{in the tweeds}

Way back before Christmas (when I was lost in the holiday non-blogging void), Husband and I took a jaunt down 95 to Fredericksburg.  While he was off doing Husband job things, I decided to visit the Kenmore House, “an icon of Colonial architecture” according to my interior design teacher last semester.

I so did not expect what I saw inside this unassuming Georgian exterior:

The 1770s Kenmore House was built by President George Washington’s sister, Betty Washington Lewis, and her husband, Fielding Lewis.  The 1,300 acre plantation stretched over most of Fredericksburg and looked over the Rappahannock River.

Impressive quals?  Sure.  Just wait ’til you see the plasterwork inside!  (and I apologize in advance for the picture-heavy post)

The house was an incredible example of Colonial architecture.  And hoo-wee, this was a wealthy house for that time.  The house is bathed in typical wealthy Colonial colors, wall coverings, mouldings, and plaster.

Although from England, Mr. Lewis built and operated an arms factory for the American Revolution.  He lost much of his wealth (and eventually passed) fighting for American independence.

Not even 100 years later, the Kenmore House found itself stuck in the middle another war, the “War of Northern Aggression” (haha I had to throw in that Southern term seeing that I’m about to be living in Mississippi…).

In December of 1862, the North and the South collided all around Kenmore, with over 18,000 casualties combined.

Cannonballs were found stuck in both sides of the house – meaning it was struck by both Northern and Southern canons.  (The tour guide joked that this fact helped future fundraisers appeal to the Northerners and Southerners alike, saying that Kenmore was on the North’s side in one breath, and the South’s in another!)

The entrenched South decidedly won the Battle of Fredericksburg.

Mr. Lewis died just after the end of the Civil War, and then Betty of breast cancer in 1797.

The plantation was sold to the Gordon family after Betty’s death.  They kept it pretty much as is, other than adding the portico off the back and putting on a slate roof.

The Gordons name the plantation “Kenmore” after their Scottish ancestral castle, “Kenmuir”.

A William Key Howard of Baltimore bought Kenmore in 1881, and owned it until 1914.

In 1922, Kenmore was about to be torn down to make room for city life.

The Kenmore Association was formed to preserve the property.  They fundraised enough to purchase the house and what was left of the plantation grounds.

The saving of Kenmore wasn’t too much after the National Park Service was established by the Department of the Interior in 1916.  Its purpose was to regulate and preserve historic monuments such as the Kenmore House.

The Kenmore Association later saved the childhood home of George Washington, Ferry Farm, also in Fredericksburg, along the Rappahannock River.

They have no idea who did the incredible plasterwork at Kenmore…they simply refer to him as “the stucco man”.

The Stucco Man also did the ceiling of the dining room of Mount Vernon, George Washington’s adult home just outside DC.  (I love that families shared their “guys” even back then…makes me laugh seeing that we’re having my cousin’s guy work on our basement this week…he also works for my cousin’s dad, his mother-in-law, my uncle, etc.  Too funny.)

According to the Kenmore site, the dining room used to house “a large oval table, a square table, 15 chairs, china, silver, and glassware.”  I can only imagine how beautiful the room would be in candlelight at Christmas dinner!

The house underwent considerable restoration, most recently in 2001.  It has been restored to its historically accurate prime of 1775-1800.

The scene above the fireplace in the dining room is of Aesop’s Fable of “The Fox and the Crow”, warning diners to beware false flattery!

If you look closely, you can see the fox circling the base of the tree where the crow is tempting him with some cheese.

All of the plaster moulding (fireplace mantles included) was either cast or carved in place.  Can you imagine how long this project would have taken?!  The Stucco Man was a true master of the art of plaster.

Out the back of the dining room were meticulously maintained English boxwoods and a brick pathway.

The drawing room was just off the dining room, was supposedly used to be filled with more expensive and elaborate furnishings…which is not a surprise once you see this ceiling too!

The same turquoise-y blue trim from the entry, chamber room, and dining room continued into the drawing room, but these walls were covered in some truly amazing hand flocked (kind of furry to the touch) wallpaper.  It probably wouldn’t have been my first color choice given the paneling, but I’m sure it was EXTREMELY expensive.

My favorite feature of the room was the ceiling plasterwork, where each of the four corners represented one of the four seasons:

The crown moulding and work above the fireplace were also quite amazing in the drawing room.

And I loved the mantle too.  (I guess I have mantles on the brain with the departure of my little mantle project…)

Mr. Lewis’ study/office, a less trafficked area (and therefore less of a need to show off his wealth) had less ornamental work.  I guess it was kind of like the man caves of today.  I can just imagine Betty wanting to plaster it all but Fielding resisting.  I bet it was a similar conversation to those overheard in my house. 

I loved the little touches all over the house that made it so substantial, like this lock.

Going down into the basement of the house, they exposed the wood and plaster lathe to show how the walls were constructed.

The buildings flanking the house had been rebuilt in brick at some point; originally they were both wood.

And to the right is a building that now houses offices (I can’t remember what they said it used to be…).

So that’s that!  If you made it through all these pics – high five!  I just couldn’t cut out the pics of the plasterwork, it’s just so stunning!

Thanks for joining me on my little tour of the Kenmore House!

More info on the Kenmore House or George Washington’s Ferry Farm can be found here.  For visiting info, here, and to donate, here.