Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Woodlawn Historic Landscapes

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, December 26, 2018

1. Woodlawn Historic Landscapes Marker

Inscription. In prehistory, nomadic groups hunted and forage here. Under English rule, the land was privatized, with ownership rights granted by royal authority. George Washington bought the Chapel Lands after 1760. He bequeathed this tract and his Dogue Run Farm, where he used slave labor to cultivate wheat and other crops, to Lawrence and Eleanor Lewis, who continued farming in this fashion.

After 1846, timber became Woodlawn’s primary resource. The new owners employed only free labor, and Woodlawn became the core of a thriving integrated community. As timber was cut for shipbuilding, cleared lots were sold to black and white families alike. Woodlawn was transformed from a large plantation owned by one family into a farming community owned by many families tied to the land by shared work and heritage.

Twentieth Century owners reinterpreted the mansion’s landscape as decorative gardens, a romantic vison of the past. The National Trust for Historic preservation recognizes the contributions of many people who shaped and were shaped by this landscape during the past two centuries, and maintains it as a legacy for the enjoyment of the community and future generations.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Notable Places. A significant historical year for this entry is 1760.

Location. 38° 43.028′ N, 77° 7.989′ W. Marker

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is in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, in Fairfax County. It is at the intersection of Richmond Highway (U.S. 1) and Jeff Todd Way, on the right when traveling west on Richmond Highway. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fort Belvoir VA 22060, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area

and in Northern Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Potomac Connections (approx. 0.2 miles away); Dairy (approx. ¼ mile away); Necessary (approx. ¼ mile away); Woodlawn (approx. ¼ mile away); Meat House (approx. ¼ mile away); Pope-Leighey (approx. ¼ mile away); The People of Woodlawn (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Woodlawn (approx. ¼ mile away).

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, December 26, 2018

2. Woodlawn Historic Landscapes Marker

A View of Woodlawn Mansion form US Route 1, circa 1887 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, December 26, 2018

3. A View of Woodlawn Mansion form US Route 1, circa 1887

Close-up of photo on marker

The Portion of Mount Vernon George Washington Gave the Lewises image. Click for full size.

4. The Portion of Mount Vernon George Washington Gave the Lewises

Close-up of map on marker

circa 1905

5. The view from Woodlawn's portico looking out towards Doque Creek, circa 1905

Close-up of photo on marker

Credits. This page was last revised on January 1, 2019. It was originally submitted on December 31, 2018, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 476 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on December 31, 2018, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.