The Industrial Age

The Industrial Age. Abingdon Plantation. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the encroachment of industry transformed the landscape of Abingdon. Several brick companies purchased the land and began to manufacture brick on the site., Various modes of transportation converged on Abingdon. In 1892, the Washington, Alexandria and Mount Vernon electric railway was built west of Abingdon and carried tourists to Mount Vernon. In 1924, the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad bought the Abingdon property to extend its rail yards. The Mt. Vernon Memorial Highway (now George Washington Memorial Parkway) was also being constructed on the site during the 1920s., Abingdon was soon abandoned and deteriorating; however, preservationists recognized its historical significance. Architect Delos Smith wrote an article in 1929 explaining the history of Abingdon, including sketches for the possible restoration of the house to what he believed to be its original colonial appearance., On March 5, 1930, Abingdon burned to the ground. The Washington Branch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities stabilized the ruins and commemorated the location with a plaque in 1933., In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved plans for the construction of National Airport. Much of the land that once encompassed Abingdon became part of the airport, but the ruins on this hill remained relatively untouched.