The Fairfax County Park Authority invites the public to an open house at the Ash Grove Historic House on Saturday, July 11, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is part of the Resident Curator Program’s ongoing efforts to provide public access to Fairfax County’s historic properties and highlight the work being done to preserve and restore these important cultural resources.
The resident curator will be on site throughout the event to welcome visitors, share information about the property and discuss ongoing rehabilitation efforts at the site. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the grounds and learn more about the history and continued preservation of Ash Grove.
Due to limited onsite parking, a shuttle bus service will be provided from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Members of the public should park at Westbriar Elementary School, located at 1741 Pine Valley Drive in Vienna, where a Fastran shuttle will transport visitors to the historic site. The shuttle will run between the school and Ash Grove on the half hour. The last return trip from Ash Grove to Westbriar Elementary will depart at 1 p.m.
Ash Grove is one of the few surviving 18th-century Virginia houses and was built by the Fairfax family. Thomas Fairfax constructed the original portion of the house in 1790, and the family occupied the property until 1847. The house sits on approximately one acre of land between the densely wooded Old Courthouse Spring Branch stream valley and the Westwood Village townhouse subdivision. It is located on the edge of Tysons Corner and approximately two-thirds of a mile from the Spring Hill Metro Station. The property includes several historic structures, including the main house, an 18th-century brick kitchen and a smokehouse.
Ash Grove is a stately Federal-style, 2.5-story center-hall house with approximately 4,200 square feet of finished space. A serious fire in 1960 threatened the survival of the house; however, many original architectural elements had previously been removed, and a set of Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) drawings and photographs from the 1930s proved instrumental in guiding its restoration. Some of the original wood flooring still bears visible charring from the fire, serving as a reminder of the building’s layered history.
The Resident Curator Program provides a unique opportunity for individuals, nonprofit and for-profit organizations to secure long-term lease agreements to live rent-free in historic properties located in beautiful public park settings. In return, curators agree to invest in the rehabilitation of these properties to ensure that the history of Fairfax County is preserved for future generations to experience.
For additional information visit the Resident Curator Program website. You may also contact Resident Curator Program manager, Stephanie Langton at 703-324-8791 or stephanie.langton@fairfaxcounty.gov.