New East Wing Exhibit
Opens at Sully
It took an act of Congress and President
Eisenhower’s signature to save Sully Historic
Site from the Dulles Airport project
demolition in 1959. Today, the story of Sully,
from its “new nation” roots to its permanent
place in history is being preserved through
a new, interactive exhibit that was three
years in the making.
“The home is itself one of the finest examples
of Georgian and Federal architecture in
Northern Virginia,” said Sully manager Carol
McDonnell. “During the renovation and
demolition of the 1975 East Wing exhibit,
we uncovered three windows we haven’t
seen in 36 years, and now, you can look out
the window and see the same view Richard
Bland Lee saw when he lived here.”
Richard Bland Lee was Northern Virginia’s
first congressman; brother of Revolutionary
War hero “Lighthorse Harry” Lee and uncle
of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. He
inherited the property and 29 slaves from
his father in 1787, and built the home on the
site in 1794. The new exhibit gives visitors
a comprehensive look at Sully’s remarkable
history from its 18th century beginning to
1959, when it was spared from the wrecking
ball and deeded to the Fairfax County
Park Authority by federal legislation. New
display areas now
feature personal
artifacts, some of
which have been
in storage because
there was no
suitable place to
display them prior
to the renovation.
Colorful graphic
and photo displays
and an interactive
video display tell
the story of Sully
from the perspectives
of the people who lived there. 
“When the Lee family owned the property,
Sully represented gentry living of the
wealthiest class while the farm was operated
chiefly by slave labor including field hands,
domestics and skilled artisans, who are now
documented and interpreted,” McDonnell
said. “The exhibit also shows visitors how
the home’s history evolved with subsequent
owners and their families, including the
Quaker family that managed the farm during
the Civil War, and its last owner, U.S. Ambassador
Frederick Nolting, who was among
those largely responsible for the movement
that ensured Sully’s historic preservation.”
The exhibit features lots of informational
tidbits that connect Sully to some of the
most important
events and figures
in U.S. history
– all the result
of thousands of
hours of research
that went into
creating the new
display. Stop by
and take a guided
tour, and learn
what makes Sully
Historic Site a
national treasure.
| 
ONLINE
Disability Info
**Survey: Provide Feedback About the Web Site, Including This Page**