Kingst.com

Ariel photograph of Muckross Estate circa 1936.

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In 1877, another partner was taken into the firm – Julian Thompson Burke, son of John W. Burke by his first wife. He was the first in a long line of sons, grandsons and great-grandsons to serve in the family and Alexandria institution.

During the succeeding years Burke and Herbert Bank continued to prosper and expand. Among its many assets was The Greenbrier Hotel at White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

In 1899, Col. Arthur Herbert decided it was time to retire, although at 77 he was four years younger than Burke and he had no sons to follow him into the firm. He and his wife, Alice, had five daughters.
On his decision to retire, he sold his interest in Burke and Herbert to the three Burke brothers who were then active in the bank. He lived for another 19 years at his family estate at Muckross near the Episcopal Seminary. John Burke continued on as president at age 81.
Link: http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=230462&paper=%2059&cat=104

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Documenting the American South, or, The Southern Experience in 19th-century America.

Recollections
Grave and Gay:
Electronic Edition

Harrison, Mrs. Burton, 1843-1920

Near Vaucluse lived our cousin Arthur Herbert, of Muckross (he was like the youngest son of grandmamma’s household), who was to go off to war as captain in the Seventeenth Regiment of Alexandria Volunteers, and after four years of hard fighting, through almost every battle of the army of northern Virginia, come back as colonel, with a record of many gallant deeds, and settle again in his old home. He found the crest of the hill on which his former house had stood bare of everything – dwelling, trees, fences, and outhouses all gone; but a United States fort built upon the site had left behind casemates of solid masonry, serving as fine cellars for the new house. Colonel Herbert married Miss Alice Gregory, of Petersburg, and, with their family, has continued to reside at Muckross – named for the original home of the Herberts near Killarney, in Ireland.
Link: http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/harrison/harrison.html

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The residence at 3908 Seminary Road was built as the original gatehouse for the Muckross Estate. The estate, later known as the Moss Estate, is the land upon which the current neighborhood of Seminary Ridge was built in the 1970’s. During the Civil War, the Muckross Estate was also the site of Fort Worth.

The land was originally developed in the mid 1800’s by Colonel Arthur Herbert of the Herbert Family, who came to be associated with Burke and Herbert Bank. He named the estate aft er Muckross Abbey of Killarney County, Ireland. The estate was guarded by the gatehouse at 3908 Seminary Road & the driveway into the main residence of the estate was St. Stephens Road.

It is writt en that Colonel Herbert assembled the property in fi ve parcels between 1856 and 1901. The lot occupied by 3908 Seminary Road is listed as the 3rd division of the Muckross tract. In fact, one of the pillars from the original gate is located among the boxwoods in the backyard. It is marked “Muckross”. Presumably, the “Gatehouse” was built by Colonel Herbert at the point that he acquired some or all of the land to complete Muckross in the late 1800’s.

Louis E. Jeff ries purchased Muckross from the Herbert family in 1923. Jeff ries had the garage that still stands at the back of “The Gatehouse” built for his Ford Model A car. Shortly aft er, in 1936, Jeff ries sold the estate to the gatehouse’s current owner’s grandfather, Fred A. Moss, making the Moss family (and current owners of The Gatehouse) the third family to own the main estate over its history. From this point until 1970 when the land was subdivided to create the current neighborhood of “Seminary Ridge”, the estate was referred to as The Moss Estate. In 1970 when the land was developed, Mrs. Moss, wife of Fred Moss, moved into “The Gatehouse”. The Gatehouse has remained in the same family from that time to present day. In 2000, the current owners undertook an extensive renovation and with all new systems, creating the stunning property that you see today.

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George Brown Goode – 1887 – Reference – 538 pages – Page ???

Col. ARTHUR HERBERT, of Alexandria, Va., son of William and Maria Dulany Herbert, married Alice Goode Gregory, daughter of William A. and Maria Harrison Gregory, granddaughter of William H. and Louisa Goode Harrison, No. 248, p. 120. Children:

4570, May Gregory. 4571, Alice. 4572, Marianne. 4573, Florence. 4574, Nora.

Col. Herbert is a descendant of the Fairfax family of Belvoir. and greatgreat-grand son of the first William Fairfax of “Belvoir,” President of the Council of Virginia, whose son, the Rev. Bryan Fairfax, succeeded to the title of Lord Fairfax, of Greenway Court, upon his death in 1781.* He was a gallant officer of the 17th Virginia Infantry, C. S. A., and since the war has been a banker in Alexandria. His home, ” Muckross,” occupies a commanding position on the heights back of Alexandria, about midway between “Arlington” and “Mount Vernon,” the house being picturesquely placed within the earthworks of an old fortification.

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Mr. Lincoln’s Forts: A Guide to the Civil War Defenses of Washington

Link: http://www.fortwortharchitecture.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3358

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Lincolns-Forts-Defenses-Washington/dp/0810860678/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1295736650&sr=8-1-catcorr

http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~2250~160116:—Surveys-For-Military-Defences—#

Fort Worth Part of the Civil War defenses of Washington, D.C.
Alexandria, Virginia, Type Earthwork fort

Coordinates 38°48′54″N 77°05′56″W / 38.815°N 77.099°W / 38.815; -77.099

Built 1861
Built by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Construction materials Earth, timber

In use 1861–1865
Demolished 1865

Current condition Dismantled

Controlled by Union Army
Battles/wars American Civil War

Author’s Notes: As a child in the 1970′s, I played with my friends all around this Seminary Ridge, Alexandria neighborhood, and I do believe this is how the Fort was positioned in Seminary Ridge, Alexandria, Virginia. As noted in many books the developer (Pulte Homes sub contractors) destroyed what was reported as a well preserved Fort in the old Seminary Hill/ Ridge neighborhood pre 1970.

1. Fort Worth is reported to have been 450 yards in diameter. link:
2. The current Harris Place culdesac and the old Fort Worth share the same entrance off present day St. Stephens road.
3. Home is – was in corner of Fort.
4. And where having been a 5+year old running around this Seminary Ridge neighborhood; Harris Place is still on a sort of perch. In other words the homes that run along the back edge, along Fort Worth Avenue have steep hills leading up to Harris Place.
5. As I continue to investigate and uncover facts, I will update them here. For Example, whether this Muckross home was in fact a hospital during the Civil War.

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Outer Defense
Resource Area 9
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Fort Worth was a timber and earthwork fortification constructed west of Alexandria, Virginia as part of the defenses of Washington, D.C. during the American Civil War. Built in the weeks following the Union defeat at Bull Run, Fort Worth was situated on a hill north of Hunting Creek, and Cameron Run, (which feeds into it). From its position on one of the highest points west of Alexandria, the fort overlooked the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, the Little River Turnpike, and the southern approaches to the city of Alexandria, the largest settlement in Union-occupied Northern Virginia. In modern times, the site of Fort Worth sits within the boundaries the City of Alexandria (the land west of Quaker Lane, was annexed from Fairfax County in the 1950s) just off Seminary Road. Fort Worth Ave, a residential street approximates Fort Worth’s Civil War location.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Worth,_Virginia

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The following information was found in Mr. Lincoln’s Forts:  A Guide to the Civil War Defenses of Washington.  Benjamin Franklin Cooling III and Walton H. Owen II.   (c) 1988 Friends of Fort Ward.  White Mane Publishing Company, Inc., Shippensburg.  ISBN: 0942597060 (pbk)

Although Fort Worth was reportedly still in an excellent state of preservation, the site was destroyed in 1970 for the development of the area.  One home was reportedly built upon the solid masonry walls of the south powder magazine by Colonel Arthur Herbert, CSA, whose pre-war home of Muckross had been erased by the construction of Fort Worth.  Construction of Fort Worth began on September 1, 1861  The fort was reportedly garrisoned at various times by the following units:  3rd Battalion New York Artillery;  2d New York Heavy Artillery  1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery; 2d Connecticut Heavy Artillery;  and Independent Battery I, Pennsylvania Light Artillery.

There is reportedly a unit history of the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery (reportedly formed as the 19th Connecticut Infantry) written in 1868 by First Lieutenant and Adjutant Theodore Vaill that includes discussion of his unit’s service there.

Vaill, Theodore F.  History of the Second Connecticut Volunteer Heavy Artillery.  1868, Winstead Printing Company, Winstead, Connecticut.

Mount Vernon Fact Sheet

Mount Vernon as it was when bought by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association’ Albumen print. Ca. 1860. The neglected Mount Vernon is pictured as it appeared when acquired by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association in 1858, with architectural features added after Washington’s death, and since removed. umich.edu : National Building Museum.

Mission Statement – Today

• The mission of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association is to preserve, restore and manage the estate of George Washington to the highest standards and to educate visitors and people throughout the world about the life and legacies of George Washington, so that his example of character and leadership will continue to inform and inspire future generations.

Endowment

• Approximately $78 million.

Budget

• The total budget is approximately $40 million annually.

Support and Revenue

• Approximate annual figures: Admission fees, $12 million; Food sales, $6 million; Product sales, $8 million; Unrestricted contributions, $4 million; Endowment income, $2.4 million.

Financial Sources

• No tax dollars are expended to support Mount Vernon. The Association does not accept grants from the federal, state or local governments. Mount Vernon is supported through the generosity of patriotic individuals, foundations and corporations, together with income from gate receipts and gift shop and restaurant revenue.

Contributions

• Mount Vernon has more than 200,000 donors and received $13 million in donations and pledges during 2008 from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The contributions include unrestricted donations, temporarily restricted donations for specific education and preservation programs and projects and permanently restricted donations for endowment purposes.

Membership

• The Friends of Mount Vernon includes 5,000 donors from all 50 states. The Friends receive benefits for their membership and fall into three categories: Friends from outside of the region; the Capital Friends; and Neighborhood Friends. This latter group consists of 1,200 contributors who reside on land that was once part of George Washington’s original five farms.

Staff

• 500 full and part-time staff.

Volunteers

• 400 volunteers contribute approximately 23,000 hours annually.

Visitation

• Annual visitation averages 1 million people, with total visitation approaching 80 million.

Estate

• Size 500 acres; 50 acres are open to the public. Mount Vernon consisted of 8,000 acres during George Washington’s lifetime. Gardens comprise over six acres, and the George Washington: Pioneer Farmer site encompasses four acres.

Affiliated Groups

• The Mount Vernon Advisory Committee; Friends of the Collection; The Life Guard of Historic Mount Vernon; and The Founders, Washington Committee for Historic Mount Vernon.

Public Hours

• Open every day of the year. April – August, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; March, September, and October, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; November – February, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Admission

• 2010 admission: $15 adults; $14.00 seniors 62 and older; $7.00 children 6-11; free for children 5 and under.

Visitor Amenities

• Mount Vernon Inn, open daily for lunch (except Christmas Day) from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Open for dinner Monday through Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Food Court at Mount Vernon offering breakfast, lunch, and snacks is open daily with some seasonal closings. The Shops at Mount Vernon are open daily and feature a broad selection of unique gifts and the largest George Washington bookstore in the country.

Public Information

• Main: 703-780-2000. Group Tours Office: 703-799-8688; 800-429-1520. Mount Vernon Inn: 703-780-0011. Website: Visit.MountVernon.org. Mount Vernon is located at the south end of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Date Created/Published: [between 1861 and 1865] – Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Civil War Photographs – Reproduction number: LC-USZ62-99343 (b&w film copy neg.) – Rights Advisory: No known restrictions on publication.

Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS)

Library of Congress Photograph: Taken between 1861 and 1869

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/cwp2003004723/PP/

Virginia Seminary was founded in 1823 to educate men for the ministry of Christ’s church. It was born of the struggle which followed the Revolutionary War. Among our founders were Bishop William Meade, the third Bishop of Virginia, and Francis Scott Key, whose 1814 poem The Defence of Fort McHenry became the text for our National Anthem in 1931.

During the early days of America’s independence, a small group of dedicated men committed themselves to the task of recruiting and training a new generation of church leaders. In 1818, Francis Scott Key formed “An Education Society” and five years later opened the “School of Prophets,” to become the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia. When the school opened in Alexandria with two instructors, 14 students were enrolled.

During the Civil War, the Seminary was used to house 1,700 wounded Federal troops and to bury 500 of their comrades. After the war, two professors and 11 battle-weary veterans reopened the Seminary. By 1923, the year of its Centennial, the Seminary had regained the resources, the certainty of full enrollment, and the invested funds that had characterized the institution in 1860.

The years between 1923 and 1946 saw steady progress, but the end of World War II marked the advent of the present era of continuing expansion and improvements.

On June 3, 1953, Virginia Seminary merged with The Bishop Payne Divinity School, a distinguished black institution started by Virginia Seminary in 1878.

Since 1950, 22 new buildings have been added to the campus, including five dormitories, the refectory and Scott Lounge, 15 faculty homes, a recreation building, and a day-care center for young children. In 1993, the Addison Academic Center opened, with classroom space, the Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Auditorium, the Seminary bookstore, and the student lounge.