Huntley Friends of Historic Huntley HeadlinesSpring 2017 Spring Event participate in old-time Huntley The work has revealed architectural activities such as ice cream- and butter- surprises that bring into question the Discovery Day making; and snap a selfie or Facebook structure’s original purpose and use. at Historic Huntley pic with Huntley the Cow. For more Maybe it’s not a tenant house after all? Saturday, April 22, 1 - 4 p.m. information, call 703.768.2525. v Learn about renovation findings and join a lively conversation about their meaning 6918 Harrison Lane, Alexandria Architectural Conservator Suggested donation, $5 led by Sarah Rogers. Children 10 and under, free Calling all History Detectives! Register at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ Discover Huntley 1825 to the present! parks/parktakes. Registration code 3402821601. Call 703.768.2525 for more This year marks the 275th anniversary information. v of Fairfax County. Historic Huntley has been around for 192 of those years! Celebrate this historic moment Meet Huntley Volunteer: by visiting Huntley. Renovation of the Tenant House awaits Carol Booth Discover what Huntley was and how the final touch: installation of windows by Stephen F. Kimbel it changed throughout that time. Learn presently on back order. Carol Booth used a short cut to reach her about its federal-style architecture home in the Stoneybrooke neighborhood and service as a country retreat for Historic Discussions on Huntley: that took her past the old house on the the wealthy Alexandria mayor who hill off of Harrison Lane. She has lived built it; its occupation as a Civil War Tenant House Mysteries nearby since 1979. winter encampment by Union soldiers; Saturday, April 1, 1 p.m. In the 1990’s townhouses went up its transformation to a dairy farm and Norma Hoffman Visitor Center and brought sidewalks to the area and residence for the Harrison family; and Huntley Meadows Park she walked by the old house more its post-WWII use as a commuter home Registration fee, $5 frequently. When FOHH began raising for Colonel Ransom Amlong, his wife, Historic Huntley has always been a site funds to support the restoration of the and their six children. of mystery. For example, its architect house, she made contributions. She still Discovery Day at Historic Huntley remains unknown. And one would like has the refrigerator magnet she received is sponsored by the Friends of Historic to ask T.F. Mason why he built Huntley’s for supporting the drive to bring Huntley Huntley (FOHH) with participation residential ice house to the same scale as back to life. from George Mason’s Gunston the one used for commercial purposes at In 2012, when they held the ceremony Hall, the Fairfax County Historic Gadsby’s Tavern. celebrating the grand opening of the Courthouse, Friends of Fairfax The ongoing renovation of the Tenant freshly restored Huntley—the summer Archaeology, historical reenacter Jon House has demonstrated that even villa of Thomson Francis Mason and Vrana, and John Berfield, guru of all presumed facts about Huntley are his family—Carol Booth attended. But it wasn’t until several months after she things Civil War at Huntley. incorrect. It was commonly believed that retired from her career as a Defense Enjoy activities for the whole family the Tenant House was a late 19th-century and refreshments. Come prepared to Department consultant that she felt she structure. Newly disclosed physical had the time to investigate volunteering sleuth through Huntley documents, details demonstrate that the house was at Historic Huntley. maps, and artifacts; tour the house; built close in time to Huntley’s main villa. continued on page 3 Huntley Headlines • Spring 2017 1 President’s Column: years at the park, she was promoted from volunteer coordinator to visitor A Beacon on the Hill services manager. In this new position by Todi Carnes she is responsible for visitor services As I reported in the fall 2016 newletter, operations and facilities management FOHH, Friends of Huntley Meadows at both the park and Historic Huntley. Park (FOHMP), and Fairfax County She is also the official liaison to worked together to protect Historic FOHH. Huntley’s viewshed from intrusive Kathleen graduated in 2004 with structures towering above the trees. an anthropology degree from James An agreement with Dominion Virginia Madison University, with a minor Power to modify its power rebuild project in historical archaeology. Her love along the southern boundary of Huntley of the outdoors is demonstrated by Meadows Park has been approved by the her work history, starting with high State Corporation Commission. November 2016. Her responsibilities As promised, FOHH continues to include preparing and leading vigilantly monitor ongoing land use interpretive programs on natural and planning for potential impacts to cultural history and science topics for Historic Huntley’s viewshed. In this preschoolers to adults. regard, I am pleased to note that the This spring she will be taking county is conducting a high-tech, Fairfax County Park Authority e-analysis of potential viewshed impacts (FCPA) training to become a certified stemming from planned development interpretive guide, and also will along Richmond Highway along the receive site training in leading tours corridor from Lockheed Boulevard at Historic Huntley. Her first program to the Woodlawn area. The county’s at Huntley will be Discovery Day on commitment of scarce public funds to April 22. Look for her at the ice cream- this project is a testament to Historic making station with Cheryl Repetti. Huntley’s value as a cultural resource, Jessie grew up in a log cabin in the woods of Prince William County, so and acknowledges that the historic site school when she spent four summers has many friends, both within and outside working outdoors is natural for her. Last summer she was a farm manager working at Lake Accotink Park. local government. In college she taught field school The county’s ongoing analysis of at an organic farm in Nokesville. She loved the job and said it was hard during the summers at Shenandoah viewshed impacts and the settlement National Park and worked on Phase reached with Dominion Virginia Power work growing and selling corn, kale, pumpkins, potatoes, and more. III archaeology at James Madison’s show that citizens (both private and Montpelier. corporate) and public officials can She has a master’s degree in agricultural and life sciences, with After college she spent eight years all work together to move everybody as a cultural resource management forward. Through these efforts, the small, an education concentration, which she summarizes as “agricultural contractor in Alabama, Arizona, but grand, villa just outside our nation’s California, Colorado, Florida, capital serves as a positive beacon of the education.” Perhaps FOHH and Jessie could work together to create Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, possible in a stormy time. v programs on local farming history. South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, She looks forward to helping the Washington, and Wyoming. Phew! Huntley Team Expands community celebrate its history She says “It was a good way to spend by Carolyn Gamble and hopes to increase citizen pride my twenties.” Before she started at Huntley Meadows Park, she spent Two new staff members have recently through expanded knowledge. When Jessie isn’t at Huntley she two years as FCPA’s field director joined Historical Interpreter and for prehistoric investigation at Site Coordinator Cheryl Repetti at puts her environmental ideals into action by volunteering with the Colchester. Huntley Meadows Park to work on Kathleen is excited about the the Huntley team— Arlington Tree Stewards and with the Prince William Soil and Water Tenant House renovation. She Jessica Cushman, Programmer Conservation District. says it will bring new options In talking to Jessie, two themes for on-site programs, including came through loud and strong: being Kathleen O’Shea, those highlighting Mason-style outdoors and building community. Visitor Services Manager entertaining. She also shared her Jessie is a part-time programmer who Kathleen is not a new face at Huntley desire to link together the “pockets of started at Huntley Meadows Park in Meadows Park. In 2016, after five history” in our area to create a clearer 2 Spring 2017 • Huntley Headlines picture of what the community was of a young George Washington on his brochures made available at area hotels like. Van tours focusing on different first diplomatic mission for the Royal and motels, in addition to area libraries themes such as dairy farming, ice Governor of Virginia. and other county parks and historic sites. wells, and viewsheds could be offered. Like everything she takes up, With Fairfax County celebrating its In her “free” time, Kathleen is Carol puts lots of time and effort into 275th anniversary this year, Historic the proud mom of one-year-old and welcoming visitors to the old house on Huntley will be exploring ways to future-outdoor-enthusiast Silas. v the hill near her home. During her first help its neighbors preserve the historic season at Historic Huntley she racked documents they may have around the up 38 hours greeting tourists, quite an house. Carol has an example from her Carol Booth accomplishment considering Huntley own family history. continued from page 1 was only open for tours on Saturdays Carol describes her mother as “a Born in Pittsburgh, Carol grew up from April through October. thrower-outer.” But she says her mother- around French and Indian War history Carol’s favorite Huntley feature is in-law was “a keeper.” For instance, with school trips to visit Fort Pitt and the ice well. She marvels at its size and she saved all four yearbooks from her George Washington’s Fort Necessity. wonders about the number of guests daughter’s high school years and when After graduating from Indiana University who must have attended the sumptuous Carol presented them to the high school of Pennsylvania, she received a master’s parties Thomson Francis and his wife librarian, she identified one of them as the degree in mathematics from West Betsey hosted at their villa on hot and only volume missing from the school’s Virginia University.