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Lebanon House

GPS Coordinates: 38.6817930, -77.1981074
Closest Address: 10301 Gunston Road, Lorton, VA 22079

Lebanon House

This historic home has now been converted into the clubhouse for the Pohick Bay Golf Course.


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Here follows an excerpt from the 1970 Fairfax County Master Inventory of Historic Sites which contained entries from the Historic American Buildings Survey Inventory:

The name "Lebanon" has been associated with the property for at least 90 years, first appearing in Fairfax County records in 1880. The land was originally acquired by John Gosnell in 1657, the patent reading, "upon land called Newberrys." Between 1807 and 1827, it had been acquired by Thomas Bates, whose son Edward was the first member of the family who is known to have lived on the place. Bates was active in the early Methodist movement and worship meetings were held in a barn at Lebanon, no longer there. A Methodist cemetery on the property was used until Lewis Chapel was built in 1857, at the site of the Occoquan Church, later called Pohick Church.

The main house of "Lebanon" was built on a narrow ridge, from which the land falls away on three sides. It is approached by way of a half-mile long cedar-lined dirt road. It is a two-story house with interior brick end-chimneys and one-story wings. The brick walls of the central block are worked in Flemish bond up to the course over the flat arches surmounting the first floor windows, then in common-bond, seven-to-one, up to the dentil course under the eaves. According to journalist Irston Barned, the walls of the structure were raised from one-story to two about 1850. About 1900, the frame gatehouse structure was joined as a wing to the house, and in 1942, was moved away from the house to be used as a separate dwelling for the gardener. At the time, a wing was added for a garage on the west and a wing on the east for a study, made of bricks which had been baked for the Williamsburg restoration. A rope molding decorates the space between the front door and the fanlight transom. When seven layers of wallpaper were removed during redecoration of the first floor, hand-painted borders and a centerpiece were found on the ceiling of one room.

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Bartsche purchased the tract in 1942, renovated the house and established an extensive arboretum and wild life sanctuary. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority will complete purchase of the park land from the Nature Conservancy by fall 1972.


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Here follows an excerpt from Donald Hakenson's "This Forgotten Land" tour guide:

It is believed that "Lebanon" was constructed before 1815 and the owner of the house was Thomas Bates. His son Edward Bates, was living at Lebanon until his death during the Civil War. After the war Thomas H. Haislip established the Lebanon School.

THOMAS HAISLIP'S ARREST FOR DISLOYALTY TO THE UNION.
Thomas Haislip was arrested for disloyalty to the Union by order of General Heintzelman on January 13, 1862.

On January 15, Thomas Haislip issued a statement at the Provost Marshall's office, in Washington City:

"At between seventeen and eighteen years of age -- was born... about four miles from Pohick Church. My occupation is that of farming. Was arrested at my fathers house near Accotink creek on Tuesday morning, Fourteenth [actually the Thirteenth] January 1862 about one o'clock. Went to bed at the usual hour on Monday night about nine o'clock in company with Forrest Olden who was spending the evening at my father's house. Was aroused between twelve and one o'clock by a loud knocking at the door. My father got up, struck a light, and came down stairs. After going to the door he came to my room and said to Olden and me that the Federal troops had come and wanted to see us... A detachment of the Sixty-third Regiment Heintzelman's Headquarters. After being examined there was taken to the camp of the Sixty-third Regiment on Mount Eagle near Fort Lyon where we remained all night -- this morning was brought to Alexandria. After we had taken dinner our guard was changed and we were brought to this office."

Thomas Haislip was sent from Alexandria to the Old Capitol Prison and remained in prison until February 22, 1862, when he signed a parole, releasing him from prison, but restricting him from leaving the District. Thomas was to join his father John and his uncle James Haislip in the Old Capitol Prison. All three would be released from the Old Capitol Prison on February 22, 1862. At least they would all be together in their forced exile from their loving families in Mason Neck, Virginia. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any records that show when they were allowed to go home to Virginia. Thomas Haislip was buried at Cranford Memorial Methodist Church.

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Award-winning local historian and tour guide in Franconia and the greater Alexandria area of Virginia.

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ADDRESS

Nathaniel Lee

c/o Franconia Museum

6121 Franconia Road

Alexandria, VA 22310

franconiahistory@gmail.com

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