County government preserves past for future generations

Prince William County Department of Public Works
Published: May 26, 2008

Special to the News & Messenger

Editor's Note: This is the last of seven articles celebrating Public Works Week.  The articles focus on reducing waste, protecting water quality, dealing with problem pests, historic preservation, improving neighborhoods, steps the county is taking to conserve fuel and tips for the community to save gas, building in Prince William with a bit about going green.

Prince William County government has demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to the preservation and protection of the county's historic resources. With a comprehensive Historic Preservation Management Plan, Prince William County has placed great importance on the restoration and programming of county-owned historic properties. The plan contains three community development goals: identifying and protecting cultural and historic resources; preserving and rehabilitating historic sites for public use, and linking historic properties with heritage tourism, new development and redevelopment.

The Historic Preservation Division within the Department of Public Works now manages and maintains an inventory of nine diverse properties throughout Prince William County. The properties range from a one-room African-American schoolhouse to an antebellum courthouse complex consisting of five buildings and an archeological site.

This winter, the county opened the Lucasville School for special tours and events. Lucasville is the only remaining one-room African-American schoolhouse in the community. This important site offers a chance for preservation staff to interpret and preserve the early public education efforts for African-Americans.

Rippon Lodge, purchased by the county in 2001, is a unique building with construction spanning three centuries. The original colonial home, built by Richard Blackburn in the 1740s, contains additions built in 1800 and 1924. These additions destabilized and undermined the integrity of the house structure. The county was instrumental in saving the property by completing stabilization work. Final restoration on the interior finishes and infrastructure was completed in the fall 2007. The site is listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. It is used for special events and educational interpretive programming.

The Old Manassas Courthouse, built in 1894, served as the county's fifth courthouse. It was the site of the 1911 Jubilee for Peace, held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the First Battle of Manassas and celebrate the peace between the States. The building was abandoned and in poor repair. Prince William County rehabilitated the courthouse in 2002 and the community can rent the site for special events.

The innovative restoration of the Brentsville Courthouse, built in 1822, received national attention in 2005. Dr. Carl Lounsbury, a noted architect from Colonial Williamsburg, lent his expertise to the restoration design of the courthouse interior. There has been significant restoration to the many buildings on the site including the courthouse, one-room school, Church and log cabin. A nature trail has been built to allow visitors to explore the grounds of this important site.

Ben Lomond, built in 1832 by Benjamin Tasker Chinn, is a key example of progress through partnerships. Prince William County partnered with the Prince William County Park Authority to       restore the home, historically significant for its time as a field hospital and headquarters during the First and Second Battles of Manassas, and for graffiti on the walls written by hospitalized soldiers. The county listed the property on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. Staff successfully obtained an easement to prevent new development and protect the view around the property.

Another principle example of partnerships is the Bristoe Battlefield Heritage Park. Through a partnership with the Civil War Preservation Trust and Centex Corporation, a national residential and commercial developer, Prince William County has been successful in preserving 127 acres of a Civil War battlefield previously slated for residential development.

Through a partnership with the Prince William County Library System, the Historic Preservation Division is assisting in the development of two new library sites at which two important historic structures will be incorporated into the site design. The Barnes House, one of Prince William County's last remaining examples of early African American homes, and Bushy Park, a colonial home, will be used as children's reading rooms and educational program space. The Barnes House project will allow the library to leverage the African-American history of the area with the modern library resource collection, while the Bushy Park project will highlight the agrarian roots of Prince William County.

The identification and development for public use of the large number of historic sites throughout Prince William County is helping to foster a sense of community identity and increased resident participation and civic pride. The ongoing efforts of Prince William County government will ensure the continued preservation and protection of the historic assests that make our community so unique.

This article is provided by the Prince William County Department of Public Works.