella and Peter were married, and according
to Stuart Brown, it marked the end of the formal garden in the
north yard. If this was the case, the third (and possible fourth)
terraces were likely used entirely for food production.

The lowest terrace was farthest from the house and
contained a kitchen garden near the stone stables. It is not clear if
the terrace extended from the stables east along the row of slave
27

Figure 9 - A painting by Henry Beebe printed in the 1850

edition of Samuel Kerchevals History of the Shenandoah

Valley depicts renovations to Carter Hall most notably the
portico and fountain. Despite questionable details such as
the flattened topography, it is likely an accurate depiction
of the property.
Problems with perspective and a creative interpretation of
the topography may be to blame for the inconsistencies.
However, the major details of the property including
asymmetrical secondary wing and portico are correct.
The road extending toward the viewer likely depicts the
turnaround that existed until 1931 when the knoll on which
it was located was excavated to build the modern tour
road. [Credit: Handley Library Collection 39-375]

quarters or if it was isolated next to the stables on the western

edge of the garden ( James, 338). Somewhere on the property,
likely in a small fruits planting area closer to the house, it
appears the Burwells were growing blackberries, for which Agnes
had obtained a recipe to make wine (VHS Burwell Papers 17701965, Section 16).

The researcher has not uncovered any conclusive evidence
of the identity of Mr. Spence, who was said to have landscaped the
grand new garden for George Burwell. A review of Mr. Burwells
records from around 1830 has not yet produced evidence of when
the design was implemented. However, a receipt was found from
1826 for $25.07 paid to a Mr. Thompson for the work of Mr.
James English (Burwell Papers 1770-1965, Section 6). The receipt
indicates that Mr. Burwell was likely contracting the skilled labor
of indentured servants, which Mr. Spence may have been.
28

Another garden feature that may have been designed during

George Burwells time was a grand circular fountain on a pedestal
located in the front yard of the main house. The fountain is
depicted in Samuel Kerchevals 1850 edition of A History of the
Valley of Virginia.

According to Stuart Brown, the fountain was fed from
the spring located southeast of the house through a system of
wooden pipes, which were excavated during improvements
to the property in the 1930s (Civil, 20). This would have been
an impressive bit of engineering, and no records found to date
have provided information regarding the installation of the
plumbing system or the fountain itself. However, further research
is necessary. According to an account by George H. Burwells
grandson, additional improvements were made to the garden
around 1855, but were destroyed during the war ( James, 338).

These improvements could have referred to site features such as

the fountain, or to a collection of new plantings.

in Millwood, the undated plat of Millwood shows a North Gate

connecting the Carter Hall Farm to Millwood.

Overall, it seems that the garden at Carter Hall under
George Burwell was of a solidly colonial style, which was
common until 1840 (Favretti, 9). Decorative elements mingled
with the kitchen garden, and decorative Bantam hens roamed the
yard ( James, 337). As the 19th century drew to a close gardens
grew less formal, which Andrew Jackson Downings vigorously
promoted as an American natural grounds movement.

The farm label and the fact that the stable north of
the house held specific wagons used to transport produce to
Alexandria (as well as return supplies for the house) ( James,
337), may indicate that the mansion tract was farmed at a scale
larger than a kitchen garden used to provision the house. There
is no clear indication of where large scale agriculture may have
taken place, but it likely occurred close to the boundary with
Millwood. LiDAR data of the southern boundary of the property
may yield clues in future. To date, only a small plot just south
of the front gate has been discovered using remote sensing data.
Unfortunately, there is no indication of the areas age.

It is not certain at what point the major design work was
completed at Carter Hall, however it is possible that much of
it was finished before July 1826, when a visitor to Carter Hall
commented that Carter Hall was a noble place, grand in every
sense. It is like a court and its inhabitants like courtiers...whatever
tends to sweeten life is there enjoyed in abundance (Cartgen,
11).

Gardening appears to have been a sustained interest of
George and his family. A receipt from March 28, 1860 shows
that George H. Burwell Esq. purchased grape vines, pit fruit
trees, and rose bushes from Thomas Allen of Winchester Gardens
(VHS Burwell family papers, 1770-1965 Section 6 Thomas
Allen). The selection included at least four varieties of roses and
twelve grape vines of a variety that appears to have included
Catawba, Madeira and a third variety the researcher was unable
to decipher (see figure 10).

Designing Carter Hall - the Landscape

It is unknown what if any changes took place to the
Carter Hall landscape during the George H. Burwell period. It is
possible that formal decorative elements, such as a fountain, were
extended into the landscape.


What is clear is that there was at least a cognitive
connection to the surrounding properties, if not also a physical or
functional connection. In addition to owning nearly all of the lots
29

George H. Burwell Esq

Winchester Gardens
March 28, 1860
Bought of

Thomas Allen

6 Apricot [ ] 2.25
2 Chancellor peach
3 Early new [ ] [ ]
2 Large Black Heart
3 Large French Mignon
2 Violet Hative
12 [ ]
2.25
12 Grape vines (variety) ~ 50
1
1
1
1

Noisette pink Cluster Rose ~~

50
Scarlet Cluster 44
White Noisette 44
White Boursalt 37

6.00
10.50

1.75 [ ]
$12.25

Figure 10 - A receipt from local nursery owner, Thomas Allen, shows that George Burwell purchased apricots and five types of peaches, 12 grape vines, and four varieties

of roses (three of which were climbing roses). Allen included a note at the bottom of the receipt explaining the three types of grapes included in the delivery: Catawba, Natalia
(?) and Madeira. Allen explained the choice of grape varieties saying he had acquired them from a man with 20 years experience in the region and that they were best
suited to the valley environment. Allen also noted that another variety of heart peach Burwell requested had sold out. The researcher was unable to decipher the remainder
of the note. By the 1880s there were large commercial orchards in the Valley focusing on apples and peaches (Birds Eye).
Nurseryman and seed grower Robert Buist published a gardening guide in 1857 that provides insight into the varieties mentioned in the Allen receipt. According to Buist,
White Boursalt (also known as rose de Lisle, Boursalt Florida, Calypso, Pompone Florida, and Bengal Florida, and imported under these names) is a blush white flower and
often very large and handsome. It is a climbing pillar rose and is double flowering. Buist also provides information on Noisette roses which originated in Charleston, South
Carolina where they were developed by a man named Noisette around 1815. The roses were created by crossing a white musk and common China rose. They have a
profusion of flowers from June to November and are great for covering fences, pillars, or trellis. They are also a fairly hardy variety (AFD, 77). [Credit: VHS Burwell family
papers, 1770-1965. Section 6 Folder MSS 1B9585a 42 Thomas Allen. Transcribed by author]

30

The Mysterious Mr. Spence

But it is certain that, in 1830, Mr. Spence, a Scottish landscape

gardener, was employed to embellish the existing grounds.

In the 1923 edition of Historic Gardens of Virginia, John
Townsend, sixth owner of Carter Hall, attributed the garden
design he found in the north yard to a Scottish landscape gardener,
a man named Spence. Townsend believed with certainty that Mr.
Spence had been employed by George H. Burwell in 1830 to
embellish the existing grounds. It is unclear how Townsend
knew about Mr. Spence, but one can assume that it was a fact
retained as part of family oral history. Efforts to ascertain the
identity of Mr. Spence have been unsuccessful, in part due to the
nature of his profession. However, some tantalizing possibilities
as to his origins and connections have been uncovered.

In 1797, George Washington wrote to his Scottish business
partner, Dr. James Anderson, requesting help in finding a new
gardener. Displeased with his current gardener, John Christian
Ehlers, whose term of indenture was nearing its end, Washington
sought a Scottish gardener who was skilled in kitchen gardens
and nursery work, and knowledgeable about green and hot houses
(Letter to James Anderson 4/7/1797). By November of that year,
a young Scottish man named William Spence arrived at Mount
Vernon, by way of New York (Letter to Dr. James Anderson,
Nov. 4, 1797, Mount Vernon Estate).

In the 18th century, professional gardeners were tradesmen
who learned their craft through lengthy apprenticeships with
a head gardener (Trade, 14). Despite being seen as a fairly
respectable profession, with most practitioners hailing from
middle class families, gardeners were still treated as servants
within the households who employed them. Consequently, they
had little identity as individuals (Trade, 14).

Scottish gardeners were the most sought-after gardeners
in the colonies, as they were in Georgian England (Trade, 15)
(approximately 1714-1830). In addition to their ambition, work
ethic, reliability, and frugal nature, Scottish gardeners were
sought after for their above average education which frequently
included geology, chemistry, meteorology, physics, and botany
(Trade, 15). George Washington sought a Scottish gardener
for another practical reason: a similarity of climate between the
middle States of this Country and southern and middle areas of
Scotland (Letter to James Anderson of Scotland, 4/7/1797).

Washington was very pleased with William Spence, and
found Spence to be industrious sober and orderly and very
knowledgeable about his business although perhaps younger
than he would have liked (Letter to James Anderson of Scotland,
7/25/1798, Mount Vernon Estate). So trusted and well-liked
was William Spence, who was paid 35 pounds per year in 1798
(GW, 4/6/1799, Cash Memoranda, 46 [88]), that he continued
working at Mount Vernon following George Washingtons
death, and served as a witness to Martha Washingtons will,
signed on September 22, 1800 (Mary V. Thompson, Personal
communication).

After serving at Mount Vernon, it is possible that William
Spence might have attempted to work as a self-employed garden
designer. With the favorable reviews and good reputation he
undoubtedly had in order to witness Mrs. Washingtons will,
William Spence could apply to be a head gardener of a minor
gentleman on a small- to moderate-sized estate (Trade, 17).
However gardener-turned-designers typically faced stiff
competition from men with higher status backgrounds such as
painters, architects, builders, doctors, pharmacists, and minor
gentleman who often tried their hand at garden design as a way
to make extra money.

Despite having the clear advantage of horticultural
knowledge, gardeners needed to be abreast of current fashions
something only gained through direct contact with members of
31

high society. Unfortunately, gardeners rarely had these

connections as they were still viewed as belonging to the servant
class by potential clients (Trade, 17).

By 1830, there was a William Spence (also translated as
Sponce) living in Middleburg, Loudoun County, VA, located
approximately twenty miles east of Millwood. This Spence is listed
as 50 to 59 years of age with a 40 to 49 year old female (likely
his wife), and five children under 19 years of age. Considering
the thirty years that had passed after George Washingtons death,
when the William Spence who had worked at Mount Vernon was
still a young man, it is possible that by 1830 he was fifty-year old
man, married and with children. According to historian Barbara
Sarudy, the indentured servant gardeners of the Chesapeake Bay
area during that period were typically between 20 and 30 years
old (Sarudy, 83).

Whether or not the Spence to whom the design for
Carter Halls original garden is the same Spence who once
worked for George Washington, it is clear that the mysterious
Mr. Spence was likely a gardener-turned-designer. Mr. Spence
is not known by a full name, nor is there documentation of
Spence within correspondence and receipts belonging to George
Burwell reviewed for the year 1830 and several preceding years
(Collections of Virginia Historical Society). Were Mr. Spence a
gentleman designer or professional not viewed as belonging to
the servile class, it is likely he would be better remembered.

32

Carter Hall in War

By 1861, Georges improvements to both the mansion

and gardens elevated Carter Hall to a well-known estate. As
T.K. Cartmell wrote in Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and their
Descendents, the property had no equal in the class of Colonial
homesteads. The Hall was located at that time in a natural
forest which along with all the environments of the property,
suggested to the visitor beauty and grandeur, harmonized by a
master genius with lavish expenditure (Civil,19). However, the
destruction of war soon took its toll on the landscape and the
Burwell family.

In early 1862, with increasing military presence in Clarke
County, George Burwell and his friend John Evelyn Page paid a
visit to the Yankee commander at Winchester to request that no
engagements take place in the neighborhood around Carter Hall
and Millwood (Cartgen, 23). Whether or not the gentlemens
request was honored, no battles took place near Carter Hall.
However, the property, as well as Millwood, and surrounding
estates, was frequented by troops on both sides.

In August of 1862, a diary entry by Georges great
niece, Matella Cary Page, reported that approximately 18 slaves
from Carter Hall, the nearby Meadow estate, and the adjacent
Longwood property walked away from their servitude. She
reported that nearly two weeks later, Yankee troops visited Carter
Hall and carried off cattle (Cartgen, 27). The old way of life at the
plantation was slowly unraveling.

Later that year, General Stonewall Jackson moved from
his position at Bunker Hill to the grove at Carter Hall. George
Burwell Jr. was sent to General Jackson with a basket of food and
an invitation to use the main house as the Generals headquarters.
However, Jackson politely refused the invitation on the grounds
that he did not want to disturb the residents of a gentlemans
house with his loud activities and irregular hours. Instead, he
pitched his Sibley tent of a beautiful color, conical shape under

a very large black walnut tree located near the turn of the road
in the Carter Hall grove (Cartgen, 17). The Generals visit in the
fall of 1862 provided another great anecdote, as his surgeon, Dr.
Hunter H. McGuire, performed a very successful cataract surgery
on George on the grand portico of Carter Hall.

Other troop visits in 1862 were not nearly as pleasant.
Some of Brigadier General Ludwig Blenkers brigade of 10,000
volunteers from New York and Pennsylvania known as Blenkers
Dutch (although they were actually Germans) ransacked Carter
Hall. After raiding the wine cellar, the drunken troops broke china
and glass, ransacked intimate apparel belonging to the ladies of the
house, and proved a generally menacing sight. Luckily, a Union
officer brought an end to their destructive activities and stationed
a guard at the house to protect the family. While no members of
the house were physically harmed during the incident, the event
left a lasting impression on the family and led George to pour
out his stores of alcohol, except for a small amount hidden in
the attic of the East dependency. (Civil, 24) The family silver was
also secreted from marauding troops, hidden in the attic of the
secondary east wing ( James, 336).

The most devastating event of the war for the Burwell
family also occurred in 1862, with the death of their oldest son,
Nathaniel, a Sergeant Major of the Nelson Rifles, Company C,
2nd Virginia Regiment, Stonewall Brigade. Having been sick for
quite some time, Nathaniel had been ordered to hospital before
the battle of Second Manassas. Itching for battle, Nathaniel left
the hospital to find his company. Riding through the countryside,
he was unable to find his fellow Rifles and joined up with a
Texas regiment instead. Sadly, Nathaniel was mortally wounded
in battle, later dying at a field hospital at Mercer (Cartgen, 17).

Agnes took Nathaniels sword home as a cherished
memento of her deceased son. During a raid by Federal troops,
she dropped the sword out of her bedroom window to avoid its
seizure by the Yankees.
33

Below her bedroom window was a large bush, called the chamber
which was likely a mock-orange ( James, 337).

Unfortunately, as troops chased the Bantam hens around
the yard looking for a fresh meal, some of the birds sought
shelter under the chamber leading troops directly to the swords
hiding spot. Presumably, the sword was taken as a war bounty
( James, 338). At the termination of the war, George Jr. was the
only survivor of three sons. Nathaniel was killed at the battle of
Manassas in 1862 and Robert was killed at Brandy Station in
1863 (Gold, 231).

It appears that George, at over 60 years of age, also enrolled
in the Nelson Rifles to serve as an example to the younger men
(Gold, 44), although it is unclear when he joined the troop.

Both armies continued to use Carter Hall as a rest stop in
1863. In June of 1863 Alexanders Battalion (a unit of Longstreets
First Corps.) camped in Millwood for three days before marching
to a better location in a grove of treeson the grounds of a
gentleman named Burwell whose house they found to be the
handsomest in the Valley (Cartgen, 19). One of Alexanders
men, Dr. William Watts Parker later wrote that the grounds of
Carter Hall were of rare beautyThere was a spring on this
place which was remarkable even in that land of abundant and
healthful waters. It flowed from under huge gray rocks, cold and
sparkling, in a torrent that might have turned a mill-wheel. How
we drank, and drank again (Cartgen, 19). Union troops under
the command of General Pickett also camped in the Carter Hall
grove soon after the Battle of Gettysburg and just on the heels of
a defeat along the Shenandoah River (Carter Hall, 19) in 1863,
taking shelter under an oak (HGW), which may have been the
knoll above the spring.

During this time, Yankee forces patrolled the area around
Millwood and Carter Hall, looking for Confederate forces

34

(Civil, 44). It is also thought that soldiers hid in the caves adjacent
to the Carter Hall spring during the War (Muldoon). Confederate
troops also made use of the Millwood mill after collecting grain
from the countryside (Gold, 45).

Despite the unpleasant situation of war in the Valley,
Carter Hall remained the social center of an area extending east
from Berrys Ferry on the Shenandoah, to the town of Millwood
and up to the Old Chapel (Cartgen, 21). During the war, Carter
Hall entertained at least one Confederate soldier on furlough,
who described leisurely long dinners and late breakfasts, a distinct
difference from his military routine (Civil, 23). And, in August of
1864 Brevet Major General Wesley Merritt camped on the sofa
in the first floor hall (Cartgen, 20).

At the conclusion of the Civil War, only two homes in
the Valley, Frankford and Hill and Dale had been destroyed;
however, the landscape had definitely been altered (Shadow,
10). As a member of Alexanders Battalion reported in 1863, the
town of Millwood had been devastated by Federal troops who
had taken everything but the land (Cartgen, 19). Not unlike
their neighbors, nearly all of Carter Halls livestock had been
sequestered or stolen, most of the split rail fences had been used
for camp fires, most of its fields were lying fallow (Civil, 44).
Luckily, the mansion and outbuildings remained undamaged and
the natural setting, the grove and spring, remained unspoiled
(Cartgen, 19).

The loss of livestock, damage to infrastructure, and the
end of slavery signaled an end to the lavish lifestyle enjoyed
by plantation owners. Carter Hall, like many estates, was left
greatly impoverished by the war. Compounding the loss of their
property was the loss of their liquid assets, which George had
used to purchase Confederate States bonds (Breeding, 18).

Extract of Will of George H. Burwell decd.

Record I will and devise to my son George H.

Burwell and his kin forever this following real estate,
viz. all this [rest ?] and (residue ?) of this Carter Hall tract
of land including this field in front of this house
and above this mill, and that part of this Spout-Run
farm which I purchased of my brother Thomas H.
Burwell in his life him, and the field known
as this [long ?] field west of this Barn, and this old
house field lying on this west side of this road
now turning through it, and this meadow
lying west of a line from this gate to this [line ?] of
this land now owned by Wm. [Grun.?] Said [long ?]
field, old house field and meadow being a portion
of this land I purchased of said brother Thomas H.
Burwells estate after his death; and is intended
to embrace all this land lying west of the line by
which I hereinafter designate this line of this
land devised to my daughter Francis T. Harrison
& her children.

Figure 11 - George Burwell will. [Credit: VHS Burwell family papers, 1770-1965, Section 13: bond,
1819-1871, of George Harrison Burwell. Transcribed by the author]

35

George Burwell Jr. Period

(1873-1880)

eorge Jr., the youngest son of George and Agnes
Burwell, and next owner of Carter Hall, was born in 1848 in the
old school house while the main mansion was being repaired.
(Cartgen, 21) George Jr. went on to receive a university education
thanks to his maternal uncle who was president of HampdenSydney, and allowed him to stay with him, helping to save money.
After studying law at the University of Virginia for a year, he
practiced law in the offices of Major Robert Stile in Richmond
(Cartgen, 21).

Upon his fathers death in 1873, George Jr. inherited
the Carter Hall tract as part of approximately 650 acres, which
included the land on which Mount Airy would later be built
(Record, 25). However, the family did not stay at Carter Hall, but
rather moved away, and the house was rented out. By 1880 Agnes
was staying with her daughter at Saratoga (VHS Burwell Papers
1770-1965, Section 8), the house built by Daniel Morgan, while
George remained in Richmond (Spur).

It is unclear when the family moved out of Carter Hall,
but it seems by 1876 the family was either hosting paying guests
36

renting the entire house out to help cover the costs of

maintaining Carter Hall (Civil, 45). In fact, it appears that leasing
out the property may have been required by the executors of
George H. Burwells will in order to cover debts (VHS Burwell
Family Papers 1770-1965, Section 13).

Early guests included Robert G. Neville, a young
Irish sportsman who stayed at Carter Hall in 1876, and an
Englishman, Percy William Charrington, who stayed at Carter
Hall around 1877 (Cartgen). Neville is famous for having been
involved in Clarke Countys only reported duel, which allegedly
took place alongside the spring pond (Civil, 45) perhaps near the
small cluster of hemlock trees on the east bank near the spring
(Burt Kaplan personal communication 5/15/2013). The duel was
proposed by William Fitzhugh Randolph over a perceived slight
against his sister, and Neville chose short swords as the weapon.
Fortunately, their seconds interfered before either man was
seriously hurt (Civil, 45).

In 1877, the Landsdale family rented Carter Hall as a
vacation home, returning four years later to stay at Pagebrook
(Return) several miles away. In January 1880, the Clarke County
Courier reported that Miss Edmonia Page, a daughter of the late
Mann Page of this county was renting Carter Hall (ESTEP).

In addition to rental income from the mansion, there may
also have been rental income for the farm that George Jr. was
reported to own in 1880 (ESTEP).

The original grist mill for Carter Hall, also called the
Bosteyan mill, left the family at some time prior to 1880. An
advertisement from April of that year posted in the Clarke
County Courier by R. (Rebecca) J. Eddy, listed the mill and mill
house for rent. The advertisement describes the mill and house as
being on a very nice site, with a garden, improved machinery, and
located in a good wheat growing region.

The house is billed as spacious and conveniently located near

churches and school (Eddy). The Burwell-Morgan mill also left
the family during this time. Records indicate that A.H. Garvin
owned the mill from 1878 to 1883, although it is unknown if
George Jr. owned the mill prior to 1878 (MILLS).

During the 1880s, Reconstruction brought a new period
of economic stability. As a result, the Valley experienced a new
wave of migration as people sought out the sporting and summer
vacation opportunities the Valley had to offer. Of particular
interest were the Valleys many springs which were much resorted
to, not only for their value as medicinal waters, but as a place (in
the season) of recreation and pleasure (History 4th, 322). Fox
hunting experienced a revival during this period and may also
have contributed to the Valleys appeal (Shadow, 10). In addition,
the Valley was more accessible than ever before. Four passenger
and freight trains passed through Clarke County every day in
1886, two northbound and two southbound (CCH, 169).

It appears that Agnes was able to use her rental income
to support a high quality of life. Receipts from 1879 indicate she
was able to take shopping trips to New York and Baltimore with
her daughter, where they had a gold watch repaired, purchased
furniture, a dress, and morocco lace boots (VHS Burwell Papers
1770-1965, Section 17).

In 1883, after the death of his wife, George Jr. moved back
to Clarke County from Richmond. On land inherited from his
father, he built Mount Airy (CARTGEN, 27). Several years later,
in 1886, George Jr. purchased the Bosteyan mill from Rebecca
Eddy and a year later they sold it to J.H. Bowles (EDDY).

It is currently unknown what, if any, landscape changes
occurred during this period. Similarly, it is unknown if there
was a staff provided for renters, or if there was any other type of
maintenance provided for the house or garden.

37

Sharpe Sisters Period

(1883-1902)

round 1883 George Jr. and Agnes Burwell sold Carter
Hall to four sisters from Wilmington, Delaware. One of the
Sharpe sisters, Virginia, had married Thomas Hugh Burwell, great
grandson of Colonel Burwell, in 1882 (Civil, 46). This connection
is perhaps how the Sisters discovered the property.

Virginia and Thomas had three daughters, Emily, Sybilla,
and Elizabeth. It seems the girls had a lively childhood during
their time at Carter Hall. An anecdote tells of them breaking
the cardinal rule: no farm animals in the house. After the three
youngsters snuck a lamb up to the attic one summer day, the
animal fell through the unattached covering at the top of one
the columns. Their angry father contemplated leaving the lamb
in the column, but due to the heat and impending smell, Thomas
instead fetched the smallest colored boy on the estate and
lowered him down to retrieve the animal. Both the child and the
animal returned from the column unharmed (Spur, 9).

Thomas held horse shows and jousting tournaments on
the grounds of Carter Hall. The natural amphitheater below
the house held the annual festivities. The winner of the jousting
38

tournament was given the privilege of naming his lady the

Queen of Love and Beauty and the couple would reign over the
ensuing party that lasted until dawn (Spur, 10). The amphitheater
may be located just to the south east of the house to take advantage
of man-made terraces in the hillside, overlooking a patch of flat
ground (Figure 69). Photographs found in the archives of Clarke
County Historical Association show images of people showing
sheep in an area that appears to be due west of the house. The
area has a stretched amphitheater shape when viewed on LiDAR
imagery and may also be the location of Thomas Hugh Burwells
annual jousting activities (Figure 90).

It appears that Thomas was also a member of the
Blue Ridge Hunt Club. A club photo from 1905 indicates
Thomas rode a horse named Day Break (CCHA Catalogue
#2003.00027.063.A).

It is not currently known what improvements to the
property occurred under the ownership of Thomas Burwell and
his family. A photograph of the mansion dating to 1890 shows
no decorative plantings around the house save for two pine trees
located near the west wing (Norris, in Civil, 46). However, the
image does indicate that the house had recently been replastered. A
decorative dormer is shown on the east secondary wing, although
this may have been added at an earlier period. Also noteworthy
in the photo were the uniformly long steps up to the front porch,
which have since been replaced by steps that widen at the ground.
The location of the road is not clear in the photo, which was taken
from a point south of the southeast corner of the mansion, may
indicate that the road did not extend that far east across the south
yard. Alternatively, the unpaved road may simply be indiscernible
against the non-contrasting winter grass (Civil, 46).

Based on the anecdote about the little girls and the lamb
as well as information obtained from genealogical research, which
listed Thomas as a farmer (Roots), it is likely that the Carter
Hall landscape was primarily agricultural. This is supported by
the 1890 photo which shows post and wire fencing around the

house, likely to exclude livestock. The fencing had large tufts of

vegetation growing in it, indicating it had been in place for some
time.

A description of the property circa 1909 ( James) indicates
that tending to the formal garden north of the house was not a
priority during the Sharpe-Burwell years. However, it is possible
that bulbs such as poets narcissus (Narcissus poeticus) and grape
hyacinths (Muscari spp.) may have been planted by the family,
perhaps to supplement a pre-existing design. These species
gained popularity between the late 19th and early 20th centuries
(Favretti and Favretti 1998) and were found in great abundance
by a subsequent owner, John Townsend Burwell, who purchased
the property in 1908 after a period of neglect. John Townsend
Burwell found hundreds of daffodil bulbs as well as a few poets
narcissus and grape hyacinths in the middle terrace of the north
yard, under the shrubs and in the grass ( James, 337).

Virginia Burwell was the last of the four Sharpe sisters
to die, and by 1900 Thomas was a widower (Roots). In 1901,
Thomas, as guardian to Sybil and Elizabeth, sold Carter Hall
as part of a parcel of 137 acres for $19,000. In addition to the
house, the buyer, Eben Richards, obtained the stables and other
improvements and the grounds adjacent thereto together with
the Mill Field and Woods bounded (Scrapbook).

39

Eben Richards Period

(1902-1908)

ben Richards, Jr. was born in 1866 in St. Louis,
Missouri, where his father, Eben Richards owned a wholesale
grocery (Harvard). In 1886 he graduated with an A.B. (artium
baccalaureus) from Harvard University (Phi, 132) and in 1888
graduated from St. Louis Law School with an LL.B. (legum
doctor) (Harvard). Eight years later, Eben married Perle Pierce
and the couple had two children, Eben Jr. and Minnie (Class, 72).

Eben practiced law, and by 1900 had partnered to form
Johnson & Richards. By 1901, he was teaching at the St. Louis
Law School and the Marion Sims Medical College (Class, 72).
Eben also was a public servant and was been elected to the St.
Louis City Council on the Republican ticket for a four-year term
in 1899 (Class, 72).

In 1902, Eben purchased Carter Hall from Thomas
Burwell following the passing of all four Sharpe Sisters
(Property Deed - Project HOPE Scrapbook). Richards was
not related to the Burwell family by birth or by marriage and
he has been called the first outsider to own Carter Hall (Civil,
46). According to Stuart Brown, Eben may have been part of a
migration of wealthy people from St. Louis to Clarke County
40

during the early 20th century (Civil, 47). The reason for such
a migration is unknown, but perhaps may be related to the
resurgence of interest in horse sports at the beginning of the 20th
century. During this time the population of Clarke County grew
to include summer residents, such as the Mayos of Richmond
who built Powhatan, as well as others drawn to the Valley by
horse racing, fox hunting and other outdoor sports (Shadow, 10).
As a newspaper article from the period states, Around Boyce and
Millwood are clustered so many beauty spots where people of
wealth have built fine mansions and created parks (Beauties).

By 1903 Eben had purchased six tracts of land belonging
to the original estate, with the hopes of restoring the property.
However, it does not seem that Eben Richards ever lived on the
property (Civil, 47). Rather, Richards remained in St. Louis,
and hired a farm manager to run the property in his absence.
The manager lived in the mansion and farmed Richards tracts
without much help. His time and attentions were stretched thin
and Carter Hall became more of a working landscape than a
mansion: crops were stored in empty rooms and the garden was
neglected to grow as it wished (Spur, 10). Photos from the period
show sheep in the South Yard (Figure 14) and pallet fencing
surrounding young trees, indicating the agricultural nature of the
property as well as some active management of the landscape.

By 1907 Eben Richards was listed as a Sustaining Member
of the Special Committee on Employment for the Infirm in the
state of New York, lending credibility to the idea that Richards
never lived at Carter Hall.

Mr. Richards was clearly interested in the pursuits of the
gentleman farmer, having cows on the Register of The HolsteinFriesian Association of America in both 1913 (HOL 1913) and
1917 (HOL). Eben also raised Dorset Sheep and was a member
of the Continental Dorset Club in 1915. At this time, Eben
was raising animals in Oxford Depot, New York, where he held
several farms (Woodhull), one of which may have been called
Pleasant Valley Farm (Dorset).


It seems that Eben Richards had plans for renovating
the mansion. Richards commissioned famous New York
architect Henry Bacon Jr. to generate renovation plans for the
house.

Bacon is perhaps best known for designing the Lincoln
Memorial in Washington D.C. The designs for the house were
featured at the Seventeenth Annual Exhibition of the Chicago
Architectural Club, hosted by the Art Institute of Chicago in the
spring of 1904.

While his exact plans for Carter Hall are not known, it
has been proposed that Richards was interested in developing an
educational facility at Carter Hall similar to one he is thought to
have run on one of his farms in New York (Stuart, 2003). Henry
Bacon Jr.s architectural plans for Carter Hall held by the Olin
Library of Wesleyan University support the idea that Richards
was planning to renovate the property for institutional use.

Figure 12 - The ruins of an early spring house. The hillside is quite free of

vegetation and there is a pond surrounding the structure. Documentation suggests

that Gerard Lambert capped the spring. [Credit: Project HOPE Scrapbook]

Figure 13 - This photo from the Eben Richards period shows the lack of plantings at

the base of the portico and livestock fencing in line with the front steps. [Credit: Project
HOPE Scrapbook]

Figure 14 - Sheep, possibly Dorsets, graze on the Carter Hall grounds, likely in the
southwest area. [Credit: Project HOPE Scrapbook]

41

The Bacon Plan

Henry Bacon Jr. created a grand design for Carter Hall

that unified the manor house and dependencies to create an
impressive and imposing faade. While second floor plans were
not available to the researcher, the north and south elevations,
and basement and first floor plans for the building were reviewed.
Bacons architectural drawings support the assertion that Eben
Richards planned to renovate Carter Hall as an educational or
institutional facility.

One of the most striking features of Bacons design is
the unification of the main house to the dependencies which he
accomplished through colonnaded hyphens. Bacon removed the
secondary wings to accommodate the hyphens. The west hyphen
was a true colonnade, open to the air but providing a covered
walkway to connect the main house to the west dependency
which was renovated as a guest house. The east hyphen was
designed as a conservatory, with walls of small pane glass between
the colonnades. The interior of the east hyphen contained a
rectangular swimming pool and sitting area and connected to the
east dependency which was designed as an office.

Bacons plan included a large laundry and ironing room
in the basement of the west wing, and a large kitchen and store
rooms in the east wing. Several additional unmarked rooms may
have provided storage or sleeping quarters. The first floor plan
provides even more clear evidence of the institutional intent of
the design. Bacon divided the entry hall into three rooms, rather
than creating a grand entry and entertainment space. The front
door opens to a small hall with views to the north garden. A
smaller room to the east of the hall is labeled Reception and
to the west of the narrow entry hall is a living room, focusing on
the original fireplace. The west wing is comprised of a billiard
room and music room. Interestingly, the music room windows
are bricked in, sound-proofing the room, but also blocking views
of the north garden.
42

The eastern wing of the first floor is comprised of two
adjoining dining rooms, a butlers pantry, rest rooms, and
additional servants quarters.

Bacon redesigned the connection of the house to the north
garden to provide small gathering and viewing spaces by piazzas
to the outside of the east and west wings. Bacon also created a
generous terrace on the north side of the house, connecting the
two wings. The stone-tiled terrace measured 25 feet in width,
and provided ample room for a large gathering. The terrace was
contained by a stone balustrade with a central opening for a
12-foot wide staircase, allowing visitors to proceed into the
garden.

Bacon further connected the house to the landscape by
adding porches to the dependencies, that overlooked the south
lawn. A piazza on the north side of the east dependency provided
a walkway parallel to the house, connecting the office and the
garden.

The plan generated by Henry Bacon for Carter Hall
certainly supports the idea that Eben Richards intended the
property to be used for institutional purposes rather than as a
private estate. While the design is certainly grand, the inclusion
of elements such as two dining rooms rather than one grand
dining hall, and the subdivision of the entry hall seems contrary
to the design of estates intended for gracious entertaining.

Right:

An original rendering part of a competition entry by Henry Bacon was delivered to

Project HOPE by a grandson of Eben Richards (Figure 15). The rendering is in need
of restoration, but still shows the beauty of Bacons design for the property. The Bacon
design for Carter Hall maximizes indoor and gathering spaces by connecting the
dependencies to the main house (Figure 16). His plan also exhibits hallmarks of formal
institutions including reception areas, halls, and recreational spaces such as the pool
in the east hyphen (Figure 17).

Figure 15 - Bacon Rendering. [Credit: author]

Figure 16 - Bacon North Elevation. [Credit: Wesleyan University Special Collections]

Figure 17 - Bacon First Floor Plan. [Credit: Wesleyan University Special Collections]

43

Henry Bacon Jr.

Henry Bacon Jr. (1866-1924) is regarded as one of the
preeminent American architects of his era. The son of an engineer
for the U.S. Engineer Department, he left coursework at the
University of Illinois after only a year to work as a draftsman for
the Boston architecture firm of Chamberlain and Whidden. After
a short time in Boston, Bacon found work in New York with one
of the most prestigious and innovative architecture firms of the
late 19th and early 20th centuries, McKim, Mead and White.

Bacon seems to have preferred monument and institutional
design as well as campus planning and rarely designed residences,
which seems to have been a courtesy extended only to friends
(NCP). Of the four designs Bacon submitted to the 1904
Chicago Architectural Club design competition, Carter Hall was
the only residence. The other three designs were for monuments,
all located in New York (AIC).

His talent won him the Rotch Travelling Scholarship, and
Bacon spent two years studying the architecture of Europe before
returning to work at McKim, Mead and White. Bacon entered
a partnership in 1897 with a colleague before opening his own
practice in 1903.

Henry Bacon Jr. died in 1924, several days after undergoing
surgery for intestinal cancer. He was buried in Wilmington, North
Carolina, which he considered home from a young age (NCP).

In 1911, Bacon was appointed as architect for the Lincoln
Memorial in Washington DC for which he won a gold medal
from the American Institute of Architects, the highest honor the
organization can bestow.

Figure 18 - Competition Label affixed to the reverse of the Carter Hall rendering
held by Project HOPE. [Credit: author]

44

John Townsend Burwell Period

(1908-1927)

hen John Townsend Burwell purchased Carter Hall
from Eben Richards in 1908, apple production was the Valleys
primary agricultural endeavor rather than the wheat fields of
his father and grandfather, Col. Nathaniel Burwells generation
(Kalbian, 84). John Townsend spent several years attempting to
tame the North Yard. An inheritance had provided him with
the capital to once more regain ownership of part of the original
family plantation. For $60,000 he was able to purchase 500 acres
of the property from Eben Richards, including the Carter Hall
tract (Pioneers, 276).

Townsend seems to have been an artistic person with a
zest for life. In addition to being involved with local hunt clubs,
Townsend was a published author of plays and a modern motorist
who in signed a petition to increase the in town automobile
speed of Berryville from eight to twelve miles per hour (CCHA
#2003.00027.015).

Designing Carter Hall - the House

Townsends pride in the family estate was evidenced by a
period of intense renovation of the house and gardens.

Modernizations of the house included indoor rest rooms, and

plumbing provided by Louisiana Cypress water tanks stored in the
attic. The lead pan placed under the tanks to catch leaks were so
heavy, the houses structural supports were strengthened. A handfired coal burning heater installed in the cellar complemented the
new plumbing which was supplied with water from the spring
downhill by a gasoline-powered pump (Cartgen, 27).

Townsend also busied himself with extensive stylistic
renovations to the exterior of the house. Beginning in 1908,
Townsend erected a secondary west wing to match the secondary
east wing (Cartgen, 48) added by Col. Burwell in 1803 (LVA
Mutual Assurance Society Policy #2290). He augmented the
house grand appearance by adding a belvedere (Cartgen 36)
and cupola to the roof of the main house some time after 1905
(CCHA #2208.00058.005) and fanlight dormers on the west and
east secondary wings as decorative features (Cartgen, 36) . While
Townsend retained the plaster finish initially implemented by his
grandfather, George H. Burwell, he added his own touch to it by
applying the plaster with a faux Ashlar appearance (Cartgen, 38).
The transom light over the front door was replaced with a more
decorative fanlight (Cartgen, 38).

The renovation style of the house was also carried inside,
which had suffered a period of neglect in previous years, and
may have had an earth floor at the time Townsend purchased
the property (Farland). Townsend installed narrow oak flooring,
and fluted Corinthian pilasters flanking the doorways (Shadow,
45), however, the most important feature of the renovation was a
new staircase. Inspired by the staircase at Long Branch, a nearby
estate built by Robert Carter Burwell in 1811, it wound from the
main hall up to the second floor (Cartgen, 54).

The east house was modernized before any other buildings
on the property, which Charles Burwell recalls being used as
a guest house but may have had other uses (Charles Burwell,
personal communication 6/12/2013).
45

Designing Carter Hall - the Garden

Whereas the house was modernized to match
contemporary styles, Townsends plan for the gardens was one
of restoration. Townsend soon discovered the extent to which
the gardens had been neglected under the absentee ownership of
Eben Richards. He found the rear yard overgrown into a jungle
(Cartgen, 27) with great tangled masses of shrubbery and scrub
and wild-cherry trees, a foot in diameter and weeds that were
head-high choked the flower garden. However, Townsend
also found the general outline of planting areas, terraces, and a
reflecting pool (James, 339). Townsends plans for the garden
were to restore, as nearly as possible, the old general plan of the
garden, which he thought dated to his grandfather, George H.
Burwells, period (James, 338). He hoped to remove the picket
fence and extend the lawn that was immediately adjacent to
the house, and spent several years trying to renovate the garden
himself (James, 339).

To guide his garden work, Townsend studied classical
texts by Repton and Robinson, as well as contemporary
periodicals such as Garden Magazine (James, 339). After several
seasons of efforts, Townsend found his work to be unsuccessful
because it lacked composition and he decided to seek professional
advice to achieve a workable, livable and beautiful result. The
professional Townsend selected was Warren H. Manning, a
landscape architect from Boston, Massachusetts (James, 339).
Manning was charged with creating a design for the north yard of
Carter Hall that ultimately honored the historic garden in place
and utilized the remaining base of the old garden. However,
Townsend also had additional goals for the yard, which focused
on developing the yard as a living space. Townsend hoped to
unify the garden and house in a way that combined the useful
and the beautiful by screening the unattractive spaces and
Figure 19 - This staircase existed prior to 1908. [Credit: Project HOPE Scrapbook]
Figure 20 - Townsend Burwell Staircase. [Credit: Project HOPE Scrapbook]

46

maintaining connection to the utilitarian components of the

north yard. Overall, Townsend was hoping Mannings plan
would be direct and simple and permanent yet low maintenance
and economical (James, 339).

It is possible that Townsend became familiar with
Warren Manning through his review of contemporary gardening
periodicals, in which Manning was a frequent contributor.
(Genius, 36) It is also just as likely that Townsend came to learn
of Manning through a national network of prominent clients
developed through Mannings many projects as an independent
professional as well as through his early work with Olmsted,
Olmsted & Eliot, often referred to as Americas first landscape
architecture firm (Genius, 37).

Perhaps Townsend was drawn to the pragmatic tone of
many of Mannings articles and his promotion of two important
ideas: designing for the genius loci, and making gardens accessible.
Manning was a strong proponent of the idea of wild gardens
which were based on the beauty of the landscape already in place.
Manning promoted the idea of garden planning in what he called
a nature-like manner that provided an appearance of untamed
luxuriance, of careless and unstudied grace which suggests perfect
freedom (Genius, 38). Manning also promoted the accessibility
of the distinctly informal garden as a way for all people to
experience the benefits of a landscape beautified by plantings.
Manning advocated a pragmatic approach which he outlined in
pamphlets such as Suggestions for Beautifying Home, Village, and
Roadway, published by the American Park and Outdoor Art
Association.

The Country Place Era during which Townsend renovated
Carter Hall, was one in which the landscape experienced renewed
appreciation as a therapeutic and social space, and a blending of
naturalistic and more formally designed areas was celebrated,
particularly on country estates. The importance of the merging of
indoor and outdoor spaces and the goal of creating, as Manning
wrote, home grounds as inviting and convenient to live in as

Figure 21 - Carter Hall. [Credit: Handley Library Archives Wayland Collection 26-

343]

home rooms is evidenced in Townsends treatment of the rear of

the mansion (Beautify, 1).

By placing a cupola and belvedere on the main house
Townsend not only emphasized the visual prominence of the
house within its surroundings, but provided another venue
from which to enjoy the view of the grounds. He continued the
connection of the house and grounds in the North yard, by adding
a small Romeo and Juliet balcony with turned balusters directly
in front of the rear door. He also provided himself additional
access to the garden through French doors from the first floor
study (in the present location of the Mourning Room) (Cartgen,
40).

By 1931, when Homes and Gardens in Old Virginia was
published, Townsends garden was described as sloping away
in terraces, between circular borders of old-fashioned English
perennials and shrubs, to an oval pool filled with goldfish and
rare waterlilies (Oldva, 299).

47


Townsend also renovated the porches in the rear yard,
which at 400 square feet, were much larger than the original
porches. Where there had originally been three small porches
located behind the rear door and the primary wings, Townsend
created two large covered porches behind the primary wings
connected by a narrow open walkway (Oldva, 497). Additionally,
Townsend created a transverse passage between the front door
and the garden (Shadow, 45) by arching the new staircase up and
around the back to allow direct movement between the entrance
and rear doors.

Designing Carter Hall - the Property

During the Townsend period, it seems that the landscape
surrounding the mansion was primarily agricultural in use
and form. Townsend connected the dependencies with the
mansion house by adding mortared stone walls which permitted
access through white, arched, wood slat gates. The function
of the dependencies during this period is not clear, although
it seems that the west dependency was used at times to house
servants (Charles Burwell personal communication 6/12/2013).
Interestingly, images from late in Townsends ownership do not
show distinct paths to the front door. A rear door, on the first
floor was accessed from the service yard by a flight of stairs.

porch was covered with white lattice, further shielding it from the
utilitarian space just beyond (Figure 26). The service yard was
composed of a pigeon house (most westerly of the buildings), an
open shed, and another walled building Charles Burwell does not
recall the purpose of (Charles Burwell, personal communication
6/12/2013).

According to interviews with Mr. Charles Burwell,
Townsends youngest son, the South yard was pasture land for
horses and cattle. Charles recalls a barn south of the mansion
which was used for storing animal feed, which has been located
using LiDAR data.

Images dating to the period of Townsends ownership
show wood post and wire fencing in line with the front stairs
of the main house, which curved around toward the west
dependency. The rustic appearance of the fence, gives the author
the impression that it was in place primarily to keep livestock
from accessing the area directly adjacent the mansion.

The East dependency during this time did not have a
path to the front door either, which was accessed by a flight of
five stairs, indicating the degree to which the land has since been
graded. Other interesting features of the East dependency which
may give clues to its use during the Townsend and earlier periods
are the two sets of stair entrances on the front and the east side,
while the rear of the building (north side) held twin doors both
with transom lights. It seems the East dependency was at one
time a very busy place!

The service yard was formally separated from the mansion
house with a white picket fence, and the west side of the western
Figure 22 - Townsend Barn Footprint. [Credit: Author]

48


However, it seems that the animal use was not intensive
and was not entirely economically based. Rather, Charles
remembers the animals being used in part as a way to manage
the grassy landscape, with dairy cows and show livestock grazing
the south lawn and grove all the way down to Millwood (Charles
Burwell personal communication 6/12/2013).


While Townsend was undoubtedly an educated and
motivated gardener, it is possible that he acquired local help
in managing the property early on before contacting Warren
Manning. Late 20th century restoration work revealed a patch
of graffiti on the dining room wall, which has been transcribed as
belonging to ca. 1908-1909. Among the names of carpenters and
painters who worked at the property, perhaps during renovation
of the property by Townsend Burwell, was a E. Earnest Cissell,
Landscape Gardener (Scrapbook).

The cave may have extended close to the house to touch

the basement stones so that if you yelled in the basement you
could be heard down by the stream (Charles Burwell personal
communication 6/12/2013).

Figure 23 - Implement in Ground. [Credit: Author]

According to his son, Charles Burwell, Townsend also
had a gardener named Banks who doubled as the miller for the
property. Townsend owned the original mill associated with
the property and Charles recalls it being a straight shot across
Spout Run to the barn up the hill (Charles Burwell personal
communication 6/12/2013).

Figure 24 - Underside of Implement. [Credit: Author]

Charles also recalls enjoying the spring as a child, which
remembers flowing freely from the hillside. He also enjoyed
exploring the cave near the spring and recollects being able to
walk approximately twenty feet into the cave before coming to
an edge where he could see the spring flow underground below
him. Charles also remembers being able to hear the spring water
while standing in the eastern end of the basement of the house.
Left:

When freshly mowed, the footprint of the Townsend era barn on the south lawn of
Carter Hall can be detected as a flattened surface with squared corners. The flattened
pad shares an edge with the line of the old wood and wire fence which connects to the
end of an older stone fence hidden by the shrubs at the rear of the picture. It is likely
the wire fence was used to form paddocks for grazing livestock.

Figure 25 - Blade. [Credit: Author]

Above:

Implements found among the roots of a grove of Norway spruce located southwest
of the west dependency along the road may indicate management strategies for
the property. Anecdotes about the property indicate this area may have been used
as a slaughtering area for hogs during the Townsend period (Burt Kaplan, personal
communication 6/18/2013). Efforts to identify the use of the top object (Figures 23, 24)
have been unsuccessful.

49

The Manning Plan

It is unclear when John Townsend Burwell
sought the services of Warren H. Manning, however,
based on Townsends own account in Historic Gardens
of Virginia, it seems that it was sometime around 1912.

The task Townsend set before Manning was
to create a workable, livable and beautiful plan that
utilized the basis of the old garden, which he attributed
to the 1830 design of Mr. Spence, a Scottish landscape
gardener who was hired to embellish the existing
grounds during the ownership of his grandfather,
George H. Burwell ( James, 338).

Within the jungle the garden had become over
years of neglect, Townsend found single foot-paths a
pool, small groves of pines and hemlocks dating to the
period, and the outline of the primary flower garden.
The original terraces also remained intact, planted with
narcissus and hyacinth bulbs interspersed in the lawn
( James, 338).


In addition to his desire to honor and restore
the original garden, Townsend also hoped to create
an outdoor space more useful for his family, and more
economical in upkeep. A primary goal was to create
more connection between the house and the yard by
removing the old picket fence which had separated the
flower garden from the rest of the yard. He also hoped
to increase the amount of usable space by extending
the small patch of lawn located beneath the rear door
( James, 339).

Warren Mannings respect for the inherent
beauty of places and their genius loci made him a
Figure 26 - Manning Plan. [Credit: Sale]

50

good choice for an owner hoping to celebrate the history of

his garden. Mannings designs were based on the historical
and natural context of the garden. In addition, while Manning
believed that formal gardens had a legitimate role in country
places he discouraged making the formal garden the centerpiece
of the landscape (Genius, 39). It is possible this philosophy
guided his plan for Carter Hall to be simple in keeping with
the maintenance goals of Townsend Burwell, as well as to fit the
garden more harmoniously into the rolling agricultural landscape.

It should be noted that the exact plan that Warren
Manning developed for Townsend Burwell may never be
known. What is known of the original design comes from brief
description provided by Townsend in Historic Gardens of Virginia
and a watercolor of the plan in the same volume. However, the
watercolor is a reproduction, which may have been developed
from the original or through description by Mr. Burwell. Either
way, it is possible that errors were generated either inadvertently
or through artistic license. Unfortunately, many of Mannings
professional documents were destroyed after his death in 1938,
and the original may no longer exist (Bert, 1).

The plan attributed to Manning shows five major spaces:
a formal ambulatory path and reflecting pool, a tennis court and
open area, a kitchen garden, an orchard, and a semi-secluded
rose garden. The elements represented on the plan are typical
for Mannings estate designs, which borrowed heavily from the
Olmstedian formula of winding approach drives, lawns and
meadows, massed plantings of trees and shrubs, reflective water
features, garden structures, terraces, orchards, vegetable, cutting
and ornamental gardens, bridle paths, bridges, and greenhouses,
farm buildings, and stables. (Genius, 39) However, it was much
more simple and limited in scope than the other estate designs to
suit the needs of the Burwell family.

Mannings plan for the garden was implemented bit by
bit over the years that Townsend and his family lived at Carter
Hall ( James, 339). However, not all aspects of the plan were

implemented as Townsend modified the plan to meet the needs

of the garden and the desires of his family.

Writing sometime prior to the 1923 publication of Historic
Gardens of Virginia, Townsend expressed his doubt that the rose
garden would ever be implemented, or at least not in the location
selected by Manning. With two young boys to accommodate,
the area designated for the rose garden was instead planned as
a leveled area for lawn games: bowls, croquet, and clock golf.
In addition, Townsend thought it unlikely seating would be
incorporated into the shrub borders as the family preferred to
sit at tables placed beside the lily pond, under the shade of the
pine trees. The arborvitae hedge along the second terrace was also
replaced with shrub roses, viburnum, and cornels (members of
the Cornus family) as a result of poor growth in the shade of the
pre-existing canopy trees (James, 340).

By the date of his article, published in 1923, Mannings
design had been implemented only on the top and middle
terraces. (James, 340) Based on the recollection of Townsends
son, Charles, the tennis courts were never built, with the space
being used to extend the kitchen garden. The orchard also seems
to have been much less formally and intensely planted.

Left:

The plan for Carter Hall attributed to Warren Manning was reproduced in watercolor by
Lila Williams. Preliminary archival research in the Manning collections of Lake Forest,
Iowa State and Harvard Universities as well as University of Massachusetts have not
produced evidence of original work on Carter Hall.

51

Warren Manning

Born to a well-known New England nursery owner,
Warren Manning gained extensive horticultural knowledge at an
early age. An accomplished lecturer and author, Manning spoke
before distinguished groups such as the American Academy for
the Advancement of Science in Montreal, and contributed to
many gardening periodicals.


In 1887, he was hired by the nations preeminent landscape
architectural firm, Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot as a planting
advisor and quickly became a designer himself. While employed
under Frederick Law Olmsted, he oversaw prominent projects
such as the 1893 Worlds Columbian Exposition in Chicago, and
the planting for the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina.


In 1895, Manning left OO&E to open his own firm,
which found nation-wide success. Mannings talents extended
beyond residential design to include subdivisions, amusement
parks, and urban planning.

Figure 27 - Service Yard. [Credit: Project HOPE Scrapbook]

In 1914, Warren Manning served as the President of
the American Association of Landscape Architecture and was an
advocate for the formation of the National Park Service in 1916.

Most often remembered for his planning work, Manning
is also known for advocating the wild garden a design style
focusing on naturalistic plantings, native plants, and treatment of
the entire landscape (Mount).

Right:

Photo taken at the end of the Townsend period show the lattice work and established
cedar trees that visually screened the west porch from view of the service yard
(Figure 27). A photo of the North yard shows a path leading to the outbuildings and
a white picket fence between buildings at the right of the image, remnants of which
remain today (Figure 28).

52

Figure 28 - North Yard ca. 1929. [Credit: Project HOPE Scrapbook]

Interview Charles Burwell

Important Landscape Features
Vegetable garden
"Back yard"
Possible grazing extent
Lane to Millwood
Greater Tree Density (than
existing conditions)
"Grove" to river (fewer trees
than existing conditions)
Baseball field (approx.
location)
Horse stables
Pidgeon house maintained by
Charles
Open shed
Kitchen (occasional servants
quarters)
Guest House
Former location of barn
Main entrance to property
Carter Hall Mill (residence for
millner/gardener)
Horse show area
Open spring

Cave (play space for Charles)

Figure 29 - Important landscape features at Carter Hall ca. 1929, based on interview with Charles Burwell June 12, 2013.

[Credit: Author, Google Maps base]

based on notes from Mr
Charles Burwell June 12, 2013

53

Gerard Lambert Period

(1927-1947)

what he is best known for is a bold, modern marketing campaign

that turned the antiseptic solution into a health and beauty care
necessity for the average American. His talent with marketing
led him to start an advertising firm called Lambert and Feasley
(Lambert, 128).

Prior to the stock market crash of 1929, Lambert had
sold both his advertising agency and his shares of Listerine
Pharmacal and the Lambert Company, expanding his wealth
further. During this time, his first marriage was nearing its end,
and Lambert moved to Boston to take a job as President of the
Gillette Razor Company. In late 1929, while living in Boston,
Lambert purchased Carter Hall as a vacation house in his muchbeloved ancestral homeland, Virginia.

erard Lambert and his siblings were orphaned early
in life, but thanks to the care of their extended family and the
large inheritance left to them by their father, Gerard was able to
lead a very comfortable life. Using his inheritance, Gerard was
able to pursue an education at Princeton where he focused his
studies on art and archaeology (Lambert, 49) and enjoyed his
free time driving and experimenting with automobiles. While
still a student, Gerard was a member of the Automobile Club of
America, using the shop to develop a new racing rim for which
he received a patent (Lambert, 57). He also joined the New York
Yacht Club. Yachting remained a passionate life-long hobby for
Lambert. Truly, Lambert was a man of eclectic interests, holding
the presidency of the Princeton golf club while in school (which
he credited for his love of grass) and later becoming the President
of the New Jersey Society of the Archaeological Institute of
America (Lambert, 134).

Around 1922, Gerard Lambert grew truly wealthy after
becoming President of the Listerine Pharmacal Company, the
family business. Lambert made bold moves to restructure many
aspects of the business including suppliers, product taxation, and
management, all of which resulted in increased profits. However,
54

Between his divorce and remarriage, Lambert made
weekly trips to Carter Hall from Boston, where he worked as
President of Gillette Company. Carter Hall served primarily
as a vacation property and accommodated frequent visitors
including prominent members of society such as Secretary of the
Navy Charles Francis Adams (also a famous yachtsman), Adalai
Stevensen, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Vanderbilt, and George Horace
Gallup (Lloyd).

Designing Carter Hall the House

Between the turn of the 20th century until the stock
market crash of 1929, there was an infusion of energy and
wealth into Virginia and many historic homes were acquired and
modernized by wealthy people from outside the Commonwealth.
The trend was encouraged by a fascination with the genteel style
of country living, and the English squire became a model for
this new class of rural residents. As these wealthy industrialists
and other business leaders moved to Virginia to enjoy the charm
of country living, the many old plantation houses became the
inevitable habitat for this way of life (Grove, 22).

Gerard Lambert was certainly a member of Americas new rural

elite (Grove, 22). His eldest daughter, Rachel Bunny Lambert
had been attending the Foxcroft School in Middleburg, Virginia
for nearly seven years when he purchased Carter Hall. During
that time, Gerard developed a close friendship with Dora Frost
and her husband who lived across the road from the Foxcroft
School (Lloyd). Doris was a realtor in addition to being a greatgreat-granddaughter of Co. Burwell and had informed Gerard
the property was on the market (Cartgen, 28).

It is obvious that Lambert felt a strong personal connection
to the property and took great pride in being a seventh greatgrandson of Major Lewis Burwell II, who was Col. Burwells
grandfather. As he reported in his memoir, Lambert purchased
Carter Hall from his cousin Townsend Burwell for sentimental
reasons (Lambert, 138). His sentimental attachment and
genealogical connections led him to purchase other Burwelliana.

In 1930 he purchased the land which had held the
Fairfield Estate in Gloucester County, prior to it burning down
in 1897 (VDHR). He also began collecting original papers of
George Washington (Estate), and likely also papers belonging to
the Burwells.

Soon after purchasing the property in late 1929, Lambert
hired architect, Harrie T. Lindeberg, to renovate the mansion.
The two men had an established relationship, as Lindeberg had
previously worked for Lambert, designing Albemarle, the familys
home in Princeton, New Jersey. Lamberts goal for the Carter
Hall renovation was to make it comfortable without sacrificing
the southern atmosphere. It seems this was achieved by focusing
renovations on the interiors while limiting changes to the exterior
of the house and dependencies.


Lindeberg has been credited with eclectically blending
earlier styles to create a formal country home inspired by Palladian
ideas of symmetry and proportion (Shadow 45). Lindeberg
removed many of the large embellishments added
in earlier times to restore the house in part to its
original late 18th century appearance. The widows
walk, and cupola as well as the pediments and
fanlights on the wings and dependencies were also
removed (Shadow, 45). In addition, the plaster
was stripped from the mansion and dependencies
that had covered the original stonework for one
hundred years. Lindeberg did retain the grand
portico and the generous gathering porches in the
rear of the house, which had become identifiable
features of the house.

Left:
Figure 30 - Townsend Front Door.
[Credit: Project HOPE Scrapbook]

Figure 31 - Lambert Front Door.

[Credit: Project HOPE Scrapbook]

Architect Harry Lindeberg redesigned the fanlight first installed by

Townsend Burwell and removed the small windows framing the
front door that were likely original to the house (Figure 30). Note
the lack of a screen door in the Lambert period (Figure 31).

55


Images of the renovation also show the fanlight over the
front door was redesigned and the side lights on either side of the
front door were removed and rebricked.

Interior renovations provided comfort to the new owner
and enhanced the character of the home. Modern features included
the addition of private bathrooms for the upstairs bedrooms and
enlarged closets (Cartgen, 28). A new heating facility complete
with a coal storage room was added in the cellar where the
main kitchen was relocated in the west wing (Cartgen, 24). A
dumbwaiter connected the primary kitchen in the basement to
a service kitchen adjacent the first floor dining room (cartgen,
28). To add character to the home, Harrie Lindeberg installed
wide board, old pine, pegged flooring (Cartgen, 28).

Perhaps the most prominent change to the interior of the
home is the magnificent flying staircase that gracefully spiraled
up to the second floor (Figure 32). Inspired by a similar staircase
at Shirley, the staircase displayed an underside of scrolled soffit
(Shadow, 45). The flying staircase was more in line with the front
door, but blocked the view of the rear window.

In addition to restoring the mansion, Gerard Lambert
restored the outbuildings and added a third outbuilding, a
laundry, to the service yard by March 1932. According to a 1931
topographic survey of the property, the service yard appeared to
contain only two buildings, a dairy on the western end of the
service yard, and a meat (smoke) house at the eastern end of
the service yard, which may indicate new uses for the buildings
that existed during the Townsend Burwell period. According to
Stuart Brown the dairy may have originally had barred windows
and served as a slave jail (Cartgen, 29). Lambert also built an
addition to the existing barn located at the northwestern corner
of the north yard. The barn was converted to a garage and the
addition housed the garage servants (Cartgen, 29).

Designing Carter Hall the Garden

Some minor modifications to the north yard appear to
have been made as part of the original renovation of the property.
Based on the recollection of Charles Burwell, it does not seem

The transition from an agricultural estate and family
home to a vacation property was further accommodated by the
addition of a bedroom in the secondary west wing, and a pub
room and wet bar in the basement of the secondary east wing.
This entertaining space included a wine vault, rest rooms, a sitting
room and a cozy fire place, and featured a beautiful handmade
wooden bar.

Gerard Lambert kept the property fully staffed (Cartgen,
29), but it is unclear where the staff stayed on the property. At
some point prior to 1937, John Wayland visited Carter Hall and
reported the dependencies were being used as offices (Historic,
111). A topographic survey of the property from 1931 labels the
three outbuildings directly north of the mansion as being a barn
flanked by two houses (OHNS 9311-4).
Figure 32 - Lindebergs Flying Staircase.

56

[Credit: Handley Library John Walter Wayland Collection 26-348]

that the tennis court pictured in the Lila Williams depiction of

the Manning plan was ever built during the Townsend Burwell
period. However, that space was used to build a fortified dog yard
of poured concrete with one foot high concrete foundation walls,
likely to hold tall chain link fencing as it does today.

In addition to the dog yard, the 1932 Olmsted Brothers
surveys of the property indicate that by March of that year the
balustrade that framed the Romeo and Juliet balcony between
the two north yard porches had been removed. Also removed was
the southernmost curve of the oval north yard path and the stairs
that paralleled and connected the path to the balcony.

Archived correspondence and drawings suggest that
soon after renovations to the house were completed in 1931,
Lambert contacted the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture
firm to begin work on the garden and grounds at Carter Hall.

Associates from the firm appear to have first visited Carter Hall
in February 1932, photographing the north garden and the south
area adjacent to the house and dependencies while several inches
of snow still covered the ground.

The lead designer for Carter Hall was an associate at
Olmsted Brothers named Percival Gallagher who had previous
experience designing for large country estates. Between 1920
and 1926 Gallagher served as the lead designer for Oldfields, an
estate in Indianapolis, Indiana (Schleif). It seems that the designs
by Olmsted were meant to address some features of the garden
which Gallagher and Lambert discussed at their initial meeting
on the property: kitchen and flower gardens, barns, garage, and
dog yard (LOC Correspondence Reel 454, 1933) which seems
to have already been in place, perhaps implemented as part of the
original restoration work by Lindeberg.

Figure 33 - A view north to the rear of Carter Hall, during Lambert renovations. Note elements evident on the
Manning plan: old cedar, shrub mass, and paved paths leading from the interior edges of porches. North Yard.
[Credit: Project HOPE]

57


Gallaghers design for Carter Hall is similar to that of
Oldfield as both include many of the stylistic goals that were
part of the Olmstedian tradition: a formal garden with arbors, an
orchard and kitchen garden, a more naturalistic garden (which at
Oldfield was located in a ravine), and an alle framing the view to
the house (IMA). The alle is on axis with the house with trails
on either side winding through more naturalistic plantings. The
Gallagher design also includes a parterre with a circular pool in
the center.

Aside from formal survey of the property and a planting
plan for the area immediately around the house, for which Lambert
paid $839 (LOC Correspondence Reel 454, 6/3/1932), it does
not appear that Olmsted Brothers firm provided any services to
Carter Hall. In fact, a review of correspondence regarding Carter
Hall held by the Olmsted National Historic Archives indicate
that soon after requesting the survey and receiving a suggested
planting plan, Lambert abruptly ceased his relationship with the
firm (LOC Correspondence Reel 454, 3/24/1932). Writing to the
firm on Gillette Company letterhead, Lambert expressed shock
over the cost estimate he received from Gallagher and explained
that a canceled appointment on March 24th was due to the need
for several weeks rest in the Bahamas. A reply from an Olmsted
Brothers representative, Mr. Sloet, explained that the high quote
was derived from selecting specimen stock for immediate effect
(LOC Correspondence Reel 454, 3/27/1932).

The firm had sent a representative, Mr. Lewis, to
Millwood to discuss the plan for the North yard with Lambert.
It seems that Mr. Lewis arrived at Carter Hall to find Lambert
indisposed, and that his plans to tour the grounds had been
thwarted by rain. It appears Lewis returned to Boyce where a
Mr. McKay had found lodging for him. Mr. Lewis was likely
referring to Bev McKay who owned the Millwood store and
was brought in to manage the Carter Hall property for a short
while (Lloyd).

58

Figure 34 - North Yard. [Credit: ONHS Archives 09311-01-ph22]

Figure 35 - G.H. Burwell Fish Pond.

[Credit: ONHS Archives 09311-01-ph24]

Above:

A 1932 view showing the open center of the north yard (Figure 32); a view east across
the original pond on the second terrace installed by George H. Burwell. The photo
was taken by Olmsted Brothers during their initial site visit. Note the pines in the
background, which were documented on the Manning plan.

Olmsted Brothers never charged Lambert for their time and

travel out to the property, choosing instead to try to retain him
as a client. They did continue efforts at reestablishing their
relationship with Lambert including letters in 1933 and 1934.
In 1933, an unsent letter was drafted offering their services at
a reduced cost, the purpose of which was to provide work for
unemployed labor and draftsmen (LOC Correspondence Reel
454, 1933). In 1934, Olmsted Brothers once again reached out
to Lambert informing him that Percival Gallagher was no longer
working with the firm, but that they hoped for the opportunity
of continuing to help with your landscape problems as occasion
arises (LOC Correspondence Reel 454, 3/9/1934). It does not
appear that Lambert did seek further services from the firm.

Despite the fact that Lambert did not seek out further
services from the Olmsted Brothers firm, it is likely that there
was a significant amount of gardening work done a Carter Hall,
thanks to Lamberts daughter Bunny, an avid gardener and
designer from an early age.

Figure 37 - Lambert era sewer cover. [Credit: Author]

Designing Carter Hall the Landscape

Gerard Lamberts interest in improving the grounds of
Carter Hall extended beyond the confines of the North yard
to consider the larger landscape. One of the major reasons
Lambert purchased the property was genealogical interest in his
connection to the Burwells, and a sentimental attachment to the
property (Lambert, 138). As he stated in his memoir, he hoped
to maintain the Southern character of the property. It is likely
that these interests influenced Lamberts decision to undertake a
restoration of the Carter Hall grove.

Figure 36 - Patio and Planter Rear of East House. [Credit: Author]

It has not yet been determined what individual or agency
provided the guidance and/or labor for the restoration of Carter
Halls ancient trees. Indeed, it is unclear which tree species
received the care, but it is likely the work focused on the old oaks
remaining at the time Lambert purchased the property. While
the extent of the work performed is unknown, it is clear from
anecdotal evidence and survey of the grounds that surgery
59

involving poured concrete and rebar was one of the methods

utilized. Several tree stumps were located on the property, both
west of the house in an area near the original entry road (Figure
41), and in the south lawn (Figure 40) that bore the remains of
this work. It appears that the concrete was used to fill holes in
the trunks of trees and was finished in a faux tile appearance, in
a manner that was also evidenced in an ancient sycamore at the
Old Chapel cemetery (Figure 39). Whether Mr. Lambert was also
responsible for the work on this tree related to the Burwell family
is unknown.

A second landscape intervention during the Lambert period
has had a more lasting and noticeable impact on the landscape.
Gerard Lambert commissioned the design of a new entrance road
to the property at some time between September 1930 and May 1931.

Whereas the original road was likely built to run directly
from the entrance on the main road to the house in order to
accommodate horse and carriage traffic, the development of
automotive technology allowed for more circuitous and challenging
routes.

Figure 38 - Burwell-Morgan Mill, 1936. Writing in 1936, Historic Homes of Northern

Virginia, John W. Wayland commended the present owner of the Carter Hall
estate...for taking steps to preserve the older mill of Millwood (p.112).
[Credit: Handley Library Archives 26-364]

60

Lambert had always been fascinated by the automobile,
and enjoyed the experience of driving. Automobiles were
becoming increasingly common, and road design for automobiles
was deemed an established and well documented art. Olmsted
Brothers had become a preeminent firm for the design of
automobile tour roads, and it is possible that Gerard Lambert
requested their expertise in creating a new, grand entrance to
the newly renovated house. The rising use and importance of
automobile travel was evidenced by the modifications to other
historic landscapes during this period. Soon after Pittsburg
industrialist Archibald McCrae and his wife, Molly purchased
Carters Grove in 1928, the couple installed a grand oval entry
for automobiles on the landside approach to the mansion (Grove,
22).

One of the final projects that Frederick Law Olmsted Sr.
worked on was the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.
At the Biltmore Estate Olmsted Sr. designed an approach road
that is a carefully orchestrated series of landscape scenes. (Myers,
123) The road was designed to obscure and reveal views of the
house and landscape, and to provide a sense of drama and
anticipation for the guests (Bilt, 31). In addition, the road was
designed so that guests did not cross paths with delivery vehicles.

While Olmsted Sr. had been deceased for nearly 30 years
by the time Olmsted Brothers was hired by Gerard Lambert to
work on the garden, it seems that the same guidelines for road
development had been adopted by the firm, and indeed perhaps
perfected. The road at Carter Hall has many of the same stylistic,
picturesque, elements that are synonymous with the Olmsted
name. The road winds through the site hugging the topography,
providing a sequence of views of the surrounding Blue Ridge
Mountains. It ultimately leads to a grand view of the house before
winding around one last bend to parallel the house.


It is not clear whether Olmsted Brothers actually
designed the entry loop road, or if their style was consulted or
perhaps even copied by another designer. It is known that a civil
engineer from Warrenton, Virginia, W.E. Shendell, worked on
revisions to the road design, and these records were held by the
Olmsted Brothers firm. It is known that the road was designed
sometime after September 1930, based on infrastructure plans by
The Suburban Engineering Company of New York, which show
the original road design near the house. Shendells revised plan
dated May 12, 1931 includes staking measurements that increase
as they approach the house along the new road from the east. This
indicates the plan was started at the original entrance and staked
along a designed path to create a loop that joined the original
road in front of the house.

Due to the lack of a plan showing the entire road, it is not
yet possible to firmly attribute the entry road design to Olmsted
Brothers. Also, because the date of the road revision plan precedes

Figure 39 - Sycamore Tree with repairs in Old

Chapel Cemetery. [Credit: Author].

the earliest site photos (February 1932) or the topographic survey

by Olmsted Brothers (April 1932), it seems more likely that the
road was designed by a firm or individual other than Olmsted
Brothers. Preliminary research of Loudoun County Historical
Society records did not provide any insight into W.E. Shendell
or his role in the entry road design beyond the staking plan and
revisions document reviewed.

In addition to caring for the trees, Lambert is credited
with improving the lawn (Civil, 53), however, it is unclear
what that entailed. It is obvious from Mr. Lamberts memoir,
that he held an interest in turf grass, and had previously hired
Olmsted Brothers to create a lush tapis vert , or turf garden, at
his estate in Princeton, NJ, Albemarle (Lambert). One reason
for the beautiful turf garden may have been his enjoyment of lawn
bowling (Lambert, 134), which may also have guided his decision
not to change the open turf of the north yard.

Figure 40 - Carter Hall tree trunk with rebar.

[Credit: Author]

Figure 41 - Carter Hall tree trunk with concrete.

[Credit: Author]

61

Rachel Bunny Lambert

At the age of seven, Rachel Bunny Lambert discovered a
world of her own, at which she arrived through gardening. Young
Bunny expressed a keen interest not only in gardening but also
design. Before moving to Virginia to attend the Foxcroft School,
Bunny designed a small playhouse in the woods near the family
home, Albemarle, in Princeton, New Jersey. Bunny supervised
the construction of the concrete block, thatched-roof playhouse,
complete with to-scale play furniture. To accompany the house,
she designed a square, walled garden in the front, complete with
boxwood parterres and rare shrubs and vines (Lambert, 130).
Eager to maintain her connection with her garden world while
a student at Foxcroft, Bunny lobbied the administration for an
area of land to work (NYTimes).

When Gerard Lambert purchased Carter Hall in 1929,
nineteen-year old Bunny assisted her father and his architect,
Harrie T. Lindeberg, with the renovation of the house and
outbuildings. In 1932, she married Stacy Lloyd, and the couple
spent part of their time at Carter Hall. Unfortunately, little is
known about Bunnys contribution to the garden and grounds
during the Lambert period. However, it is clear that by 1934,
Bunny had designed a greenhouse and attached potting shed,
which was built on the grounds north of the East House. The
greenhouse included a flagstone terrace on its east side, which
was enclosed on three sides by a low seating wall. Where the
terrace met the greenhouse, Bunny placed a low stone planter
box, which bears a striking resemblance to the patio designed in
the rear of the East House. Based on Bunnys decision to build a
potting shed, it is probable she continued to exercise her interest
in botany and gardening during her time at Carter Hall.

Bunny and Stacy lived in the East House for a year after
giving birth to their son, Stacy Tuffy Lloyd Jr., but in 1937, the
young family moved into Apple Hill, a home built by Stacy on
land adjacent to Carter Hall. The former orchard land, part of the
62

Figure 42 - Plaque on east wall of potting shed. [Credit: Author]

Figure 43 - Greenhouse patio. [Credit: Author]

original Burwell property, had been purchased by the Lloyds

from George Burwell III. While at Apple Hill Bunny designed a
garden terrace and a greenhouse to match her previous design at
Carter Hall.

Bunnys love of design and plants continued throughout
her life. She became a self-taught botanist, driven by details but
with a desire for subtlety. Although Bunny cited her grandfather
as her gardening inspiration and source of knowledge about real
gardening, she was an avid collector of 17th and 18th century
garden manuals (Times Article), a hobby begun as a young girl
(Lambert). After her remarriage in 1948 to philanthropist and
horse breeder Paul Mellon, the couple moved to his Virginia
Estate, Oak Spring. Bunny designed a garden and greenhouse
complex for Oak Spring as well as a library to house her collection
of rare and valuable botanical manuscripts (Regi). Bunnys design
at Oak Spring has been praised as perfectly composed, with
every view a study in composition, simplicity, restraint and
beauty (NY Times).

Figure 45 - Apple Hill. [Credit: Author]

Figure 46 - Apple Hill patio. [Credit: Author]

Figure 44 - Apple Hill service yard; note the way the service yard buildings (right of
image) at Apple Hill were modeled after Carter Hall. [Credit: Author]

63

Figure 48 - Apple Hill patio planting bed; note similarity to

Carter Halls bricked beds created later in Bunnys life.
[Credit: Author]

Figure 47 - North Yard Cutting garden. [Credit: Author]

In addition to gardening for personal enjoyment,
Bunny also designed gardens for clients. A personal friend of
Jacqueline Kennedy, Bunny was selected as the designer for
the White House Rose Garden and the East Garden, now
known as the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden (Regi). In the mid1990s Bunny assisted with the restoration of the Potager du
Roi at Versailles, an effort spearheaded by her friend Hubert de
Givenchy who was then the President of the World Monuments
Fund France. Bunny was a natural choice for the job, as she
had spent years studying the work of the 17th century gardener
Jean de La Quintinye, a pioneer in cultivating and pruning
fruit trees and original designer of Louis XIVs potager (Regi).

64

Always a scion of sophisticated, restrained style, Bunny had two

tenets: Color must fit into a scheme, and not be the first thing,
and, Vegetables are as important as flowers. (NY Times).

Upon learning that Carter Hall was purchased by Project
Hope, Bunny once again touched the property with her designers
hand. In addition to supplying her horticulturist, Everett Hicks,
for use by the new owners, in the 1980s Bunny designed a fenced
cutting garden at the north end of the rear yard (Burt Kaplan
personal communication 6/1/2013). It appears the cutting garden
remains unchanged from Bunnys original design.

Christopher Period
(1948-1976)

rank and Mabel Christopher moved into Carter Hall,
their retirement home, in 1948. The search for a property was
driven in part by a need for a healthful and relaxing environment
for the couple after Franks recent heart attack. Given only a few
years to live by his doctors, Frank enjoyed an additional 30 years
of life at Carter Hall, fortified by the magic of the property
(Farland).

Frank Christopher was born June 24, 1893 in Hopewell,
Pennsylvania (FEC). By 1902, at the age of eight years, Frank
was working in coal mines. As an adult, his persistence, luck and
business acumen led to the discovery of a huge coal strike in an
abandoned mine. By 1946, Frank was the largest independent
coal operator in the United States and held numerous patents on
mining equipment (FEC). Mabel, or Mabs as she was called
by friends and family, was a teacher trained at West Virginia
Wesleyan Methodist Womens Teachers College. The marriage
has been considered a unique pairing for the time period and
context in which they met (Farland).

A well-told story of the sale tells of a coin toss between
Frank Christopher and Gerard Lambert over the sale of a

Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington (Civil, 32). Frank

won the coin toss and the portrait was included in the sale of the
house. His grandson, Richard Farland, notes that Frank was such
an astute business man that he had negotiated terms of the wager
that would have been beneficial regardless of the outcome of the
coin toss (Farland).

While their vision for the property is unclear, it appears they
were driven in part to preserve the history of the place (Farland)
and the same year they purchased the Carter Hall tract, they also
purchased four additional tracts of land including Spout Run and
Glenvin to return a total of 800 acres to the estate (Civil 57). The
Christopher property extended north to Clay Hill Lane, south
to Millwood, and from Apple Hill east to Spout Run and then
back north to Clay Hill Lane (Farland). According to the 1968
HABS survey of the property (HABS21-10), the Christophers
also owned the Burwell Mill, referring to the lower mill on the
property. It is unclear if the mill was part of the original purchase
from Lambert. It appears that the Christophers also owned the
Burwell-Morgan mill which remained in operation until 1953
and by 1963 the mill was purchased by Wayside Restoration, Inc.
of Middletown who donated it to the Clarke County Historical
Association (Houses, 71).

The Christophers seemed dedicated to their family and
numerous homes were purchased or built for family members on
the extensive property the Christophers acquired. Franks brother
built a house on Clay Hill Lane on land that was originally part
of the Carter Hall estate (Cartgen, 32). The Christophers also
built a house, Locksley, for one of their daughters, which was on
property then contiguous to Carter Hall as well as a cottage for
Mabs sister (Farland), the location of which was not determined
by the researcher.

The Christophers were active in the community and
frequently hosted Sunday gatherings after church services.
Richard Farland recalls the house was not a casual place, despite
being a retirement home. In addition to enjoying a daily game of
65

golf in Millwood (Farland), Frank may also have enjoyed

shooting sports as evidenced by the creation of a quail shooting
preserve on Clay Hill Lane (Farland), at the northern boundary
of the historic property. Farland recalls his grandfather returning
from golf in the early afternoon in time to watch The Secret
Storm and The Edge of Night with Mabs in the eastern
hyphen. Frank preferred a chair with a curved back that soothed
his back, which was perpetually sore from mining injuries.

Frank and Mabs were members of Christ Church in
Millwood and were philanthropists who donated primarily to local
and area institutions of higher learning and church organizations
of various faiths. Frank Christopher was inspirational to many
people, and his stature earned him an honorary degree from West
Virginia University in 1974. Franks grandson, Richard Farland,
remembers his kindness well. When Richard was young, he
was frightened by a rams head on his bedroom fireplace, which
kept him awake at night. Frank calmly solved the problem by
hanging a handkerchief over the ram so young Richard could
sleep (Farland).

belonging to the Carter Hall estate and the sale of the property
threatened the continuity and character of the mansions historic
landscape context. To help guard against the parceling of the
landscape, John G. Lewis, regional representative of the Virginia
Historic Landmarks Commission wrote to Mr. and Mrs. West,
the Christophers daughter and son-in-law, requesting they place
an easement on Carter Hall in order to preserve the historic
property for the Commonwealth and guard against the land being
sub-divided into Carter Hall Estates. Lewis also noted the tax
benefit for such an easement (CCHA folder 1976.D0165.012).

While the Christophers children were eager to sell the
land, it appears their grandchildren were more interested in
keeping the property and furnishings in the family (Scrapbook).
When the Carter Hall property was finally sold, the Lower Mill
and millers house had been removed from the sale by grandson

Mabs passed away in 1970 and Frank remained at Carter
Hall for three additional years (Farland) before moving in with
his daughter, Mrs. West, at her home, Locksley (FEC). Frank
remained at Locksley for the final year of his life. He passed away
in 1974 at the age of 81.

After the Christophers passed, their heirs put the house
and much of the furnishings up for sale by Sothebys auction
house. The original sale ticket consisted of 714 acres, 200 of which
were planted in crops. The sale of the property included the guest
houses (dependencies), the spring house, garage apartment, large
frame millers house, and staff quarters although it is unclear
which structures housed servants. Sothebys listed the propertys
amenities as including a swimming pool, laundry house, tool
building, grain house, stone grist mill, kennels and stables,
offices, and farming structures such as silos, cattle sheds and barns
(Sotheby). The Christophers had amassed a large area originally
66

Figure 49 - The sandstone steps in the formal north yard garden were planted
with low growing flowers such as dwarf iris; boxwood was utilized to frame garden
spaces. [Credit: Sketch by author based on photo from Muldoon]

Richard Farland. As he noted, it was his recompense for losing

the Eden-like playground of his childhood and was his home for
several years (Farland).

Designing the house

When the Christophers purchased the property, it had
already been greatly improved by Gerard Lambert who added
modern luxuries to the house. Still the Christophers renovated
according to their tastes and to stay current with changing
technology. In addition to adding a game room to the East end
of the basement, they replaced the oil burning heating system
with electricity in the 1960s (Cartgen, 32).


Adjustments to the layout and design of the house appear
to have been limited to replacing the wooden deck in the portico
with flagstones (Civil, 57), which was a favorite place for Frank
to enjoy a pipe (Farland). The dependencies remained as guest
houses, however the uses of some of the outbuildings may have
changed. The carriage house remained a carriage house, although
it was used to store Franks limousines and house his driver
(Kaplan personal communication 5/15/2013) and may have been
altered to serve as a three-car garage (Farland). The other three
buildings held apartments (perhaps for use by staff), a tool shed,
a gardening building, and a wood-paneled office used by Frank
(Farland).

Figure 50 - Christopher era view into the north yard showing established boxwood
maze, pool and re-graded upper terrace with new sandstone steps. The roof of the
west porch is in lower left corner. [Credit: Project HOPE Archive]

Plantings directly around the houses appear to have
remained the same from the previous period. A photograph from
the 1960s shows a similar treeless front of the house, and a line of
boxwood under the front portico (Scrapbook).

Figure 51 - Boxwood maze. [Credit: Project HOPE Archives]

67

Designing the garden

While the Christophers made a few adjustments to
the Carter Hall mansion, they primarily focused on improving
the grounds (Shadow, 45). Richard Farland remembers his
grandmother Mabel as the caretaker of the property and
decision maker (Farland). According to Farland, his
grandmothers vision was to create a formal English garden in
the north yard, and she designed a plan for the property that she
spent the rest of her life tending to. Mabs design for the north
yard included symmetrical planting beds, a formal boxwood maze,
and a rose garden. Richards primary memory of his grandmother
at Carter Hall was seeing her head to the garden with her clippers
at dawn for a full days work. In addition to an extensive vegetable
garden (which his grandfather complained produced too
much), Mabs tended diligently to her cutting garden, pruning
and applying sprays to kill infestations of Japanese beetles that
attacked her roses. It is unclear where the cutting garden was,
but it seems the vegetable garden was in a similar location to that
indicated on the Manning plan (Farland).

The back porches were the primary outdoor entertaining
spaces, and the Christophers made use of the walkway between
the porches. Family and guests would frequently eat summer
meals on the west porch using canvas shades to block the wind
(Farland).

Richard Farland remembers walking grass covered paths
of the dense maze and leaving with ticks. Beyond the maze
were rectangular planting beds bordered with small boxwood
(Farland). Wider, grassy paths were created to connect directly to
the porch steps. Some of the paths may have been paved in brick
(Farland).

In addition to filling the first terrace with a maze and
altering the connection between the garden and the porches,
the Christophers changed the design attributed to Manning by
removing the connection between the two paths leading from the
porches. During the Townsend Burwell and Lambert periods,
the primary path looped around a small fish pond that occupied
the second terrace, perhaps dating to the George H. Burwell
period.

The Christophers removed the fish pond at some point
and replaced it with a much larger oval-shaped swimming pool
measuring 39 by 17 feet (Cartgen, 32). The pool, which was lined
with a dark blue metallic paint was not a very kid friendly pool,
but was enjoyed for swimming (Farland).

During the Lambert era, it appears that paths into the
garden were paved with gravel and did not directly link to the
porches, but rather were located closer to the center line of the
house. A few images from the Christopher era indicate that the
original paths were covered by or incorporated into the boxwood
maze that covered the upper part of the first terrace.

The garden terrace closest to the house contained a
tall (possibly seven foot) boxwood maze with a grassy center
(Farland). The center of the maze formed a low four-leaf clover
design (Muldoon).
68

Figure 52 - The Christophers swimming pool. [Credit: Project HOPE Archive]


Photos from the end of the Christopher period show
tall pine trees around the pool, which may have dated to the
Townsend Burwell period (they are evidenced on the plan
attributed to Manning and the 1931 Olmsted survey) and table
and chairs in the shady pool side. There was no outbuilding
associated with the pool (Farland). When he was in his twenties
and living in the East House, Richard Farland frequently had
parties on the porches and around the pool area. Richard recalls
the area as being quite level and a fun area to play Frisbee. A steep
falls at the back of the pool led to some fruit trees, similar to the
current location of the apple orchard (Farland).

The Christophers retained the dog yard that was listed
in the 1931 Olmsted survey, which they used for their boxer
(Farland). A line of trees blocked the area from view from the
western porch (Farland). A line of white cedar remains as a
screen, but it is unclear if they were planted by the Christophers.
The Christophers likely added a line of small boxwoods to form
a walk from the second terrace to the outbuildings. The shrubs
were meant to form the focal point of the vista which could
be seen from one of the back porches on the estate, drawing the
viewers attention to a circle of boxwood in which there had been
plans to put in a sundial or birdbath (Muldoon).

Figure 53 - Christopher era fish pond. [Credit: Project HOPE Archive]

A second planted walk existed on the eastern terrace
behind the East House. This tree lane was shady and terminated
in a fish pond (Figure 52) surrounded by a circle of boxwood and
curved stone slab seats separated by boxwood shrubs (Farland).

A vegetable garden also existed in the north yard, which
Richard Farland recalls being in roughly the same location
indicated on the Manning plan (Farland). The veggie patch was
a focus of Mabs, as were her rose bushes, large trees to cover the
outbuildings and formal symmetry (Farland).

While Mabs provided the vision for the property and
was likely the primary designer of the garden, she employed a
full-time property manager, who played a large role in the design

Figure 54 - Existing conditions in pond area of east terrace. [Credit: Author]

69

of the Carter Hall landscape. Wade Muldoon may have been a

friend of the Christophers from West Virginia who lived on the
property in the old Carter Hall mill house and began working
at Carter Hall the year the Christophers purchased the property.
Wade Muldoon has also been credited with designing the garden
terraces of the north yard in 1948 (NRN).

Based on a comparison of the 1931 Olmsted survey with
the current conditions, and the lack of Olmsted documentation
regarding design implementation, it appears likely that Muldoon
did make modifications to the north yard terraces.

The terraces, which were at least 100 years old at the time
the Christophers purchased the property, appear to have been
sharpened and adjusted. The first terrace seems to have been regraded slightly to reduce the slope and a second set of stone steps
were added along each grassy path leading from the porches.
In addition, a comparison of the 1929 survey and 2013 survey
suggests the second terrace (the location of both pools) was
reinforced and sharpened during the Christopher period, perhaps
in conjunction with the construction of the enlarged swimming
pool.

It is also likely that Wade Muldoon and Mable Christopher
designed the formal flower garden on the terrace adjacent the
East house, although this has not been confirmed.

Designing a pleasure park

While the north yard was formal and tightly controlled,
the vision Mabs had for the south yard seems to have been the
creation of a pleasure park or landscape garden (Farland) similar
to those associated with English country estates primarily
during the early 19th century. While it was not intended for any

Left: The fence post was restored

by Project HOPE but was present

on the property at the end of the
Christopher period (Kaplan, personal
communication).

Right: Figure 57 shows ample tree

Figure 55 - The dinner bell. [Credit: Author]

70

Figure 56 - Dovecote fence post.

[Credit: Author]

cover and a wooden fence connecting

to the low wooden bridge; a 2013 photo
showing the spillway where pond visitors
may have fished (Figure 58).

particular use, it was an immaculately maintained broad

rolling lawninformally planted with handsome specimens of
ornamental trees and shrubbery (NRN Section 7).

One primary focus of the landscape design appears to have
been the addition of trees. Mabs seems to have had an affinity for
pines, and planted many throughout the property including one
near the West house that was removed by subsequent owners.
A small grove of Norway spruces on the south side of the road
leading away from the house may be the six or seven spruce trees
Muldoon recalled bringing to the property in a pick-up truck soon
after beginning work there in 1948 (Muldoon). The tree palette
included species useful for decorating during the Christmas
holidays, an activity Mabel enjoyed (Farland). Berries from red
cedar were used for making Christmas wreaths as were sweet
gums leaves, which also provided fall color (Muldoon). Richard
Farland recalls lavish holiday decorations including a large tree to
the right of the staircase in the great room, where the piano now
stands. A big display always adorned the bottom of the tree.

Figure 57 - Christopher era spring pond. [Credit: Project HOPE Archive]

Wreaths and boughs continued up the staircase, and the dining

room was decorated with greenery.

It seems that Mabs also enjoyed collecting specimen trees.
A grove just south of the mansion entrance features an interesting
cluster of specimens including ginkgo, yew and cryptomeria. A
very large and beautiful Lebanon cedar in the north yard may
also have been planted by the Christophers. It may, however,
date to the Lambert period, as a two inch diameter pine is
indicated on the 1931 Olmsted survey in approximately the same
location. Some of the specimen plantings were unsuccessful,
including rhododendrons which did not tolerate the limestone
soil (Muldoon). Muldoon also brought Chinese chestnuts to the
property from Morgantown, West Virginia where he worked
prior to Carter Hall (Muldoon).

Wade Muldoon appears to have been an avid plantsman
and worked on propagating imported boxwood both in the Carter
Hall gardens as well as in his garden at the mill house where
he had an extensive planting (Farland). Interesting specimens

Figure 58 - The Spillway cut for fishing. [Credit: Author]

71

of boxwood remain in areas of the property, specifically a shrub

along the stone steps leading down to the third terrace, which
may be original to the Christopher period. Consultation with
the Blandy Experimental Farm in Boyce, Virginia may provide
information on the origin of the specimen.

Muldoon also appeared to enjoy softening the terrain
of the property by using floral plantings and boxwood to cover
the numerous rock outcrops that resulted naturally and from
excavation of the site (Muldoon). Along the terrace north of
the East dependency is a rock pile that Muldoon planted with
wildflowers, especially the Virginia Bluebell, Blood root and fern.
He also planted a small garden of Christmas roses (hellebores)
(Muldoon) along the falls of the eastern terrace, although a
precise location is unknown.

Early in their work on the Carter Hall landscape (perhaps
in 1948), Mabs added evergreens and weeping willows to the
area around the spring pond and planted daffodils on the hillside
above the pond (Cartgen, 57). The hillside above the pond, though
hidden from view of the main house received early morning sun
and the hill that was literally covered with narcissus bloomed
earlier than other places on the property (Muldoon).

It is likely there were already trees planted in this small
bit of land that is surrounded on three sides by the spring pond
and Spout Run, because Richard Farland remembers seeing very

Muldoon carried the rock outcrop motif into the formal
north yard garden by using the sandstone steps that connected
the terraces as rock gardens. One plant Muldoon used liberally
to grow out from between the stone steps was dwarf iris which
reaches a height of approximately six inches (Muldoon).

Figure 59 - Vista/path in southeast yard. [Credit: Author]

72

Figure 60 - Flagstone paved area under a cluster of cedars. [Credit: Author]

large evergreen and willow trees there as a child (Farland).

In fact, Richard recalls it being difficult to see the edge of the
spring pond unless he was alongside it. One tree in particular was
memorable to Richard an old willow that grew straight out over
the stream at an angle and was a great place to shimmy out to and
fish from (Farland). Today, there is a small cluster of similar age
pines adjacent the spring pond and several very old sycamores.
The small area of land is now an open field.

Richard remembers fishing at the spring pond, which was
3-4 feet deep at the time, an activity also enjoyed by his uncle and
grandfather. Frank stocked the pond with trout (Kaplan, personal
communication 5/15/2013) and kept cane fly rods from New
York in the basement, in a wonderful smelling store room with
leather lined wicker creels (Farland). Despite the many snakes in
the tall grass, Richard Farland spent hours at the pond fishing.

Richard recalls a fence line separating Carter Hall from
Apple Hill which connected to the bridge. As he recollects, there
was a stone wall that made a little cut on one side and he and
his uncle and grandfather enjoyed fishing in the corner that was
walled in just before the spillway (Farland) (Figure 58).

Wade Muldoon and his son also fished in the spring pond
and Muldoon eventually cleared a vista to the pond bridge on the
hillside leading from the road near the East dependency. Prior
to the clearing, visitors to the spring pond could only arrive at it
along two ruts leading from the driveway through a stand of
red cedar (Muldoon). The path to the spring pond was paved at
some time as evidenced by patches of concrete and asphalt.

While Muldoons cleared vista created a visual and physical
connection between the house landscape and the spring, it also
added a substantial amount of mowing to an already challenging
estate (Muldoon). Muldoon estimated that there were 30 acres of
lawn to mow and that the job was accomplished with a five-gang
and a three-gang mower (Muldoon). In total, Muldoon cared for
70 acres, a job that required a foreman and three other laborers.

Unfortunately, the staff eventually left for better paying jobs in

Washington D.C. (Muldoon).

In addition to improving the plantings on the property,
the Christophers improved the driveway, paving the previously
macadamized road in a hard cover (Cartgen, 32). The driveway was
a great source of enjoyment for the Christophers grandchildren,
and occasionally their guests as well. Richard Farland had a gocart as a child and made great use of the entry road as a race track
once it was paved. He remembers the V in the road (where it
changes from one- to two-way traffic) as being a problematic part
of the track, and that you really had to cut that to make the turn
(Farland). One famous guest who enjoyed the thrill of the go-cart
track was Admiral Ash, whom Farland recalls being a confidant
of President Roosevelt and who may have been the inspiration for
the character Pugs Henry in the film Winds of War.

Ash, who settled in the area after retiring, was a frequent
guest for Sunday luncheons and Richard remembers well the day
Ash decided to test his skill at driving the track in part because
his wife was none too keen on the idea. Whether Admiral Ash
was simply too big for the cart or was being cautious, he took
a lap around the drive, dragging his foot the whole time, and
returned with the heel completely worn off his boot (Farland).
The drive once posed some trouble for Richards brother who
sailed off the top of the hill while navigating the curve just south
of the mansion at 3:30 in the morning. After he crashed into
the wood fence, Richard and their friend, Piney, came to his
assistance and repaired the fence in the wee hours of the morning.
Unfortunately, the new wood and cross ties were a giveaway the
next day (Farland).

The Christophers appear to have truly enjoyed the
landscape garden that they nurtured at Carter Hall. Richard
remembers the grove of ancient oaks that overlooked the spring
pond and how his grandfather would spend quiet moments of
contemplation there. It was a point of pride for young Richard
that he was invited to drive into the grove with his grandfather
73

to silently count squirrels in his favorite place (Farland). Small

scale features remain from the Christopher era, indicating the
extent to which they enjoyed the Carter Hall landscape. A bell
remains just southeast of the East house that Mabs installed to
call grandchildren in for dinner. A relatively flat area adjacent rock
outcrops southwest of the house contains remnants of flagstone
tucked under red cedar trees. The small paved area retains a patch
of planted groundcover indicating that it was an occasional place
to recreate. Plantings of shrubs nearby frame linear strips of fairly
flat ground on which to walk across the extensive south lawn.

An orchard remained in roughly the same location it had
since at least the Townsend period. Richard Farland remembers
walnut trees and varieties of pears on the knoll and hillside east
of the east cottage. While he did not recall it being considered
an important feature of the landscape (perhaps because it was
a retained rather than designed feature) he does remember the
walnut trees being very productive (Farland).


The Christophers maintained a relationship with local
gardening clubs and permitted tours of the property for Historic
Garden Week, which had begun in 1929. A review of the
Winchester Clarke Garden Club Collection at the Handley
Library indicates that Carter Hall was included in the 1958
Garden Club of Virginia Historic Garden Week tour. The tour

was of the Grounds and terraced gardens, only, but included

Apple Hill and views of the beautiful large spring courtesy of its
occupants, Mr. and Mrs. William R. Tupper (Brochure). Carter
Hall was once again a stop on the local Historic Garden Week
tour in 1972, co-hosted by the Winchester-Clarke Garden Club
and the Little Garden Club of Winchester. Interestingly, the tour
of Carter Hall was advertised as the Parade of the Blue Ridge
Hunt (HGW) indicating the local importance of the Hunt Club
and the connection between it and Carter Hall. The description
may also indicate the lack of a formal flower garden following
Mabels death in 1970.

Figure 61 - Looking east toward the vista Wade Muldoon cleared on the

hillside above the spring. Mist rises from the vista in the early morning. The
location of the original road turnaround was likely located in the high point
at the center of the image before being cut to create the modern loop road.
[Credit: Author]

74

Wade Muldoon

Wade Muldoon was a family friend of the Christophers
and a private landscaper who was credited with creating a garden
that so beautifully complemented the plantation house that
he was listed in the 1973 National Register nomination (NR, 7).

Born in 1894 in Elmgrove, West Virginia (Win),
Muldoon attended West Virginia University where he pursued
a degree in agriculture. On July 18, 1917, with his sophomore
year complete, Muldoon enlisted in the 103d Train Headquarters
28th Division (Kappa). He served as a Sergeant in the Medical
Corps and participated in four major missions with the American
Expeditionary Forces before being discharged in May of 1919
(Kappa).
Figure 62 - Looking north along east terrace. [Credit: Author]

After World War I, Muldoon was employed as a
landscaping architect (Win), and spent some time in Michigan
working for the Detroit Parks Department (Kappa). He married
his wife, Achsah, and they had a son, Harry (Census, 1940). By
1940 he had returned to West Virginia where he lived in Grant,
West Virginia and worked full-time for the National Park Service
as a Landscape Architect (Census, 1940).

It appears that Muldoon moved to Berryville, Virginia
(Win) some time around 1948, when the Christophers purchased
Carter Hall (NR, 7). A review of the Berryville and Winchester
City Directories for 1950 did not indicate that Muldoon operated
a commercial landscape design or maintenance business in either
town. Rather, it seems he was the full-time grounds keeper and
designer for Carter Hall (Muldoon).

Figure 63 - East house garden. [Credit: Author]

Muldoon was active in his community, serving as a
member of the Winchester Host Lions Club and President of
the Berryville Lions Club (Win). He sang with the Winchester
Barbershop Chorus and was a parishioner of the First Presbyterian
Church. Wade Muldoon died in 1982 at the age of 87 (Win).
75

Valley Horse Culture

C

arter Hall is located in the Lower Shenandoahs
Horse Country, comprised of Clarke, Fauquier, and Loudoun
counties (Cartgen, 23). By the late 18th century the rolling
limestone prairies that once hosted herds of wild game had
become overrun with bluegrass. The grass, while a bane to the
valleys many independent farmers, helped to create a sportsmans
paradise (Breeding, 6).

Sometime around 1750 Thomas, Sixth Lord of Fairfax,
moved west across the Shenandoah River and built Greenway
Court, which has been described as a bachelor retreat (Shadow,
45). It was there that Lord Fairfax has been credited with
introducing the English noblemans tradition of fox hunting to
the region. The associated interest in horses extended to include
racing, and as local Clarke County historian Maral Kalbian
writes, The interest in horses whether for drafting, racing,
or fox hunting- has been a critical part of Clarkes agricultural
heritage (2011, 86).

As early as 1779, there were horse races held in the Valley.
A three-day long meet held that year featured purses of 350 and
600 (Breeding, 11), indicating the high status of the participants.
Around this time several jockey clubs were organized in the area.
Despite the interest in racing, the Valley never became a locus
of racing, with residents choosing instead to concentrate their
efforts on breeding race horses (Breeding, 12).

76

By 1790, several years before permanently moving to
the Valley, Col. Burwell began importing race horses to his
land holdings west of the Shenandoah. Among these was the
stallion Emperor whom Burwell had purchased from the Duke
of Cumberland (Cartgen, 9). He imported another fine horse,
Young Trumpetor, in 1797 (Breeding, 9), and as his ledger shows

on January 14, 1797 Nathaniel received cash from William Forest

in payment for Emperors stud services (Ledger, CCHA). By
1799, Nathaniel was dabbling in racehorse breeding (Long, 7).

Col. Burwell stabled his horses on a portion of his Valley
holdings, which he named Island Quarter. The area later became
Island Farm, and at one time was known as Whiting Farm
(CartGen, 9). The Island Quarter is located due east of Carter
Hall along the banks of the Shenandoah River and included an
island in the river known today as Burwells Island. At the time
Col. Burwell stabled his horses there, a race ground existed
(CartGen, 9). It is unclear where either the stables or the race
ground were located, although it is likely racing occurred on the
flatter floodplain close to the river.

The Carter Hall property (although likely not the house
tract itself) was a stabling and breeding center for many famous
horses during the golden age of horse culture in the Valley, which
extended from the late 18th to the mid- 19th centuries (Breeding,
12). By 1805 the Frederick County Land Book listed Col. Burwell
as owning 103 horses, however, as Stuart Brown notes, they
were probably not all racing horses (Cartgen, 9). That same year,
Nathaniel Burwells daughter, Lucy, and her husband, Captain
Archibald Cary Randolph and their family came to live at Carter
Hall as they were experiencing financial difficulties (Civil, 14).
Randolph, known as a famous professor of horse flesh (Legends,
23), brought to Carter Hall an imported mare owned by Captain
John Tayloe III. Castianira, in whom Randolph owned breeding
shares, produced a foal that became known as The Godolphin
Arabian of America, due to his importance as a foundation sire
for the American Thoroughbred race horse (Shadow, 10). Tayloe
named the foal Sir Archie (often spelled Archy) in honor of
Randolph.

After Col. Burwells death, Carter Hall remained an
important stabling facility for famous horses. His son and next
owner of the estate, George, shared the Colonels passion for fine
horses and maintained noted thoroughbred studs (Oldva, 497)

at a brick stallion barn he built at Island Farm (Carter Hall, 11).

George also pursued his interest in horses and racing through
subscriptions to American Turf Register and Miltons Stable
Guide (LVA Burwell Papers Section 8, Papers 1770 1965,
Sections 5-15).

A famous lodger at George Burwells stables at Island
Farm was Rattler, who resided at the facility for the 1826 and
1827 seasons (Breeding, 14). The owner of Rattler, Dr. William
Thornton is most famous for creating the first design for the
U.S. Capitol building in 1793. However, the trained physician,
turned designer, also had a love for fine horses. In 1815, Dr.
Thornton purchased land for his horses in Kalorama Triangle, a
neighborhood of Washington D.C. near Colonel John Tayloes
racetrack in Pleasant Plains (Kalorama, 27). It is likely that
Thornton knew of the Carter Hall stables through his connection
to Tayloe. Regardless of how Thornton learned about Carter Hall,
his decision to stable his prized horse there indicates the stables
importance within the horse racing world.

In the late 1830s the economic depression hit rural
districts. Breeders in Kentucky and Tennessee outbid those in the
Valley, ending the Shenandoahs dominance as a Thoroughbred
breeding center for the next 100 years (Breeding, 31). However, by
the late 1880s horse culture in the Valley was once again revived
thanks to a renewed interest in fox hunting.

In 1888, Archibald Bevan, one of several Englishmen who
immigrated to America at the turn of the century, organized the
Blue Ridge Hunt Club and founded hunting organizations and
subscription hound packs (Kalbian, 89). A famous hunt, which
pitted English-bred hounds belonging to A. Henry Higginson
against Harry Worcester Smiths American hounds, was judged
by Edward Butler, Master of the Foxhounds for the Blue Ridge
Hunt Club. The highly publicized event not only brought attention
to the area in general, but also attracted an influx in residents
interested in horse sports, professionally and recreationally.

By the end of the 19th century, the Valley was no longer
populated only by descendants of the original families, but also by
summer residents and enthusiasts of horse racing and fox hunting
(Shadow, 10). At the beginning of the 20th century there were
numerous horse farms within Clarke County. According to
historian John Walter Wayland, Carter Hall was among the
most well-known horse farms in the County along with Audley,
Pagebrook, and Saratoga (Art). It has not been determined at
what point the Carter Hall horse farm ceased operation. However,
the connection between Carter Hall and the Valley horse culture
likely extended beyond the period of the farms operation.

Prior to the Civil War, landowners who hunted fox
maintained their own packs of hound dogs. However, economic
restructuring and changes in land use after the War ended the
era of private hound packs. The Blue Ridge Hunt Club and
similar organizations provided members subscriptions to use
professionally maintained club packs for scheduled meets.

In addition to hunts, the Blue Ridge Hunt Club frequently
held horse shows and fixtures or races. It appears that Carter
Hall plays an important role in the history and culture of the
Blue Ridge Hunt Club. Based on a review of the events the Club
listed in its retrospective, Blue Ridge Hunt: The First Hundred
Years, it appears Carter Hall hosted many opening meets during
the first eight decades of the clubs existence. Horse shows were
also held at Carter Hall, beginning with the second show held by
the club in 1896 (Blue). The cover of the Blue Ridge Hunt Club
retrospective features an image of Carter Hall.

The Sharpe Sisters owned Carter Hall during the late
19th century revival of horse sport in the Valley. Virginia Sharpe
and her husband, Thomas Hugh Burwell, acknowledged Carter
Halls importance to the Clarke County equestrian scene by
hosting horse shows and jousting tournaments on the south lawn
(Spur, 10).

77

78

After selling Carter Hall to Eben Richards following
the death of his wife, Thomas Burwell remained active in the
equestrian scene. A 1905 photo of the Blue Ridge Hunt Club
shows Thomas with a horse named Day Break.

It appears that Eben Richards also stabled Thoroughbreds
at Carter Hall. The location of the stables that Richards used
is unknown; however, photos taken of Richards horses appear
to be taken in the south lawn of the mansion near the west
dependency (Figure 66). It is unknown whether Richards was
actively breeding horses.


John Townsend Burwell also opened the property to
community equestrian and other livestock celebrations. There
were horse shows held on the grounds of the front yard where
facing slopes provided good views to the activity that went on in
the pass (Charles Burwell, personal communication 6/12/2013).

An anecdote tells of Lambert donating his newly tailored
riding clothes to the young son of a friend, with the mothers
insistence that if the fine boots did not fit the boy, the toes would
be cut off the boots. While Lambert himself did not take readily
to horse sport, his first son-in-law, Stacy Lloyd was a natural
equestrian. Lloyd took quickly to sport riding after marrying
Bunny Lambert, and around 1935 modern stables were built
northwest of the mansion to accommodate Lloyds new hobby.

In his desire to assume the role of country gentleman,
Gerard Lambert sought to engage the Valleys horse culture.
Unfortunately, he did not take to equestrian sport very successfully.

The Blue Ridge Hunt Club seems to have suspended their
hunts between 1909 and 1921, for reasons undetermined by the
author. An article in the March 24, 1921 edition of The Clarke

Figure 64 - Racing horse in south yard. [Credit: Project HOPE Scrapbook]

Figure 65 - Horses grazing in south yard during Eben Richards ownership.

[Credit: Project HOPE Scrapbook]

After the Christophers purchased the property in the early
1940s, it does not appear that horses were kept at Carter Hall.
However, the Christophers did open the property for exhibitions
of Valley horse culture by hosting opening meets of the Blue
Ridge Hunt Club. They also provided access to a film crew from
Disney who used the south lawn as backdrop for Horse with
the Flying Tail, a film that featured members of the Blue Ridge
Hunt Club (Spur, 11).

Courier announced the revival of the Hunt Club with an exhibition

scheduled for Saturday, April 30 at Carter Hall. The grounds
were likely selected because they were by common consent the
most suitable place for such events in the county (Revive).

The Club continued to maintain a strong tie to Carter Hall
until the late 1960s. The hunts and horse shows were community
events. Ladies prepared lunches to sell as fundraisers with visitors
from Upperville, Paris, Winchester, and Berryville in attendance.
The Club published announcements asking farmers not to plant
their corn before the event, in order to avoid damage to the fields
(Revive).

In 1962, First Lady Jackie Kennedy attended a hunt at
Carter Hall, impressing all in attendance with her charm and
skill in the saddle (Parade). In 1966, the opening hunt came after
days of rain, and the many horses and spectators caused extensive
damage to the south lawn. As a result, the Christophers requested
the event be held elsewhere the following year (Civil, 62).

When Project HOPE purchased the property, Dr. Walsh
promised to continue hosting the opening meet of the Blue
Ridge Hunt Club (Meet). Indeed, the 1972 brochure for the
Clarke County tour for Historic Garden Week lists Carter Hall
Grounds as the last stop on the tour, describing the property as
the Parade of the Blue Ridge Hunt (HGW). However, Project
HOPE terminated the use of Carter Hall as a venue for annual
Blue Ridge Hunt Club opening meet. The decision was made in
response to external criticism and concern for the welfare of foxes
(Burt Kaplan, personal communication).

79

Stone Walls at Carter Hall

U

pon entering Carter Hall today, one is immediately

drawn to the stone fence which marks the western boundary
along Bishop Meade Highway. The dry-stack field stone wall
extends along the roadway south to the boundary with Christ
Episcopal Church and north to Mount Airy Farm Lane, a
property originally part of the Carter Hall estate which was later
developed into a homestead by George H. Burwell Jr. The fence
follows along the road to the east where it terminates near the
spring pond. The fence begins again a bit farther south along
the western boundary of Spout Run and traces along up the hill,
visible only in a few places where its slumping form is visible
through the thick undergrowth. The fence terminates along the
southernmost hill of the property before the land continues
its slide down into the upper portion of Spout Run where the
original mill of the property (known today as the Bosteyan Mill)
is located.
The southern boundary of the fence is not visible from
the house today, and it may never have been. It is possible that
the fence on the southern boundary at one time continued west
along its path to join the fence at the propertys western boundary.
Several wooden posts and some barbed wire indicate that at some
later time the fencing at the southern boundary was extended past
the termination of the stonework. The line of this section of stone
fence runs closely parallel to the southern section of the modern
road, and it is possible that any fencing that may have previously
existed along this southern boundary was removed during road
construction in the early 1930s under Gerard Lambert.

80

The stacked stone fence also exists closer to the house and
may have at one time defined the garden area in the north yard.
The stone fencing extends along the western edge of the house
starting approximately 25 feet north of the west dependency
and terminating just north of the old stables. The fence then fills

Figure 66 - Stone walls at Carter Hall. [Credit: Author]

several of the spaces between outbuildings in the north yard.

The fence continues east from the eastern-most outbuilding until
it intersects the northern boundary fence along Mount Airy Farm
Lane, which it meets at a very acute and inelegant angle.

After mapping the location of stone fences through
survey and remote sensing, a distinct pattern emerged. Based
on the size of the fence and the proximity to the mansion, the
author categorized the stone walls as the garden zone and the
landscape zone, intended to define two scales of gardening
at Carter Hall (Figure 64). The fence around the north yard is
thought to represent the extent of the ornamental and kitchen
garden, while the larger fenced area represents the landscape
garden.

This area contained rolling topography and ancient oak
and hickory trees, several of which remain today. In addition,
the larger fenced area retains very large rock outcrops that add
picturesque beauty to the rolling topography.


In Colonial America, fencing was not used to mark
property boundaries as much as to keep roaming animals out of
crops and gardens (Plant, 108). As the open commons style of
land management gradually disappeared, the use of fencing to
contain cattle increased into the 19th century (Plant, 290). It is
possible that the stone fence at Carter Hall was used to exclude
livestock. However, the presence of two sets of stone fencing
likely indicates that they were meant to symbolically demarcate
spaces and uses. This is given further credence by the fact that
the fence around the landscape zone does not correspond to
the extent of the Carter Hall property boundary as conceived at
any time period encountered by the researcher. Rather, the larger
fence contains an area much smaller than the Carter Hall tract,
which typically extended south to the propertys mill on Spout
Run. Due to the inaccessibility of historic plat maps at the time
of study, exact boundaries throughout the propertys history have
not been confirmed.

No documentation could be found to indicate when the
stone fences were constructed, but it most likely was during a
time of either great wealth or inexpensive labor, possibly both.

Figure 70 - Looking west at the stone wall on the east terrace from an
overgrown path on the east hill. [Credit: Author]

Below: Evidence of wall construction over time. The modern wall segment
(Figure 66) likely dates to the construction of Apple Hill and the modern paved
road. Note the drainage structure.

Figure 67 - Modern wall along Mt. Airy Farm Lane.

[Credit: Author]

Figure 68 - Mt. Airy Farm Lane, looking east.

[Credit: Author]

Figure 69 - Mt. Airy Farm Lane, looking south.

[Credit: Author]

81


It is possible that the fences were erected during Col.
Burwells period of ownership, a time when the property had
an extensive force of slave labor and land was being cleared for
construction. It is equally likely that the fences were erected
under his son Georges ownership of the property prior to the
Civil War. However, after that time, it is unlikely that such a
monumental task was undertaken. The fence was known to be in
existence before Townsend Burwell owned the property (Charles
Burwell, personal communication 6/12/2013). By the time that
Gerard Lambert purchased the property in 1929, photographs
of the stone wall around the north yard outbuildings show it
beginning to crumble, indicating that they had been standing for
quite some time already.

It is also possible the extensive stone fence has been
modified over time with sections demolished and rebuilt as
needed. A clue to the construction or modification date of part
of the fence might be found along the northwestern section of
the fence adjacent Bishop Meade Highway. Here the fence shift
back from the roadway to accommodate houses that were built
along the road. As the houses appear to be historic, research into
the date of construction of these houses may provide insight into
the (re)construction of the fence.

Another section of the wall along Mount Airy Farm Lane
forms an acute angle (see Figures 66 and 69) that may indicate
that the landscape scale wall was built first. A modern stone
wall was constructed to parallel the historic wall on the northern
boundary of Mount Airy Farm Lane (Figure 67). It is likely this
wall coincided with the construction of Apple Hill. The modern
wall contains stormwater drainage openings, allowing water to
exit the road to the creek just north of the road.

Further research into the development of the property
may provide insight into the role of the stone walls, how they
functioned within the plantation landscape, and their relationship
to the wood fences on the property. At present, it appears the
stone walls served to demarcate the property boundary of the
main tract in areas not easily marked by natural features such as
Spout Run or the mill pond.
82

Earthworks at Carter Hall

Terraces

Although terraces originated in Classical times, they
regained popularity in the 17th century in Italian Renaissance
gardens (Kohr, 140). English visitors on the grand tour admired
these geometric formal features and implemented terraces
within their own garden designs during the late 17th and early
18th centuries. Terraced gardens continued to be prominent
subject matter for European writers in the 18th century, likely
influencing the design of formal gardens in Colonial America.
Between 1719 and 1860, the mid-Atlantic region was a locus of
formal garden design and terrace construction, beginning with
Lt. Governor Alexander Spotswoods design for the Governors
Palace in Williamsburg, Virginia (Kohr, 140).

In the mid-Atlantic region, terraced or falling gardens
were commonly designed as part of preparing hilly sites for house
building. Houses of wealthy landowners were typically built on
high promontories overlooking their holdings, and rivers which
provided primary access to trade. (Sarudy, xi). Terraces controlled
the hilly terrain, providing level areas for planting. Frequently
terraces were connected by steep turf-covered ramps. In addition
to creating flat functional areas, terraces were used to control
access and manipulate views of and from the house (Sarudy, 23).

Up until the early 20th century, terraces continued to
be important elements of designed residential landscapes. In
addition to creating a more manageable site for development
and flat areas (flats) to plant decorative and utilitarian gardens,
terraces were used to delineate boundaries between natural/manmade landscapes and use areas (Kohr, 139). Terraces provided
a setting for a house, creating a pleasing view from upper
stories, and a platform for surveying the surrounding countryside

(Sarudy, 24). Because terraces allowed landowners to define

views of the house from lower lying areas as well as the views (and
access) from the house, terraces also represented symbolic barriers
between differing social classes (Kohr, 139). Terraces at the entry
can provide the illusion of a larger or more dominant structure at
the top of the hill. Also, the simple existence of terraces spoke
volumes of the wealth of the landowner who commanded enough
labor to accomplish such a monumental task. They also indicated
the landowners sophistication and cultural ties to Europe.

In Colonial America, terraced gardens were typically
comprised of three to five terraces with turf ramps at their fronts
and sides that provided visitors and workers access to the garden
(Sarudy, 27). The ramps, also known as falls or slopes (Sarudy,
27) were often very steep, at times dangerously so (Sarudy, 30).
The flats usually were planted with turf, flowers, or produce.

Relatives of Col. Burwell have been credited with some
of the earliest examples of falling gardens in Colonial Virginia.
In the 1730s Lewis Burwell, the Colonels uncle, built a long
rectangular garden, about 220 feet wide and extending almost 500
feet south from the house down to the James River at Kingsmill,
his plantation (Sarudy, 29). Sarudy notes that Lewis connected
the falls in his garden using stone steps rather than the turf ramps
common in contemporary gardens in Maryland. His cousin,
Carter Burwell (the Colonels father), followed Lewis example
and in 1751 implemented a three turfed terrace design at Carters
Grove that led down to a large enclosed kitchen garden, which
was divided into quadrants by two central walkways (Sarudy,
29).

The gentry of Virginia were enamored of falls gardens
and built them on any available natural rise, not just on
riverbanks of the Chesapeake region. For example, Colonel John
Tayloe built his falling garden at Mount Airy three miles away
from the Rappahannock. Terraces were more than a passing fad,
as Virginia families built falls gardens well into the nineteenth
century (Sarudy, 32).
83

Earthworks at Carter Hall

In addition to the terraced north yard and the terrace that exists behind the East House (East Yard) three additional earthwork locations
were identied through physical inspection and remote sensing. The
pattern of the earthworks are shown below as solid black lines overlaid
on the gray topographic survey of the property.

East Hill
Northeast Garden

South Lawn

Figure 71 - Earthwork locations located outside north yard.

[Credit: Author; data source: ArcGIS Online Map base]

84

Terraces at Carter Hall

In 1973, Carter Hall was nominated to the National
Register of Historic Places. The nomination credited Wade
Muldoon, landscape architect, for designing the four-level
terraced north garden in 1948. The nomination listed the property
as being historically significant in the areas of agriculture,
architecture, commerce, military, and landscape architecture.
It is unlikely that the designation of significance in the area of
landscape architecture relates to the services of Olmsted Brothers
or Warren Manning because in the first instance the design was
never implemented, and neither designer was mentioned in the
nomination. However, it is possible the terraced gardens played a
role in the determination, despite not yet having attained 50 years
of age.

Unlike the 18th century colonial terraces common to the
Tidewater region from which the Burwells came, the terraces at
Carter Hall are not placed on display for visitors or passersby.
Even the decorative terraces, planted with formal gardens are
hidden in the rear of the house.

It is clear that the terraces were a dominant feature of the
Carter Hall landscape. As the nomination states: Carter Halls
stately architecture, beautiful grounds, and historical associations
epitomize the popular image of a Virginia plantation (NRN
Section 8). No other mention of terracing or design was made
in the description of the property, nor was any mention made
of the agricultural significance of the site. The nomination does
note that the original stone gristmill for the plantation was still
located on the southern edge of the property at the time of the
nomination.

Existing Conditions:

In addition to the terraces in the north yard, which
have previously been documented in the National Register
Nomination, four more terraced areas were documented during
the course of this study. These terraces may contribute further to
the significance of the site in the areas of agriculture and landscape
architecture. The terraces of Carter Hall are interesting in their
placement and purpose.

Following is a description of each of the five terrace areas
at Carter Hall as they exist at the time of the study, evidence
of previous documentation, and a discussion of their possible
functions.

Earthwork Area 1: North Yard

The north yard terraces are entered from three flights
of eight steps descending from the rear door of the house and
each of the rear porches. The four existing terraces form a falling
garden that connects the mansion to the slave quarters and
stables north of the house. The top two terraces are pyramidal
in style, symmetrical about the axis of the house and uniform in
their two-foot height. However, the third and fourth terraces are
not symmetrical to the center line of the house. Rather, the third
terrace is oriented north-south and is more prominent west of the
axis line, whereas the fourth terrace is located entirely east of the
axis line.

The four terraces are flat and connected by approximately
twenty percent slope falls. The edges and corners of the terraces
are very sharp, showing their modification/creation in the modern
era. They are currently covered in turf with sporadic plantings on
the second and third terraces, although the first terrace is planted
primarily with a formal boxwood garden (Figure 71).

85

History:

The first documentation of the north yard terraces was
found in Historic Gardens of Virginia published in 1923 by the
James River Garden Club. In the volume, John Townsend
Burwell, owner of Carter Hall between 1908 and 1929,
documented the contemporary conditions of the garden and his
plans for its restoration. John described the garden as consisting
of three terraces as well as several other garden features when he
purchased the property in 1908. Amongst the head high weeds and
shrubby overgrowth, John Townsend found the remains of paths,
a grove of seven white pine trees, planting beds, and a reflecting
pool. Most significant about John Townsends description of the
garden is his suggestion that the terraces and garden features
dated to the period of his grandfathers ownership, George H.
Burwell. John Townsend believed the three-tier garden he found
to be the work of the mysterious Spence.

The next documentation of the garden occurred in 1931
when Olmsted Brothers surveyed the property in order to develop
a landscape design for Gerard Lambert. The survey shows the
terraces described by John Townsend circa 1920.
Analysis:

Terraces were usually contemporaneous with house
construction as a means of utilizing the excavated material,
controlling erosion, and creating flat areas for planting. The house
was almost certainly built on an uneven slope whose foundation
required significant excavation, therefore producing a great deal
of excess material. In addition to flat areas, this material was often
used to create mounds to serve as bases for future construction
such as summerhouses or detached libraries, or to create high
points for surveying the property and a spot for catching cool
air in the summer (Sarudy, 52). There are several possibilities
for the placement of this excess material including the roadway
and carriage turnaround that likely existed just southeast of
the house. While grading almost certainly took place during
86

the construction of the main house, it is also possible that the

terraces (particularly the lower terraces) were constructed during
a later stage, perhaps when the north outbuildings were built.
More research is required to ascertain the construction date of
these buildings, which may shed new light on the construction of
the lower terraces.

Though the terraces were first documented in the mid1920s to early 1930s, they likely date to the George H. Burwells
tenure and were designed by the landscape gardener Spence.
After the George H. Burwell period, the property was rented
or owned short-term by at least five different individuals or
families during the course of approximately 28 years. A project
of the magnitude of the north garden terraces would require a
significant amount of time and labor to complete, and would not
be an inexpensive undertaking. Therefore, it is most likely that the
terraces were built under George H. Burwells ownership, during
the antebellum era when labor was free and the plantation was
generating considerable income. The estate would never again
know that degree of wealth until 1930 when it was purchased
by Gerard Lambert. However, the documentation indicates the
terraces were already in existence.

It is possible that the terraces date even earlier to the
construction of the house by Nathaniel Burwell. Both Carters
Grove and Kingsmill, two family plantations with which
Nathaniel was intimately acquainted, featured terraced gardens.
Based on an enumeration of his Shenandoah estate, Nathaniel
had a garden that was likely both fashionable and functional.
However, if Nathaniel designed a garden for the grounds, cultural
precedents indicate it may have been different to its current
configuration, or Nathaniel broke with tradition. The terraces at
Kingsmill and Carters Grove are located to provide scenic views
out to the surrounding landscape and are overlooking the river,
which was often considered the primary view of the house.

The terraces in Carter Halls north yard do exhibit
features of Colonial era design common until 1860 (Kohr, 140).


The top two terraces grow successively larger as they
extend from the house. The terraces are also symmetrical about
the centerline of the house and uniform in depth, attributes
common to Colonial era terraces. William Pacas house built
in Annapolis in the 1760s provides an example of a three-falls
garden of increasingly wide terraces, which provided the illusion
of a larger area when viewed from the upper floors of the house
(Sarudy, 23). The secluded nature of the north yard garden and
the effort to create the illusion of a more expansive space may
indicate that it was designed during George H. Burwells tenure,
a period of resurgent interest in the healthfulness of nature and
family life. Due to the large size and symmetrical design of the
upper terraces, it is likely they were designed as formal garden
spaces. The short height indicates they were probably designed to
accommodate frequent use (Kohr, 147).

It is more difficult to interpret a temporal domain and
intended function for the lower terraces as they do not follow
the same design pattern, nor are they symmetrical about the
centerline of the house. However, this does not preclude them
from dating to the same period as they may have served a more
practical purpose than the primarily aesthetic terraces closer to the
house. Menokin, the home of Francis Lightfoot Lee, and built
ca. 1770, contains asymmetrical terraces that descend away from
the house in two directions and seem more like the lower terraces
at Carter Hall. These terraces have been interpreted as having
been designed to provide an unobstructed view of Menokin Bay
to the south where much of the plantations business took place
(Kohr, 144). However, unlike typical Colonial terraces, which
were located at the front of the house, the primary terraces at
Carter Hall are located in the private north garden. This does
not preclude the lower terraces from having a utilitarian function,
however, as these terraces overlook the slave quarters and the east
hill, which may have been used for agriculture. These terraces may
also have served as transitional zones between the outbuildings,
ravine, and house, much as they did at Menokin (Kohr, 144).

It is likely that any observation of Carter Halls other land,
including the town of Millwood, would have taken place from
the best vantage point, the upper floors of the house. In addition,
the grove that existed during the earliest days of the house was
likely a prominent landscape feature of the south yard, precluding
the necessity of a falling garden for aesthetic purposes.

Figure 72 - LiDAR hillshade of north yard with the outbuildings outlined in red.
[Credit: Author].

87

Earthwork Area 2: Northeast Garden

Analysis:

Existing Conditions:

It is difficult to propose a date of construction for the terrace
features in the northeast yard due to the lack of documentation.
It is equally difficult to propose a function for the terraces. It is
possible the morphology of the terraces/mounds changed over
time and that the present configuration does not represent the
original condition.

The north yard terraces step down toward the former slave
quarters and stables, ending in two asymmetrical terraces. At the
northeast corner of the garden, just east of the fourth terrace is
the northeast yard, which extends eastward and southward after
crossing the line of the east yard terrace. The area terminates in
the east at the field stone retaining wall that marks the start of the
east hill.

Since 1937, the northeast garden has been home to a
greenhouse designed by Bunny Lambert. The earthworks in this
area are unique in their shape, which changes as the terraces move
eastward from the north garden. Overall, they have a mounded,
berm-like shape, and are approximately nine feet wide, between
four and six inches in height and separated by approximately four
feet of flats.

East of the east yard terrace, the berms become flattened,
and the topographic features more closely resembling traditional
terraces rather than the mounds evidenced in the area around the
greenhouse. These long terraces extend from the boundary wall at
the north of the property southward to terminate approximately
twenty feet from the road.
History:


No written documentation of the terraces/mounds in the
northeast garden was found during the course of study. However,
the contour lines included in the 1931 Olmsted Brothers
topographic survey may indicate the presence of the mounds near
the eastern base of the fourth north garden terrace. The eastern
stretch of the terraces is not evidenced in the contour lines,
although it does appear from the Olmsted survey that the area
was open and unplanted.
88

While the terraces are not clear on the 1931 topographic
survey, it does not necessarily mean that terraces did not yet exist.
The terraces are not very clear on the contours mapped in 2012
either. The terraces are most evident through ground inspection
and through examination of the LiDAR-derived topographic
model.

Due to the open character of the area on the Olmsted
survey, it is likely the area was used as a grassy transitional zone
between the orchard and terraces of the east hill and the formal
north garden during the John Townsend Burwell period.

In their present configuration, the terraces appear similar
in form to planting mounds developed for orchards in areas of
poor soil drainage, which could be continued down the slope to
the retaining wall. However, according to the USGS Web Soil
Survey, the soils in the area belong to the Hagerstown-Opequon
Rock Outcrop series and are characterized as being well-drained.
During the John Townsend Burwell period, the area did contain
some scattered fruit trees, which may have been the remnants of
a former orchard.

South Yard (E-W)

Northeast Garden (E-W)

East Hill (E-W)

Figure 73 - Earthwork section diagrams, 1-foot intervals. [Credit: Author]

Andrew Kohr developed a typology for terraces so that they can be studied and understood quantitatively. The typology includes ten criteria: regional location, environment,
geographic location, water association, architectural affiliation, mathematical association, number of flats, construction, additional landscape features, function (Kohr, 142).
In order to more fully document the terraces at Carter Hall and provide insight into their design intent, a typology was created for each following the attributes outlined by Kohr. At
present, little is known about the construction of the earthworks or their function. However, the affiliation of the earthworks with architecture is clear: only the north yard terraces share
a direct relationship to structures. Additionally, there is no clear association between water features on the property and the earthworks identified. Figure 73 illustrates the exercise
in understanding the mathematical association of the earthworks. There are differences in the depth of the terraces which provides information on use. Terraces with smaller falls
indicate more human activity because they have easier access (Kohr, 147).

89


The northern end of the wall has been augmented to
create a planter box approximately 40 feet in length and tenfeet wide. The east yard terrace ends as a part of the third terrace
in the north garden, although the connection is lost due to the
development of the brick patio.

Three flights of stairs provide access to the garden from
the west. At the rear of the East House is a set of ten concrete
steps, farther north of those is a curving set of five flagstone steps,
and closest to the terminus of the terrace is a set of brick steps
known to exist during the Christopher period.
History:

Figure 74 - View toward northeast garden earthworks from bottom terrace of north
yard. [Credit: Author]

Earthwork Area 3: East Yard

It is not clear when the east yard terrace was completed;
however it was documented on a 1931 topographic survey by
Olmsted Brothers. By 1931, Gerard Lambert had owned Carter
Hall for two years and had completed renovations to the house
and outbuildings. However, it is uncertain that Mr. Lambert was
responsible for the design. In 1931, he had contracted the services
of Olmsted Brothers to generate a garden design for the estate, so

Existing Conditions:

East of the plantations original kitchen house (now
known as the East Guest House) lies a flower garden dating to
the Christopher period (1947-1975). The garden is graded down
toward the north in three terraces to meet grade with a long
narrow terrace framed to the west by an alle of mature deciduous
trees (primarily hackberry and hickory) and on the east by young
dogwood trees.

90

The terrace extends approximately 230 feet to the north
where it currently terminates in a semi-enclosed brick patio.
There are approximately ten flagstones embedded in the turf
towards the southern end of the terrace. A low stone masonry
wall approximately 60 feet in length supports the northern end of
the terrace, the remainder of which is steeply sloped and covered
with turf and weedy growth.

Figure 75 - Northeast garden mounds. [Credit: Author]

it is unlikely that a project of this magnitude was carried out by

Lambert prior to hiring Olmsted Brothers.

Images dating to circa 1930, prior to the restoration of
the house and modern paved road, indicate the east yard terrace
may already have been in existence when Lambert purchased
the property. A photo from the Lambert period shows a fence
extending from the east wall of the East House on level ground
(Library of Congress, Samuel H. Gottscho Collection Image
5a01996r).

According to the 1931 Olmsted topographic survey,
the east yard terrace was cleared of vegetation aside from a few
fruiting and other deciduous trees that loosely lined the terrace,
curving west around the area at which the east terrace meets the
third terrace level of the north garden. The survey shows that the
terrace was not bounded along the northern end by the stone
retaining wall or planter box.

Figure 76 - East yard terrace (looking south). [Credit: Author]

Analysis:

It is difficult to determine when the east yard terraces were
created. It is likely that the east yard terrace is a contemporary of
the north garden terraces, due to the fact that the two terraces
meet in elevation. In addition, both terraces are supported by
stacked stone walls. Like the north garden terraces, the east yard
terraces would have involved a considerable amount of labor and
time to create and therefore it is most likely to have been built
during George H. Burwells ownership of Carter Hall, if not
earlier.


Due to the relationship between the East House and
the third terrace level in the north garden, it seems likely the
terraces were constructed to facilitate circulation through the
hilly, dramatically sloping east yard. It is quite wide, measuring
approximately 25 feet, and therefore may have provided access
for wagons or planting areas for a kitchen garden.

Figure 77 - Overgrown path leading to east hill. [Credit: Author]

91

Earthwork Area 4: East Hill

Existing Conditions:

Extending east from the East House and terrace is a
small sloping area leading to a dense tree line. By peering into
dense groundcover and understory growth, one can find an old
retaining wall composed of dry laid field stones. The wall runs
roughly north-south starting from a point roughly parallel to the
front of the East House, and extending to the stone wall running
along the north of the property, parallel to the Apple Hill Road.

The wall is primarily concealed with ivy, vinca and other
groundcovers and it was therefore difficult to determine an exact
height. However, it appears to vary from approximately two feet
in height at the southernmost end to approximately four feet
in height where it meets the northern wall that demarcates the
property boundary (Figure 66).

researcher was able to reveal an extensive series of terraces that

cascaded down the east hill ending at the base of Apple Hill near
the spring pond. The terraces begin east of a small ravine that is
located directly adjacent the stone wall.

Due to the existing groundcover conditions, the researcher
was unable to measure the dimensions of the terraces and therefore
they had to be estimated within the digital environment. The
researcher found the terraces to be approximately 15-feet wide
with 15-foot wide falls separating them.

The wall appears to support Earthwork Area 2, the
northeast corner of the garden and serves as a boundary between
the garden landscape and the eastern hill adjacent the property
which contains another series of terraces. The terraces on the
east hill are obscured by ground cover and understory growth
and it is therefore difficult to confirm their dimensions through
ground survey. However, the existence of the terraces and their
general pattern are detectable through close observation. A path
approximately adjacent the walls terminus and at the highest
point of the east hill provided the researcher the easiest access
to the terraces. Bearing the marks of usage by utility vehicles,
the path led to the top of a terrace which provided limited views
down the slope and laterally across the top two terraces.

In order to better understand the terrace features detected
through ground survey and to determine their extent, the
researcher utilized LiDAR data to model the existing terrain.
By developing a visualization model from the LiDAR data, the
92

Figure 78 - LiDAR topographic model of east hill terraces. The

diagonal feature in the upper right corner is Mount Airy Farm Lane.
[Credit: Author]


The terraces appear to extend north and south along the
entire surface of the east hill, although they tend to disappear
into the uneven, lumpy terrain. The terraces were not detectable
from the north along Apple Hill road or from the base of the hill.
History:

agricultural purpose, perhaps indicating they contained food

crops used by the household, such as orchard trees. Bremo, a
plantation developed in the early 19th century by John Hartwell
Cocke, also utilized steep slopes near kitchen houses and other
work structures to contain orchards and food crops.

No documentation of the east hill terraces were found
during the course of research. However, an aerial photo of the
county taken in 1937 shows the east hill with marks on its
denuded surface that match the pattern revealed by the remote
sensing data.

The 1931 topographic survey of the property by Olmsted
Brothers shows the stone retaining wall that separates the north
garden from the terraces of the east hill. It also shows a wattle
fence line following the length of the retaining wall before
splitting off to trace the bottom of the ravine.
Analysis:

Carter Hall has a long agricultural history involving
livestock and crops. However, it has been difficult to establish
where crops for both livestock and human consumption were
grown. Based on the size and pattern of the east hill terraces it
seems that the area was used for agricultural production. This is
supported by the documentation of a fence line at the western
base of the hill, preventing access to the ravine and reinforcing
what was likely a pre-existing stone retaining wall.

The width of the terraces suggests they were intended for
crops planted and harvested with the assistance of animals. The
east hill terraces provided an agricultural area that did not obstruct
the views of the surrounding countryside from the mansion or
the entry road.

The proximity of the terraces to the old kitchen house and
slave (later, servants) quarters provides further clues as to their

Figure 79 - 1937 aerial photograph of east hill terraces. There appear to be scattered

trees on the terraces, which may indicate a transition in terrace usage. [Credit: USDA
FSA APFO WO#1026016 (modified by author to show extant manor house and
outbuildings]

93


While it is not clear when the terraces were originally
developed, it is likely they were cultivated during John
Townsend Burwells ownership of the property. The limited
canopy cover in the 1937 aerial photograph indicates that the
area had been managed to maintain an open landscape until
quite recently before the image was taken. In addition, the
fence recorded on the 1931 topographic survey of the north
garden indicates the area was likely in use, and the fence helped
to prevent people or animals from entering the ravine area.
Retaining Wall

Fence

Wattle fences are also helpful for containing erosion.
The agricultural use of the east hill is further supported by
documentation of an orchard within the wattle fenced area during
John Townsend Burwells ownership. While the large scale
Olmsted Brothers survey (ONHS 09311-7 Oversize) portrays
the orchard as situated within a small southwestern corner of the
east hill, it is very possible the orchard was grown on the terraces
themselves.

Earthwork Area 5: South Yard

Existing Conditions:

Southeast of the mansions front door lie two terraces
bracing the concave side of the promontory on which Carter Hall
was built (Figure 90). The terraces are covered in turf and are
easily missed by visitors entering the property via the one-way
entry road from the south. The two arched terraces are roughly
parallel in curvature, sharing neighboring focal points (Figure
82).

On their western ends, the terraces fade into the hillside,
while on the eastern ends they appear to have been truncated by
grading for the modern asphalt-paved road. Each terrace varies in
width with the upper terrace varying between seven to eleven feet
along its length and the lower terrace measuring approximately
twelve feet. While the primary flat is indeed flat, the terraces do
have a slightly mounded lip at their ends (Figure 73). The slope
of the flats exceed seven percent at their western end.

Gate

No features matching the curvature of the terraces are
found on the western side of the promontory. However, it is
interesting to note that a path appears to extend from the front of
the West House to the lower terrace.
Left:

Figure 80 - 1931 Survey detail. [Credit: ONHS Archives Image 09311-3 sheet 1, n.d.]

94

Note the long, wide terrace that separated the North yard from the agricultural
landscape of the East hill. The survey identifies the stone wall and wattle fencing at
the top of the East hill.


Unfortunately, the slight path or depression does not
follow the same geometry of the terraces, and it is difficult to
determine their relationship.

It has not been determined if the terraces are visible from
the upper floors of the mansion, but they are visible from the
front portico, particularly the upper terrace. From the portico,
the lower terrace was only visible when objects two feet or taller
were placed on it. The terraces are not visible from road in front
of the house. They are most prominent when viewed from the
second story rooms of the old kitchen house (East House) or
when approached from below along the entry road (Figure 84).
History:


No previous documentation of the terraces was found
during this study. Neither of the two topographical survey
drawings from 1931 and 1932 documents the terraces. However,
this does not mean they were not yet in existence, as the survey

performed under the direction of Olmsted Brothers (1932) may

not have extended far enough south to encounter them. Also,
the contour lines appear to have been interpolated based on
measurements off a 100-foot grid (OHNS Plan #09311-7-tp1)
and if the terraces were not located at a point of measurement
they may not have been noticed, especially if covered by unmown
grasses. However, it is likely that the earlier survey showing
revisions to the roadway by a civil engineer would have noted the
terraces.

Despite the lack of direct documentation of the terraces,
there are several potential references to the features or related
landscape elements. First, a lithograph published by Samuel
Kercheval in 1850 shows a road extending roughly perpendicular
from the primary road that ran in front of the mansion (Figure
89).

312 ft
216 ft
Carter
Hall

North

100

200

Feet
400

Figure 81 - Topographic visualization of south yard terraces. Contours overlaid on a

hillshade model shows the geometry of the area. [Credit: Author]

Figure 82 - Geometry of south yard terraces. The focal point of the blue circle is
placed approximately on the center of Carter Hall. [Credit: Author]

95

Second, a plan for the garden at Carter Hall designed by Warren

Manning shows a circulation path east of the house which looks
as though it could have continued down to an arc path south of
the house.
Analysis:

Without any previous documentation of the terraces, it is
difficult to say with certainty when or why they were created. The
shape of the terraces may provide some clues as to their intended
function.


The slight lip at the edge of the terrace flat is a feature
more commonly associated with circulation paths than with
terraces constructed to provide planting surfaces. However, it
seems unlikely that circulation linking the East House to the
area around the West House would warrant such labor-intensive
construction, or that it would require two parallel paths of travel.

Additionally, it is unlikely to have been a path for horse and
carriage due to the steep western slopes, measuring approximately
eleven percent. And, if the contours present on the 1931 Road
Revision plan which show an earlier, if not original, road layout
are accurate, then the terraces would not have provided continuous
access across the south lawn to the east side of the East House
where the east terrace is located. However, the path of the entry
road has changed over time, and the terraces may have been

Figure 84 - View of south terraces from road. [Credit: Author]

96

Figure 83 - South yard terraces outlined, looking southeast. [Credit: Author]

associated with the carriage turn around located just southeast

of the old kitchen house by providing a planting area or simply
being a display of style or wealth.

It is interesting to note that the terrace arc geometry does
not correspond to the contour lines. If the geometry of the terrace
arc was extended west around the hill to create a line of planted
trees, for example, they would not be uniform in height if viewed
from the mansion.

This aspect of the terrace design may detract from the likelihood
the terraces were built to serve a formal decorative function
such as providing a planting area to be viewed from the carriage
turnaround.

The lip does not preclude the possibility of the terraces
being planting areas. The location of the terraces out of direct
sight of the mansion but within full view and accessibility of the
old kitchen house would make it seem like an optimal spot for
additional kitchen garden planting. Research at Bremo has shown
a similar arrangement of agricultural terraces, that is proximate to
the kitchen house, but out of direct view of the mansion. Similar
features also exist within the Carter Hall grounds. In the north
garden along the northern edge of the second terrace, a slight
mound is utilized as a planting bed for a row of twelve boxwood
shrubs.

Aside from circulation or decorative or agricultural use,
the terraces may have been built to serve a fourth function.
During the Sharpe Sisters ownership of Carter Hall, jousting
parties were held in the south lawn, in a natural amphitheater
(Spur, 10).

It is possible that the terraces are located in the natural
amphitheater used for the jousting parties and that the terraces
were built to not only provide seating within the amphitheater,
but also provide access to the area from the front porch of the
mansion.

Finally, the terraces may simply be the creative
rearrangement of earth excavated while constructing the modern
entry road. A comparison of Townsend era photographs and
drawings from the Olmsted Archives indicate the area around
the East dependency was graded and raised between three and
five feet (Figure 85). The road was likely regraded before being
paved under the Christophers. The terraces blend quite well into
the hillside and may have been an economical way of disposing of
earth while simultaneously protecting the slope from erosion.

Figure 85 - Photo of east house ca. 1929. [Credit: Project HOPE Archives]

97

Circulation at Carter Hall

B

ased on oral history interviews, it is likely the pattern of
circulation through the site has changed significantly in over 223
years since the plantation was built. In addition to changes in the
mode of transportation from horse and wagon to automobiles, the
uses of the property have also changed significantly. For most of
the propertys history, the property was primarily agricultural and
retained a historic connection to key elements of the plantation/
agricultural landscape.

It is likely that the entrance to Carter Hall has always
been located along Lord Fairfax Highway across from the church,
once it was built. During the early 20th century the entrance road
directly connected the main entrance to the front of the house
(Charles Burwell personal communication), however the road
did not loop as it does currently. Rather, the looping tour road
for Carter Hall likely dates to 1931-1932. It is also likely that
the location of the entrance road was slightly north in order to
provide a more direct path to the house. However, a photo from
between 1900 and 1907 of the road from the front of the portico
indicates a similar trajectory to the current road layout [CCHA
#1998.00470.004].

98

Historically, Carter Hall was connected to Millwood by a
lane or stile that came out just behind Lockes store (Charles
Burwell personal communication). Based on personal interview
with Mr. Charles Burwell, son of Townsend Burwell, his family
frequently used the lane to access the house from town. The area
adjacent Millwood was still referred to at that time as the grove
and covered the entire southern part of the mansion tract. It is
possible the area was used for pasturing livestock. Carter Hall and
Millwood were connected by the North Gate since at least the
George H. Burwell period of ownership (VHS Burwell Family
Papers, Section 13 Plat).

Figure 86 - South yard lane ca. 1931. [Credit: ONHS Archives Image #09311-2]

Figure 87 - View of Historic intersection. [Credit: Project HOPE Archives]


The connection between Carter Hall and Millwood
may also be indicated by a baseball diamond that existed on the
southern boundary of Carter Hall during the Townsend Burwell
period (Charles Burwell, personal communication 6/12/2013).

In order to explore the changing circulation patterns
at Carter Hall, a GIS-based study was conducted to identify
locations of possible road beds and compare them to oral history
data. Attempts at visually identifying historic paths using ground
survey were thwarted by the rolling topography and vegetation
on the site. Areas with slight depressions were visually identified
through ground survey, but no historic road beds have yet been
confirmed.

The Carter Hall grounds were analyzed through visual
interpretation of 1-meter LiDAR data using hillshade models
and techniques outlined in White et al (2013) to maximize the
visibility of anomalous topographic features. In order to more
accurately distinguish between natural features and potential road
beds, flow accumulation was modeled to identify potential stream
channels.

Figure 88 - Detail of road revision by engineer W.E. Shendell, May 1931. The new

road is shown in red, areas to fill in blue (at top of image adjacent East House), and
areas to cut in yellow. Note the yellow turnaround at center-right of image.
[Credit: ONHS Archives #9311-4]

Next, GIS models were used to generate Least Cost Paths
between known destination features on the landscape, such as the
main gate and front door, the barn and the mill house. These
automated models detect the easiest way to travel between two
specified points. Slope was the only data used to calculate cost
for path analysis in this study. Historic roads are assumed to have
been developed by/for horse and carriage travel, therefore a slope
of 7.5 percent was used as the maximum allowable slope for the
model. The vegetation has changed only slightly in character over
the course of the propertys history, however, the location of trees
and other vegetation has likely changed depending on land use
and management decisions.

Soils data was acquired using the USGS Web Soil Survey
and were found to be primarily silt loams with rock outcrop
complexes. The soils indicate that some limitations for road

Figure 89 - Ca. 1850 lithograph showing carriage turnaround.

[Credit: Handley Library Archives #39-373]

99

development occur. However, this determination is based on

modern paved roads defined as excavated with a paved surface
on compacted sub-grade. The historic roads investigated in the
survey are assumed to be unpaved roads for horse carriages, based
on review of historic imagery.

The accuracy of Least Cost Paths was then tested to
ensure that they do not intersect with outcroppings that have been
located through ground survey, but may not have registered in
the LiDAR data (a remote possibility). In addition, outcroppings
could have relatively low slopes, but still serve as impediments to
travel.

Finally, a viewshed analysis was performed to understand
the relationship of the manor house, main entrance, and mill to
potential road sites.

Figure 90 - Possible path travelling NW-SE across south yard.

[Credit: ONHS Archives Image# 09311-2]

Additional study of circulation on the Carter Hall property
should include a review of the connections between the historic
North Gate connecting the town of Millwood to the Carter
Hall property as evidenced in a George H. Burwell era plat. A
review of hillshade models of the site indicate many possible roads
between the historic intersection and the North Gate, however
the node was not included in formal study. Further study of
circulation at Carter Hall would also benefit from comparison
of the plantations spatial organization to other properties to
understand the relationship between the formal entrance and
house.

Figure 91 - Possible location of historic road to barn. [Credit: Author]

100

Figure 92 - 1-meter LiDAR data hillshade model showing structure of historic Carter Hall landscape. [Credit: Author; base data: AXM2, University of Mary Washington, 2012]

101

Historic Road Modeling

Automated models were created in GIS to identify
Comparison
of Least
possible
locations of historic
roads. Cost
ModelsPath
were created to
approximate the historic topography and find the path with the
Least Cost
Paths
werewas
generated
from each
of the solely
smoothed
setswith
then visually
compared against a hillshade of existing elevation.
least
cost.
Cost
determined
based
ondata
slope
a
maximum allowable slope of 7.5% to account for horse travel. The
LCPmodern
from Low Pass
LCPbeen
from overlaid
original LiDAR
paths have
on a hillshade model of the
0
topography.
LCP from Focal Statistics

LCP from 10 resampled data

!
(
Entry

!
( Mansion

!
(

Historic
Intersection

Comparison of Least Cost Path

Least Cost Paths were generated from each of the smoothed data sets then visually compared against a hillshade of existing elevation.

on of Least Cost Path

LCP from Low Pass

LCP from original LiDAR

generated from each of the smoothed data sets then visually compared against a hillshade of existing
LCP elevation.
from Focal Statistics
LCP from 10 resampled data

LCP from Low Pass

riginal
LiDAR
ompared against a hillshade of existing elevation.

0 hillshade
resampled data
of existing
ss

atistics

250

LCP from!
(Focal Statistics
elevation.
0

250

Entry

500

Feet

250

250

Feet

500

Feet

!
(

250
500
! Mansion
Figure 93 - Road model tests. [Credit: Author;
Feetbase data: AXM2, University of Mary Washington,!
(2012] (

102

!
(
Mansion

Historic

!
( Mansion

500

Historic
Intersection

Barn

500

Feet

Viewshed Study

The areas visible from
each of the known historic
viewpoints was modeled in GIS
to understand the relationship
between potential road beds and
visibility on the hilly site.

Legend
Carter Hall Boundary
Viewpoint
Visible from Entrance
Visible from Intersection
Visible from Barn
Edited Road Beds
from LiDAR
Water Flow Channel
Figure 94 - Viewshed study. [Credit: Author; base data: AXM2, University of Mary Washington, 2012]

103

Potential Historic Roads

Potential road beds were
overlaid on viewshed areas to
determine visibility from key
nodes on the historic landscape.

House

Legend
Carter Hall Boundary
Viewpoint
Rock Outcrop
Possible Road Trace
Basin Ridgeline
Least Cost Path
Stone Wall
Water Flow Channel
Figure 95 - Potential historic road system. [Credit: Author; base data: AXM2, University of Mary Washington, 2012]

104

Figure 96 - Outcrops in southeast yard. [Credit: Author]

Figure 98 - Modern road curving around historic tree, looking east. [Credit: Author]

Figure 97 - Modern road reveals Carter Hall. [Credit: Author]

Rock outcrops likely constrained development on the site. The southeast yard
(Figure 96) contains many more outcrops than areas near the house, which may have
been cleared for construction. The modern road was designed in a picturesque style
which reveals scenes of the landscape (Figure 97). The modern road accommodated
historic trees (Figure 99). The lane to Millwood likely crossed the modern road
perpendicularly near the V in the road, just west of the area pictured above (Figure 99).

105

North Yard Evolution: ca. 1908 - 1976

1908 - 1929
John Townsend Burwell

1929 - 1947
Gerard Lambert

1947 - 1976
Frank and Mable Christopher

Key Garden Features:

Key Garden Features:

Key Garden Features:

* Dirt road with turn around

* Formal garden: symmetry, decorative pool,
designed paths
* Orchard and Kitchen garden

* Garden seems to retain overall structure of

the Manning plan
* Increasing canopy
* Unknown plans or functions

* Increasing canopy
* Formal boxwood parterre
* Increasing evergreen foundation
* Woods areas encroaching on formal garden
* Strong separation between formal garden and
area near slave quarters

Data from aerial images, ground photographs,
historic survey, written description and interview data was
used to craft proposed plans for the North Yard during three
periods of ownership.
Figure 100 - Comparison of garden periods. [Credit: Author]

106

Carter Hall Tract Evolution: ca. 1908 - 1976

A - John Townsend Burwell Period

B - Gerard Lambert Period
C - Frank and Mabel Christopher Period
D - 2013 Landscape

The landscape of Carter Hall has transitioned from

agricultural to park-like over the past 84 years. Increasing vegetation
has been structured in a picturesque manner, and despite the overall
change, the landscape has retained a basic structure defined in its
earliest days.

Figure 101 - Comparison of landscape periods. [Credit: Author]

107

Project HOPE
(1977 - 2013)

In August 1977 The People to People Health Foundation
purchased Carter Hall in order to have a land base for their
global humanitarian work in healthcare, called Project HOPE
(HopeBuys). The property had been on the market for
approximately one year (HopeBuys) before the Foundation
purchased the manor tract which included the major buildings
and 77 acres (Paid). After the purchase, Carter Hall became
the international headquarters for the Foundation, which was
previously located on Wisconsin Avenue in Washington D.C.
(HopeBuys).

The plan for Carter Hall was to serve as a center for
international symposiums and conferences, attracting scholars
and experts in medicine, public health, education, and government
(HopeBuys). Currently, Carter Hall and the grounds function as a
for-profit conference center for use by like-minded organizations.
The property holds administrative offices for the non-profit
Project HOPE in a building built soon after they acquired the
property. The structure was built in the northwest of the property
and is obscured from view by a grove of trees that may have been
planted during the Christopher and Project HOPE periods
(Figure 104).

108

The original sale notice listed a 700 acre property (Paid)
which included agricultural amenities such as silos, cattle sheds
and barns (Sotheby) in addition to the house and yard. These
features were likely located on the additional 130 acres for which
Project HOPE had a lease option (Hand). This agricultural land ,
which lays to the southeast of the house across Spout Run, is leased
to local farmers (Kaplan, personal communication 05/15/2013).

Modifications to the landscape appear to have been
made in the early 1980s soon after the organization purchased
the property. Project HOPE extended the entry road to provide
access to the administrative building and added additional site
amenities such as a small parking lot, service buildings to the far
north of the property adjacent to Mt. Airy Farm Lane, and a
tennis court near the administration building.

In addition to the large swimming pool in the North yard,
the small fish pond on the terrace behind the east dependency

Figure 102 - Brick sitting terminating vista on terrace behind east house.
[Credit: Author]

was removed by Project HOPE. Both features, which had been

installed by the Christophers, were deemed a potential hazard
to guests: the small fish pond frequently contained snakes.
In order to terminate the east terrace vista after the pond was
removed, a square, brick-walled and paved sitting area was
built at the terminus (Figure 102). Project HOPE has also
rehabilitated the outbuildings and dependencies to serve the
lodging needs of overnight visitors. The author was unable to
determine who was responsible for the design, but it is possible
that it may have been the work of Philip W. Mason, who created
renovation plans for the East House garden and service area
driveway. He also proposed a design for the steep hill north of the
outbuildings, which he called the Alumni Patio (Figure 105).

Mrs. Walsh, wife of Project HOPEs President, was
instrumental in affecting changes to the Carter Hall landscape
enlisting the help of friends including Architect Philip W. Mason.
Bunny Mellon also played an important role in modifying the
Carter Hall landscape after Project HOPE purchased it from
the Christophers. Bunnys son, Stacy Lloyd, Jr. had taken part
in the first Project HOPE mission in the 1960s. When the
agency purchased the property, Bunny donated the talents of
her horticulturist, Everett Hicks, to assist with rehabilitating
the landscape, including the removal of many trees, primarily
non-native species. She also led the design of the cutting garden
adjacent to the north yard outbuildings (Burt Kaplan, personal
communication 5/15/2013).

It is unclear where trees were removed from, but there
seems to have been a focus on removing evergreen species
from the North Yard. Throughout the South yard several large
stumps exist, although considering their large size, it is likely
they were not removed due to being non-native, but more likely
due to the fact that they were unhealthy. In addition, there are
some prominent non-native trees that remain on the landscape,
including a mimosa along the entry road and a large cryptomeria
and Japanese yew in a cluster of ornamentals planted in the south
lawn.

Figure 103 - Plantings near outcrops. [Credit: Author]

Figure 104 - A young grove shields modern Project HOPE structures. [Credit: Author]

109


Despite earlier efforts, primarily under Gerard Lambert,
to revive the historic grove on the property, forty to fifty oaks
have been lost since the mid-1970s, with a lot of the devastation
occurring during the 2008 wind storms (Burt Kaplan, personal
communication 5/15/2013). As Clarke County has gone from
an agricultural to residential community in the 20th century,
the landscape of Carter Hall remains an important vestige of
earlier landscape conditions, including the agricultural lands
which Carter Hall rents to local farmers ( Shadow, 8).

Around 1988 the English boxwood that had been
installed and carefully tended by Wade Muldoon to decorate
the North yard and form the maze succumbed to a blight.
Project HOPE hired Saunders Brothers nursery to replace the
English boxwood maze in the North Yard with Green Beauty
a more hardy cultivar, which the company may have helped to
develop (Burt Kaplan, personal communication 5/15/2013).
Project HOPE had consulted with Blandy Arboretum (home
of the American Boxwood Society) prior to the restoration
project, which involved fumigating the soil. The restoration
project sought to follow the existing design (B. Kaplan, personal
communication 6/20/2013) implemented by the Christophers.

Figure 105 - Proposed design for Alumni Terrace north of service buildings.
[Credit: Project HOPE Archive]

110

A line of English boxwood that extended from the last
flight of stairs under the Lebanon Cedar at the base of the third
terrace along the thin fourth terrace to the cutting garden was
removed at that time and was never replaced (Burt Kaplan,
personal communication 5/15/2013).


The Project HOPE period has also resulted in the
implementation of many small scale features intended to serve as
memorials and donated by classes of volunteers commemorating
their time spent serving together. In addition to the redesigned
mill pond bridge, examples of memorial features on the landscape
include a small garden dominated by spring and summer
blooming bulbs on the rock outcrop adjacent to the northern end
of the narrow third terrace; a path winding from the spring pond
through the East Hill terraces to the North Yard (overgrown

and currently untraceable). Small plaques note the class responsible

for the memorials and their year of implementation.

In addition to work on the landscape, Mrs. Walsh led
rehabilitation efforts for buildings on the property. Project
HOPE hired Howard Shockey and Sons, Inc. of Winchester to
lead projects to restore, preserve, and rehabilitate the propertys
original buildings (Schedule) including the Colonial Revival
structures likely built by Gerard Lambert in the Service Yard.
Work on the building interiors was completed under the
direction of Don McAfee, another local design firm (Schedule).
In addition to assistance from Bunny Mellon (B. Kaplan, personal
communication 6/20/2015), Mrs. Walsh enlisted the help of the
Project HOPE Acquisition Committee which sought to find
period pieces and 18th century reproductions of American and
English furnishing (Schedule).

The concern for the retaining the historic character of the
property during the Project HOPE period is evidenced by the
fact that when the three-story Learning Resource Center was
under construction in 1978, Project HOPE installed new water
lines so as not to disturb the layout of the grounds (Schedule).

Figure 106 - Example of small scale site features built on site during the Project
HOPE era. [Credit: Author]

111

Existing Conditions in 2013

Today, Carter Hall is located in Clarke County, a small
county in the Lower Shenandoah Valley that was formed in 1848
from the eastern portion of Frederick County. The Opequon
Creek forms the boundary between the two counties which
featured distinct cultural and political landscapes. Clarke County
was settled primarily by wealthy migrants from Tidewater
Virginia who transplanted their economy of large plantation
agriculture and fine mansions to develop an open rural landscape
of dispersed houses. This transformation of the landscape began
soon after the Revolutionary War as lands that were previously
held in reserve as insurance against Tidewater soil depletion were
settled permanently.

Carter Hall, built ca. 1792-1800, is one of the earliest
and most famous of the plantation houses dating to the early
development of the Valley. During the houses two hundred year
history, it has had ten owners, only three of which had no traceable
connection to Nathaniel Burwell the original owner and builder.
Despite the decades of renovations and modernizations to the
house, the original structure can still largely be determined.

The original fieldstone construction is visible today
without the plaster coating that covered the mansion in the past.
The mansion, with primary and secondary wings and symmetrical
two-story dependencies, is aligned east to west atop a hill. The
promontory on which the house rests provides views from its
southern faade to the Blue Ridge Mountains and southeast to
the Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge beyond that. The landscape
today remains largely undeveloped and primarily open and
agricultural, although likely more wooded that it was when the
house was built.

The mansion has been described as late Georgian (NR,
7) and Early Republican in style because it blends Georgian and
Federal elements (Shadow, 45). The original Georgian elements
112

of symmetry, the geometric proportions of the rectangular

house and dependencies, the axial arrangement, the single-pile
interior, and the five-bay arrangement of windows are all clearly
evident today. The Federal elements include pilasters flanking the
doorways, fanlights, and a grand portico featuring Ionic columns
(Shadow, 45), which was not original to the house. Aside from
the portico, these decorative features as well as the roof have all
been manipulated several times by successive owners.

The house and dependencies feature interior chimneys,
and the east dependency, constructed as the kitchen house, retains
a remarkable ten-foot wide open hearth and flanking ovens
set into the field stone wall. To the north of the mansion and
dependencies is a formal decorative garden set atop a four-terrace
garden, which extends approximately 150 feet north where it is
terminated by a line of field stone outbuildings. This garden area
is contained along the western edge by a dry-stacked fieldstone
wall and a terrace that extends behind the east dependency forms
the eastern boundary of the garden. Three small work sheds,
identified as a dairy, wash house and smoke house, are located
between the west dependency and the garden. It is unlikely that
they date to the earliest days of the property, but may instead be
Colonial Revival elements put in place during the 1930s. These
structures as well as the dependencies and the outbuildings located
at the northern extent of the garden have been rehabilitated by
the current owners of the property, Project HOPE, for use as
guest lodging and maintenance buildings.

The three work sheds are separated from the west
dependency by a small turf patch and a driveway adjacent the
west dependency which provides access to the work sheds and
the commercial kitchen located in the basement of the west
secondary wing. The turf patch is punctuated by a small crab
apple tree planted in its center. A line of six mature cedar trees
( Juniperus virginiana) serves to partially screen the work yard
from the house. This work area is contained along the western
edge by a white picket fence that extends from the edge of
stone fence that delineates the western boundary of the garden.


North of the three work sheds is a large rectangular
concrete slab enclosed with an eighteen-inch high concrete
wall that supports chain link fencing topped with barbed wire.
The area has become overgrown with successional plants, but a
small dog house can be seen inside. Against the fence gate on
the structures east side is an approximately seven-foot tall feature
that resembles a large shower head attached to a fence post.

Two large porticos measuring twenty-by-twenty feet serve
to connect the house to the north garden. The brick-paved openair porticos, which date to the early 20th century, are attached to
the primary wings of the mansion and are connected by a narrow,
brick-paved patio that runs along the length of the mansion.
Stairs lead down from the porticos and the patio beneath the rear
door to provide access to the garden. The top terrace of the garden
is adorned with a boxwood parterre garden. Directly adjacent the
patio is a central parterre panel that contains a sundial at its center.
Brick paths lead past this area to the symmetrical parterres that
flank an open turf panel on axis with the centerline of the house.
The central panel of each flanking garden parterre is composed
of turf with a single magnolia (likely Magnolia acuminate) at
its center. Four small flights of stone stairs lead from the first to
second terrace, with two flights located on the north edge, and
one each on the east and west sides.

The second garden terrace is dominated by an
exceptionally large Lebanon cedar which at one time partially
shaded an oval swimming pool. The second garden parterre
is bordered on the east half of the north edge by a line of
shaped boxwood. Whereas two wide sets of stone stairs allow
for parallel traffic to descend northward from the first terrace,
a single narrow set of stairs leads to the third terrace. Located
under the spreading branches of the Lebanon cedar, the stairs
are flanked by boxwood and lead to a narrow third terrace that
is situated west of the house axis. The third terrace extends
north to the line of outbuildings which were likely built as slave
cabins. The terrace terminates in the cutting garden designed
and implemented under Bunny Mellons direction in the 1980s.

A white picket fence contains the garden whose 11 planting

beds are outlined in the characteristic brick which bunny
utilized at Apple Hill as well. The area west of this third
terrace is rolling terrain that slopes slightly west toward the
stone wall that forms the western boundary of the north Yard.

A narrow flight of stairs connects the western edge of
the third terrace to the graded driveway and concrete path that
provides access to the former carriage house and other outbuildings
which currently serve as lodging for Project HOPE guests.

To the east of the third terrace is a fourth that has been
graded flat and features a volleyball net. East of this terrace are the
mounded Northeast Yard earthworks that slope down eastward to
the greenhouse designed by Bunny Mellon. A flagstone path and
set of brick stairs connects the cutting garden to the greenhouse.
Storms in the past 10 years have broken many of the glass panes
on the greenhouses roof and weeds have begun to grow on the
work surfaces.

To the south of the house is a large yard of mown grass,
mature oaks and specimen trees that covers several acres of rolling
hills that eventually lead down to Spout Run to the southeast and
the town of Millwood to the southwest. Just beyond the southern
boundary of the property on the southern banks of Spout Run is
a large two-story mill and house that originally belonged to the
Carter Hall mansion. The Bosteyan Mill, as it is now known, no
longer belongs to the Carter Hall property, but is privately owned.
For most of the propertys history it remained largely
agricultural in use and appearance, and the maintenance of
agricultural land use in the rented parcels of the property helps
to retain an agricultural character. There are other less noticeable
features of the landscape that hint to Carter Halls agricultural
past. Within the stone wall that forms the northern property
boundary are many pieces of melted bottle glass, broken bricks,
and parts of garden implements such as rakes.

113


The author also found other agricultural implements
along the entry road under the grove of Norway Spruce
located just southwest of the house. These items included a
rusted knife (Figure 25) blade and an unidentified implement
(Figure 24) that may be part of a winch. Sections of post
and wire cattle fencing indicate previous organization of
the Carter Hall landscape and indicate pastoral land use.

Today there is an abundance of wildlife on the property
including fox, groundhogs, blue birds, hummingbirds, deer, and
waterfowl and crayfish in the pond. Truly, it has become the
landscape garden that the Christophers likely sought to nurture
since the 1940s.

The landscape retains other features that hint at past uses
of the landscape, including three small metal fence posts and bent
metal plaques placed in the south yard near the cluster of specimen
trees. Maintenance staff for the property were consulted, but there
was no indication the signs had been placed by Project HOPE.

Research and field work during 2013 sought to lay the
framework for a landscape history of Carter Hall including the
major events, cultural trends, and people who helped to shape the
development of the property.

A few giant oak trees remain, providing a sense of the
grove that once existed primarily between the house and the
entry road. However, the last remnant of the original grove
was lost to a tornado in 2008. The small knoll overlooking
the spring pond bears the remnants of the giant trees as large
stumps, and piles of wood chips and large debris remaining from
efforts to chop through the fallen trees. The area is overgrown
with raspberry brambles and is a favorite spot for deer to forage.

Carter Hall and Apple Hill remain connected by the
asphalt paved Mt. Airy Hill Lane. Apple Hill, the residence for
Project HOPEs president when he is in Virginia, is open and
visible from the mill pond area. The small island formed by the
springs on the north and Spout Run to the south is maintained
as an open field. It is not clear at what point the area was cleared,
but it was likely wooded during the Christopher era (Farland).

The historic connection between Carter Hall and
Millwood has been lost as a result of the altered circulation
patterns and the apparent restoration of turf over the historic
lanes.

114

Study Conclusions

Over the course of its history, Carter Hall has been shaped
by humans seeking to utilize the abundant resources of the site
and capitalize on the beauty of the surrounding countryside.


Starting approximately 80 years ago the property followed
local and regional trends for plantation homes and transitioned
from an agricultural to a purely residential function. Fo l l ow i n g
a change to a residential use came changes in management
strategies for the property, starting with Gerard Lambert who
focused on renovation and addition of buildings in a Colonial
revival style. Lambert also created the scenic entry road, designed
in a style reminiscent of Olmsted Brothers, although it is not
possible to credit the firm for the design.

The most significant changes to the structure of the historic
gardens and broader landscape were made under the Christophers
who designed the existing formal North yard garden and worked
to create a landscape garden on the wider property.

Due to the long history and twists and turns of fate
befalling owners and land managers along the way, there are many
aspects of the propertys history that remain to be discovered.

Future Research Suggestions:

What follows is a short list of suggested inquiries to
further knowledge of Carter Halls unique and interesting history:
Role of Bunny Mellon in garden/landscape design during the
Lambert period: Bunny Mellons Oak Spring Garden library was
contacted for any information the archive might contain on the
Carter Hall garden and landscape. Requests for information were
denied due to the personal nature of many of the collections
photographs and paintings by Mrs. Mellon of the Carter Hall
landscape.
Development of the current tour road: Preliminary research in
Loudoun and Clarke County archives, as well as the Library of
Congress and online search engines did not produce information
on C.E. Wendell. Further research into area archives as well as
additional drawings from the engineering firm that handled the
Lambert renovation may reveal further evidence of the roads
development history.

Col. Burwells garden designer: Research contemporary

periodicals to determine if the Colonel sold James prior to leaving
Carters Grove.
Review Clarke County Plats for development of Carter Hall
landscape: Plats were in transit from City Hall to the Clarke Co.
Historical Association and unavailable for review in 2013.
Conclude formal mapping of existing conditions (e.g. small scale
features, planting areas)

Construction of stone outbuildings: Further review of fire

insurance records from Virginia Mutual Assurance Society at the
Library of Virginia may assist with determining the construction
date of the North Yard outbuildings.

Review records of American Boxwood Society: Blandy Research
Farm may have records from their consultation on the English
boxwood maze replacement by Project HOPE.
Identity of Spence : Review Richmond city directory and
Richmond Enquirer for advertisements by/for gardeners during
the George H. Burwell period.

115

Existing Conditions Map

The existing conditions of the 2013 Carter Hall
landscape were mapped utilizing CAD survey, GPS data,
and aerial photography as well as ground measurement
of features. Further work to document the detail of the
North Yard is required, specifically to note the location
of planting boundaries and rock outcrops adjacent to the
outbuildings in the North Yard

Legend

1 - Main Entrance
2 - Largest extant tree on property (White Oak)
3 - Project HOPE headquarters
4 - Flagstone Paved Area
5 - North Yard
6 - Specimen Tree Planting
7 - South Yard Terraces
8 - East Hill Terraces
9 - Mill Pond
10 - Spruce Grove overlooking path to Millpond
11 - Carter Hall Mill and Millers House

t. A

iry

La

ne

Limestone Outcrop
Post and Wire Fence
Parcel Boundary
Road

116

Figure 100 - Existing conditions detail: north yard. [Credit: Author]

t. A

iry

La

ne

9
8

10
5

6
11
4

400 feet

2
un

Fairf
ax H
ighw
ay

Sp
ou
tR

Lord

Figure 101 - Map of existing conditions 2013. [Credit: Author]

117

Landscape Scale Tree Survey

!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!

!
!
!
!
!

!
!

!
!

!
!

!
!

Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AEX,
Getmapping, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, swisstopo, and the GIS User Community
!

118

Acer buergeranium

Cornus spp.

Platunus occidentalis

Robinia pseudoacacia

Acer saccharum

Cryptomeria

Populus alba

Syringa spp.

Aesculus hippocastanum

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Prunus serotina

Tsuga canadensis

Albizia julibrissin

Gingko spp.

Quercus spp.

Viburnum plicatum

Betula nigra

Juglans nigra

Quercus alba

Viburnum prunifolium

Buxus spp.

Juniperus virginiana

Quercus falcata

Unidentified Species

Carpinus spp.

Liquidambar styraciflua

Quercus palustris

Carya ovata

Magnolia acuminata

Quercus phellos

Carya spp.

Morus spp.

Quercus prinus

Carya tomentosa

Paulownia tomentosa

Quercus rubra

Celtis laevigata

Picea abies

Quercus veluntina

119

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Fordney, Christopher R. Long Branch: A Plantation House in Clarke County, VA. Berryville: Harry Z. Isaacs Foundation,
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MARTIN

Martin, Peter. Long and Assiduous Endeavours: Gardening in Early Eighteenth-Century Virginia. Williamsburg: The
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 1984. Print.

MEET

Devereux, Kathleen. Perfect Weather for First Meet. Winchester Evening Star 31 October 1977. Print.

MULDOON

Bygrave, Bill. Handling the Landscape at Carter Hall. Winchester Evening Star Thursday, 16 September 1976. Print.

MYERS Myers, Mary E. The Line of Grace: Principles of Road Aesthetics in the Design of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Landscape
Journal 23:2-04. 2004.

NBEV
Brown, Jr., Stuart E. Nathaniel Burwell (1750-1814). Encyclopedia of Virginia. Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, 4
September 2013. Online.
NCP

Wrenn, Tony P. Bacon, Henry, Jr. NCPedia. 1979. Online.

NRN

National Register Nomination for Carter Hall. Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff, May 1973. Online.

OLDVA Christian, Frances Archer and Susanne Williams Massie, Eds. Homes and Gardens in Old Virginia. Richmond: Garrett and

Massie, Inc. 1950. Print.
PAID
Devereux, Kathleen. Project Hope Foundation Paid $850,000 for Carter Hall Estate. Winchester Evening Star 5
November 1977. Print.
PARADE Untitled article. Parade Magazine 19 August 1962. Print: Carter Hall Scrapbook.
PHI
Katzenberger, Geoffrey A. ed. Catalogue of the Legal Fraternity of Phi Delta Phi 7th ed. Ann Arbor: The Inland Press. 1897.
Online.

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PIONEERS

Cartmell, T.K. Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants: A History of Frederick County, Virginia. Berryville:
Chesapeake Book Company, 1963. Print.

PLANT Hofstra, Warren R. The Planting of New Virginia. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004. Print.
QUIET Meter, Val Van. Postcards Portray Millwood as quiet village 80 years ago. Clarke County Courier undated. Print. Clarke
Co. Historical Assoc.
RECORD Burwell, George H. Record of the Burwell Family, revised. Richmond: Whittet & Shepperson Printers. 1908.
REGI

Reginato, James. "Bunny Mellon's Secret Garden." Vanity Fair August 10, 2014. Online.

RETURN

no. 2. Millwood News May 1881. Print. Clarke Co. Historical Assoc.

REVIVE "Blue Ridge Hunt Club is Revived." The Clarke Courier 24 March 1921: vol. LIII No. 1. Print.
ROOTS Thomas H. Burwell (ID: I29178) entry on Roots Web by Fonda Carroll. Online. http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com.
SCHEDULE

SCHLEIF

Devereux, Kathleen. "'Hope' Has Carter Hall on Schedule." Winchester Evening Star 12 October 1978. Print.

Schleif, Carolyn. Oldfields: an historic structures report. MS Thesis. Ball State University, 1989. Online.

SEPARATE
Hofstra, Warren R. A Separate Place: the formation of Clarke County, Virginia. White Post: Clarke Co. Sesquicentennial
Committee. 1986. Print.
SHADOW
Farland, Mary Gray and Beverley Byrd Greenhalgh. In the Shadow of the Blue Ridge: Clarke County 1732 - 1952.
Richmond: William Byrd Press, 1978. Print.
SHEN

Cartmell, T.K. Shenandoah Valley Pioneers. Berryville: Chesapeake Book Co. 1963. Print.

SKETCH Burwell III, George Harrison. Sketch of Carter Burwell (1716 - 1756). Millwood: Burwell. 1961. Print.
SOTHEBY

Sotheby Parke Bernet to Sell Carter Hall." n.p. 8 March 1977. Print. Clarke Co. Historical Assoc.

SPUR

Levi, Evelyn Dean."Carter Hall." Spur of Virginia 1969. Print.

SSA
Clarke County Government Sanitary Authority. Prospect Hill Spring. Online.
www.clarkecounty.gov/sanitary-authority/sanitary-authority-information/prospect-hill-spring.html
SUGG
Manning, Warren. Suggestions for Beautifying Home, Village, and Roadway. No city: The Youths Companion. 1900. Online:

Library of Virginia Digital Archive.

TRACT Chappelear, Curtis."The Carter Burwell Tract and Carter Hall the Home Estate of Col. Nathaniel Burwell in Clarke

County, Virginia" Notes of the Clarke Co. Historical Association vol. VI. Berryville: The Clarke County Historical

Association. 1946. Print.
TRADE Brinkley, M. Kent. "The Professional Gardener's Trade in the Eighteenth Century." The Colonial Williamsburg Interpreter.
1997. Online.
TWENTY Neckar, Lance M. "Developing Landscape Architecture for the Twentieth Century: The Career of Warren H. Manning"
Landscape Journal. 1989. Online.

124

WIN

Unnamed article. Winchester Star Friday, April 16, 1982. Online at newspaperarchive.com

WOODHULL
Historical and Genealogical Notes and Queries Relating to Orange Countys Old Families: Oxford Neighborhood.

WVU
Announcements: The College of Agriculture, West Virginia University. Morgantown: West Virginia University. 1917.
Online (Google eBook).

125