Battlefield Guide Services

Friday, September 16, 2016

The Minor House - Supplemental Photographs as the clock keeps ticking...

     More modern images from our friend Stephen Masters. As the bulldozer draws nearer, here are some then and now glimpses. Many thanks to Stephen for his work on trying to save this landmark.
Please read my prior posts on the history of this structure. For those of you coming in new, the original Minor House was a log structure with wood siding. By the early 20th century there was a brick facade added as well as a second floor. There were later expansions and additions. Currently, the oldest section remains, but it is coming down soon to make way for new homes as has been done in the surrounding neighborhood.
     Besides its Civil War history, as recorded in photographs taken in January 1862, the house was also the site of refuge for Dolley Madison during the British burning of government buildings in Washington, D.C., including the Capital and White House, in 1814.

THEN AND NOW
 January 1862
September 15, 2016
Where the Union observation and signal tower stood.

 Large Union encampments covered the fields beyond the hill,
now the site of suburban sprawl. nearly 155 years later.
Review of the 17th New York Infantry at Minors Hill.
Their encampment is seen behind.



4 comments:

David said...

Is the developer at least allowing metal detecting on the property to your knowledge?

Anonymous said...

Is the developer of the property allowing metal detecting on the property? At least maybe some history could be saved there too. -David

John Cummings said...

I have no information on that.

Sallie Klunk said...

Who is the woman in photo 4108 with the observation tower? I wonder if it is Julia Ward Howe. She traveled from the old Willard Hotel in Washington D.C. to Northern VA.with her husband Dr. Samuel Grigsley Howe. At the Willard Hotel, after being a spectator at the Battle of Bull Run, she wrote the lyrics to the "Battle Hymn of the Republic."
Sallie Klunk