Just a few miles outside the gates of Fort Belvoir visitors and residents of Fairfax County can find some of Virginia’s finest historic homes and our nation’s treasures. For their time these homes were the envy of the neighborhood and the owners most certainly among the richest families in Fairfax County.

Sitting on the best piece of property that any colonist could have imagined is Mount Vernon the home of George Washington. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to picture the prominent colonist in the 1770’s sitting on the back porch watching the large mast ships headed into the docks in Alexandria. With the distinguished white frame home, stone fences and outbuildings wandering through the grounds is a great way to get a feel for how life might have been like so long ago.

Just a short hop down the road you will enter the gates to Woodlawn Plantation. Looking at this stately brick home built between 1800-1805 you have to be amazed by the construction and architecture that created a home that has stood for 200 years. Built for George Washington’s grand-daughter Nelly Custis-Lewis on a 2,000 acre site, the property the home is a beautiful example of the Federal style popular with mansions at the time. Designed by the same architect, William Thornton, who created the US Capitol the home was furnished with many of the original pieces from Mount Vernon. Situated at the top of a hill known as Gray’s Hill the back porch of the home has a view of the Potomac River and was the first property owned by the National Historic Trust formed in 1951.

Both homes are great places to visit in the fall when crowds are low.   If you live close to Fort Belvoir stop by and check out the homes of your famous neighbors. Then you can stop by my house to borrow that cup of sugar.

Mount Vernon Photo-istock.com
Woodlawn Photo ©Cindy Jones