The Wedding Gift: Woodlawn and the Legacy of Mount Vernon

Just three miles down the road from the bustling crowds of Mount Vernon lies a serene, stately mansion that history often overlooks.

This is Woodlawn. While it started as a wedding gift from George Washington to his beloved step-granddaughter, it eventually became something far more radical: a testing ground for the abolition of slavery.

As the very first site acquired by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Woodlawn occupies a unique place in American history, bridging the gap between the Founding Fathers and the fight for human rights.

The Ultimate Wedding Present

On February 22, 1799, George Washington celebrated his 67th birthday. But the day was doubly special: it was also the wedding day of his step-granddaughter, Eleanor “Nelly” Parke Custis, to his nephew, Major Lawrence Lewis.

Washington wanted to keep his family close. As a wedding gift, he carved out 2,000 acres of his Dogue Run Farm and gifted it to the newlyweds.

The House:

The Architect: The home was designed by Dr. William Thornton, the first architect of the U.S. Capitol.
The Style: Completed in 1805, it is a grand mix of Georgian and Federal styles.
The Layout: It features a five-bay main block connected to two wings (a kitchen and a workspace) by “hyphens,” or enclosed passageways.
The View: In the early 19th century, the couple could stand on the second floor and use a telescope to wave at their family back at Mount Vernon.

The Quaker Experiment

The Lewis family owned the estate until 1846. By then, the soil was depleted from years of tobacco farming, and the family relied on enslaved labor to keep it running.

In 1846, the property was sold to Troth-Gillingham, a lumber firm owned by Quakers from New Jersey. This sale marked a dramatic pivot in the property’s history.

The Quakers—Jacob Troth and Chalkley Gillingham—had a mission. They wanted to prove that farming could be profitable without the use of enslaved labor.

The Free-Labor Colony: They divided the plantation into smaller farms and sold them to other Quakers, Baptists, and free African Americans.
The Result: They successfully harvested old-growth timber and revitalized the soil, creating a pro-Union, abolitionist community right in the heart of Virginia plantation country.

Saving the House

Following the Quaker era, the house passed through several owners, including playwright Paul Kester and coal heiress Elizabeth Sharpe, both of whom modernized the structure with electricity and plumbing.

By 1948, the house was at risk of being turned into a mission society headquarters, which likely would have altered its historic character. A group of preservationists stepped in, forming the Woodlawn Public Foundation.

In 1952, the property became the first site owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This acquisition set the standard for the preservation movement in the United States.

Woodlawn Today

Today, the estate has shrunk from 2,000 acres to 126 acres, but it remains a powerhouse of history.

The Architecture: Visitors can tour the mansion to see the blend of Federal architecture and the changes made by 20th-century owners.
The Frank Lloyd Wright Connection: In a strange twist of history, the Pope-Leighey House (a 1940s Usonian home) was moved to the Woodlawn grounds to save it from demolition. You can now visit an 1805 plantation and a mid-century modern gem on the same property.
Sustainable Farming: Closing the circle of history, the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture now farms portions of the property, growing food for the local community just as the Quakers did over 150 years ago.

If You Visit

Location: 9000 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22309.
Tours: Guided tours are available and often include access to both Woodlawn and the Pope-Leighey House.
Don’t Miss: The view from the hill. While trees now block the direct line of sight to Mount Vernon, the landscape remains breathtaking.

For More Information

Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House (www.woodlawnpopeleighey.org)