Morven Park Mansion Reopens

The mansion at Morven Park in Leesburg, after a four-year $8 million renovation, will open to the public May 1. Guided tours of the 22-room mansion, the Civil War huts and the Winmill Carriage Collection are free May 1 through 4.

Tour hours are Friday, Saturday and Monday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. All tours start at the Coach House Visitor Center at 17263 Southern Planter Lane, Leesburg. The 1,000-acre grounds include three acres of boxwood gardens,.

The restoration began in 2001 and included replacing stucco, repairing woodwork, re-pointing brick, stonework, stabilizing the foundation. Once the work started, Tidewater Preservation of Fredericksburg found rotting floor joists, peeling plaster and other major structural issues.

The work included installation of a new drainage system to channel water away from the mansion.

The mansion closed for restoration July 4, 2005.

The work also included fire mist for safety and geothermal climate control. Duct work was installed for the new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, which utilizes 71 wells dug in the front lawn.

Westmoreland Davis was governor of Virginia from 1918 to 1922. He and his wife, Marguerite Davis, bought Morven Park in 1923 and he introduced modern techniques of farming. The Greek Revival style residence was built in stages from 1750 through 1880.

via Loudoun Times.