Salona, in McLean, Virginia

McLean, Virginia

McLean is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. The community had a total population of 48,115 as of the 2010 census....

, is a parcel of land with frontage on Dolley Madison Boulevard, Buchanan Street and Kurtz Road. The Salona homestead

Homestead (buildings)

A homestead is either a single building, or collection of buildings grouped together on a large agricultural holding, such as a ranch, station or a large agricultural operation of some other designation.-See also:* Farm house* Homestead Act...

 and grounds comprise 7.8 acres (3.2 ha) within the 52.4 acres (21.2 ha) site, and is protected in perpetuity by a 1971 easement to the Fairfax Board of Supervisors. The Salona agreement places an additional 41 acres (16.6 ha) under a new conservation easement that The Northern Virginia Conservation Trust will enforce in perpetuity. Within the new easement, 10 acres (4 ha) will be placed in active recreational use, with the remainder used for passive recreation, such as trails. The easement allows for preservation and interpretation of natural and cultural resources on the property. The property owners, the DuVal family, retain the approximately 3 acres (1.2 ha) remaining of the 52.4 acres (21.2 ha) site.http://www.resourcesaver.org/file/toolmanager/CustomO45C96F69667.pdf

History

Salona derives its name from the circa 1805 homestead associated with this site. Salona is culturally significant on local, state and national levels. It was the home of Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, the Revolutionary War

American Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...

 hero; it was to Salona that Dolley Madison

Dolley Madison

Dolley Payne Todd Madison was the spouse of the fourth President of the United States, James Madison, and was First Lady of the United States from 1809 to 1817...

 fled in 1814 when British troops were burning the White House

White House

The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...

; and, during the Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, Salona
served as a part of the headquarters for the Union Army

Union Army

The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...

. Its role in history has been noted as the house is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Origins

The property was acquired through marriage by Robert E. Lee

Robert E. Lee

Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....

’s father, Henry Lee. Henry Lee served as governor of Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

 in 1791 and went on to serve two terms in Congress. The stately brick manor house, which is currently undergoing renovations, was constructed between 1790 and 1810.

Salona during the War of 1812

In August 1814 British troops attacked Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

, causing President James Madison

James Madison

James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...

to flee. During this British invasion of Washington, President Madison and his wife Dolley received hospitality at Salona. President Madison was separated from Dolley, who found him at Salona the next day. Route 123 is known to locals as Dolley Madison Boulevard because of that event.

Salona during the Civil War

Camp Griffin occupied Salona (then owned by Jacob Smoot) and surrounding properties from October 1861 until March 1862, with the mansion house serving as headquarters for General William Smith and other Union commanders.

Conservation efforts

The conservation easement preserves one of the last sizeable open spaces in McLean. Within the new easement, 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) will be placed in active recreational use with the remainder used for passive recreation such as trails (providing a critical link to the Pimmit Run Trail system). The easement will also allow for preservation and interpretation of natural and cultural resources on the property. The easement prevents any residential construction on the property in perpetuity, and the Park Authority has the right of first refusal to own the Salona property outright. The cost of the conservation easement ($16.1 million) is less than half of the appraised (highest and best use) value of the property. The Northern Virginia Conservation Trust has the role of easement enforcement, and collaborated on the acquisition of the easement.