Institution

Fort Loudoun was commissioned by the Virginia House of Burgesses as part of a chain of defensive fortifications throughout Virginia. George Washington, at the time a Colonel attached to a local militia, drew up the plans and oversaw the construction of the Fort. Afterwards, it would serve as his regional headquarters. At the time, it was among the largest forts along the colonial frontier. The structure of the fort consisted of four bastions at each corner and barracks capable of housing four hundred and fifty soldiers. It was constructed with a combination of logs and earth. The fort was supplied with water from a one hundred foot deep well dug into the limestone beneath it. At the time of construction, Fort Loudoun was equipped with fourteen cannons: four 12-pound guns&nbsp;and ten 4-pound guns.&nbsp;However, the original plans called for twenty-four guns. Fort Loudoun is now long gone. The foundations and the well are all that are left of the original fortifications. The 2 story house that sits at the center of the site was constructed in the 1850s. The French and Indian War Foundation intends to use this building as an information office about the site.

House currently standing on the center of the Fort Loudoun site

Fort Outline, courtesy of the French and Indian War Foundation

Video

The French and Indian War: Deciding the Fate of North America. By Walter R. Borneman.

Book

The French and Indian War. By Andrew Santella.

Empires at War: The French and Indian War and the Struggle for North America, 1754-1763. By William M. Fowler Jr.

Fort Loudoun was constructed in 1756 to serve as a defensive fortification against attacks from French forces and their Native American allies. The plans for the fort were drawn up by George Washington. Today, the fort is long gone, with only the well and the foundations of one of the barracks remaining. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

Fort Loudoun Historical Site

This approximately one mile walking tour features historic structures in Old Town Winchester. Take a stroll through time with sites dating from 1755 to 1924, and enjoy all Old Town Winchester has to offer.

Walking Tour of Old Town Winchester

Judge John Handley was a lawyer and coal-magnate originally from Pennsylvania. As an Irish-American, he developed a fondness for Winchester during his many trips to the city due to the area's heavy Scots-Irish heritage. When he passed away in 1895, his will left $250,000 to the city of Winchester for the improvement of public education. Construction of the library would not begin until 1908 and it would take five more years to complete. Designed by architects John Barney and Henry Chapman in the French Beaux-Arts style, the final cost of the building would total $233,230. At the time of its construction, the library's fireproofing and facilities were considered very advanced for the time. It is also unique in that the building was designed to look like an open book from the air, with the dome serving as the spine of the book. The first floor of the building contains the entrance hall, offices, and reading rooms. Beyond the entrance hall, the stacks are made up of five floors, with glass ceilings to allow light to filter down to each floor. Situated at the intersection of North Braddock Street and West Picadilly Street, the Handley Regional Library dominates the heavily traveled intersection with both its size and unique style as compared to the neighboring structures. The building is still owned and maintained by the Handley Board of Trustees and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. A full restoration was performed in 1999 as part of a preservation effort, which earned the architect, Dennis Kowel, the&nbsp;Lucille Lozier Award, presented&nbsp;by Preservation of Winchester, Inc.

Handley Library was built as part of the last will and testament of Judge John Handley, though construction would not begin until 1908. Designed by John Barney and Henry Chapman at a final cost of $233,230, the library opened its doors in 1913. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969 and is considered a contributing property of the Winchester Historical District. Due to the Beaux-Arts design of the building, it contrasts heavily against the 19th century style of the other buildings in the district.

Handley Library

Stonewall Jackson lived in this home located in Winchester, Virginia from November 1861 to March 1862. Jackson had taken over the Valley District and moved here with his wife, Mary Anna. The house was originally built by William Fuller in 1854 on a five acre lot. The house was originally owned by Lewis T. Moore who invited Jackson to his home to be used by Stonewall for his headquarters. He immediately fell in love with the cottage like home because of the number of rooms and the wall paper. Stonewall Jackson wrote in a letter that he had never seen more beautiful paper than this before. Today the house still has the same wall paper, although it has been updated.&nbsp; From this home Stonewall Jackson planned his campaigns and his Shenandoah Valley defenses. The home was named "Alta Vista" by William Fuller. While living here Jackson fell in love with the people and environment the city had. Jackson referred to it as their "winter home" but his wife knew that he wanted it to be their permanent home after the Civil War.&nbsp;In the 1960s Jackson home was bought and converted into&nbsp;a museum that includes many artifacts and personal items Jackson had left behind.&nbsp; The museum has Jackson's personal prayer table on display and his initialed prayer book. Along with that, the house also includes his campaign desk and chest that&nbsp;are especially noteworthy pieces of the items. The&nbsp;wallpaper is an elegant gilt paper that Jackson had picked out, but has been updated recently. This museum honors Stonewall Jackson and all the hard work he did during his military career. Tours are given daily by helpful tour guides&nbsp;between April and October.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This Hudson River Gothic Revival style house, a Virginia and National Historic Landmark, was used as headquarters by General “Stonewall” Thomas Jackson during the winter of 1861-1862. Stonewall described the house as "a beautiful situation," according to Mrs. Jackson. This home has the most memorabilia and personal objects from Jackson than any other museum. The home was not turned into a museum until 1960 when Lieutenant  Colonel Lewis Tilghman Moore offered his home to be a museum for Jackson. The museum honors the memory of General Jackson’s military genius as Robert E. Lee’s most valuable officer.

Stonewall Jacksons Headquarters Museum 

The George Washington Hotel is a historic hotel located in
downtown Winchester, Virginia's pedestrian mall. It once served to
accommodate the lodging needs of passengers of the nearby Baltimore &amp;
Ohio railway; the B&amp;O station is still extant today. It was built
in 1924 by the American Hotels Corporation as part of their “The
Colonial Chain” of hotels. At 5 stories, it is one of the tallest
buildings in the city. Originally, the hotel was designed in an
L-shape and included a 1-story kitchen wing. The hotel was built
using concrete columnns, beams, and walls, making one of the first
examples of a “fire-proof” hotel. It had 102 rooms, 45 private
baths, and amenities such as barber shop, cafeteria, candy shop, and
men's furnishing shop on its Lower Level. The George Washington Hotel is named for the first President of
the United States, owing to his long association with the Winchester
area. He served as a surveyor in Shenandoah Valley during his youth
and, during the French and Indian War, had a Winchester office from
which he ordered the construction of a chain of forts along the
frontier, including Fort Loudoun. George Washington also represented
Frederick County in the House of Burgesses. Since its construction, the hotel has been extensively remodelled.
The 1929 additions imparted its current U-shape, and in 1950, a
Howard Johnson's restaurant with a new Cameron Street Lower Level
entrance was added. Owing to economic circumstances, the hotel closed
in 1978 and operated as The George Washington Home for Adults until
1993, after which it stood vacant until 2008. Wyndham took over the
property and again renovated the structure, which now has 90 guest
rooms, an indoor pool and hot tub, a fitness room, and The Dancing
Goat restaurant. Despite the revitalizations, much of the original
Colonial Revival and Neoclassical architectural style is preserved. The George Washington Hotel is significant as a reflection of
America's burgeoning identity as an independent nation, the country's
development of an automobile culture, and for its role in local
events which helped characterize the city of Winchester, Virginia.
For example, as part of a program to promote tourism in the area,
residents of the Shenandoah Valley formed the Shenandoah Valley
Travel Association. The SVTA began hosting the Apple Blossom Festival
in 1924, which was headquartered in the Lower Level. Many individuals of note have visited the hotel, including
celebrities such as Betty Crocker (who hosted an apple pie baking
contest here), Lucille Ball (room #314), "Hopalong" Cassidy
(and his horse), Colonel Sanders, and Jack Dempsey. When President
Ford's daughter was the Apple Blossom Festival Queen in 1975, the
hotel served as headquarters for the accompanying members of the
Secret Service. Today, The George Washington Hotel is a Wyndham
Historic Hotel and available for booking. The National Park Service
added the building to the National Register of Historic Places in
2010.

The George Washington Hotel is located in downtown Winchester, VA, near the Handley Library and the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. Opened in 1924, the hotel has served as a popular gathering spot for locals and tourists alike. It once was the headquarters for the city's famous Apple Blossom Festival, and many noteworthy individuals have been guests at the hotel. A Historic Wyndham Hotel, the George Washington is still open for booking and includes amenities such as a ballroom, business and fitness centers, an indoor pool, and a casual restaurant.

The George Washington Hotel

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The Old Court House Civil War Museum used to be just that, a court house for the counties of both Winchester and Frederick. &nbsp;Over the years the museum has been used for numerous purposes such as: a court house, hospital, prison, and finally museum. &nbsp;The building was made a museum in the year 2003. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The museum can be enjoyed by all ages and contains a variety of archives and historical research, including soldier's graffiti.&nbsp;Special Events are often held at the museum, and may be viewed via the calendar on their website. &nbsp;

From its creation in 2003, the Old Court House Civil War Museum works to preserve and share the history of northern Virginia within the Civil War through the preservation of artifacts, creating and curating exhibits, and sponsoring a variety of special programs throughout the year. The museum may be most famous for its displays of "historical graffiti"-names and other information carved into walls by soldiers as they served as part of the Union and Confederate garrisons that occupied the city of Winchester. This northern Virginia city was in the midst of the conflict, changing hands between Union and Confederate soldiers over seventy times during the war. The museum is also home to the Ridgeway Civil War Archive. The museum is located in a former courthouse that was constructed in 1840. 

Old Court House Civil War Museum

The George Washington Office Museum is a small museum in Winchester, Virginia, which educates visitors on the first President's long association with the area. On this site is the log building from which George Washington commanded the Virginia Regiment during the French and Indian War (1756-1763). The log building is now the middle room of the museum. Washington's history with the city of Winchester dates back to his youth. At 16, he moved to the area and began his successful surveying business, the profits of which he used to buy acreage around Frederick County and a lot in town. These properties enabled him to serve as a Burgess for
Frederick County from 1758-1765. Through his brother's (Lawrence Washington) connections with the Fairfax
 family, he was appointed as the official surveyor of Culpeper County. Lawrence was the commander of the Virginia Regiment, and Washington soon came to the attention of the lieutenant governor of Virginia, Robert Dinwiddie. In 1750, he resigned his position as surveyor to serve in the military. At this office, from September 1755 to December 1756, Washington planned and supervised the construction of Fort Loudoun. It was one in a series of forts that defended the frontier from Native Americans and their French Allies (though this particular fort was never attacked). Fort Loudoun, a half-acre redoubt with four bastions and fourteen mounted cannons, had barracks that could house 450 men. For the fort's ironwork, Washington brought his own Blacksmiths from Mount Vernon. All that remains of the log and earthen-work fort today is the well that once supplied it with water. On display at the George Washington Office Museum are some of his personal effects and equipment from his career as a surveyor. Additionally, the museum grounds are home to a cannon left by General Edward Braddock of Alexandria. Next to the office is a statue depicting George Washington as a young surveyor, dedicated in 2004 by The Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society. The museum's exhibits recognizes the formative effect of the area on his life and political career.

The George Washington Office Museum is a small museum located at the former military office of the first President of the United States. From his office in Winchester, George Washington commanded the Virginia Regiment during the French and Indian War. The museum houses exhibits pertaining to George Washington and his association with the city, and some artifacts are displayed at the office. These include George Washington's surveying tools and a cannon left by General Edward Braddock.

Walking Tour of Old Town Winchester

Fort Loudoun Historical Site

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information