In Appreciation of the Fauquier and Loudoun Garden Club

In Appreciation of the Fauquier and Loudoun Garden Club. . , The Goose Creek Bridge was built in 1802 and was used daily by pedestrians, carriages, horses, and vehicles until 1957. The bridge is a four-arched stone bridge, 212 ft. long, and is the oldest remaining turnpike bridge in Virginia, dating to Thomas Jefferson’s first administration. The bridge is both an architectural gem and a significant historic landmark as the site of major action during the Battle of Upperville on June 21, 1863., In 1957, Ashby Gap Turnpike (Route 50) was realigned and a new bridge was built over Goose Creek. The historic bridge was abandoned. The Morison family, whose property borders Goose Creek, understood its significance and took back possession of half the bridge from the state., The celebration of America’s Bicentennial sparked a renewed interest in preserving not jut the words but also the structures of our country’s history. Sally Morison, a member of Fauquier and Loudoun Garden Club, inspired its president, Mary Owen Chatfield-Taylor, and other preservation-minded members of the club to take ownership of the other half of Goose Creek Bridge from the state in 1975, placing sole ownership in the Club., The Fauquier and Loudoun Garden Club took the challenge of stewardship seriously. The Club preserved the bridge and the surrounding area through a variety of fundraising efforts and events. The site was significantly enhanced when Senator John Warner gifted 12 acres between the old bridge and the new Rt 50, providing a protected view of the bridge from Rt 50., With considerable effort, money and expertise, the club members restored the land around the bridge, showcasing its native beauty and educating visitors to the benefits of land conservation. The Scenic Overlook was built in 1997 and provides visitors with a vista of a wildflower meadow. Native plants such as milkweed, Joe Pye weed, and wingstem attract a variety of birds and pollinators. A riparian corridor of native trees and plants along Goose Creek filters the sediment and holds the creek bank, thereby improving water quality and habitat. A woodland hedgerow, backed by a canopy of mature trees, flanks the old access road and provides cover and sustenance for wildlife., The Club also participated in the Garden Club of America’s Centennial Trees project, planting trees native to the Piedmont at the bridge site. In 2011, a Club member received the prestigious Garden Club of America Conservation Award for her work preserving the beauty and biodiversity of the distinct habitats of the bridge., An important part of the Club’s mission was keeping the site open to the public. The bridge is visible from a major thoroughfare, and visitors come from all over the country and overseas. People walk, picnic, take pictures, get married, shoot movies, launch canoes, walk dogs and see wildlife they wouldn’t see in their own backyards. Visitors can learn about history and the importance of conserving the natural world. For 42 years, it was the Fauquier and Loudoun Garden Club’s great honor to preserve this site and make it available to everyone. In 2017, ownership of the bridge was transferred to the Civil War trust and NOVA Parks to ensure it will be protected in the future.