The Warrenton Antiquarian Society will present a celebration of the
Civil War Sesquicentennial on October 15 from 10 to 4 and October 16
from 12 to 4.The event will be presented at Weston, Casanova, VA.
The celebration will feature the re-enactment of events that occurred at
Weston during the Civil War. These events have been taken from the diary
of Margaret Nourse, who lived at Weston during this time. A Confederate Colonel,
several members of the Weston household and Mrs. Nourse will come alive as
re-enactors portray them in scenes from the diary. An effort will be made to turn the
grounds at Weston into a replica of what they looked like during the war.
Guests will be offered food and games that are reminiscent of that time in history.
A local blacksmith will bring our blacksmith shop to life and make articles to give away.
Mourning accoutrements and other artifacts will be on display. A petting zoo is also planned.
Families will be asked to pay only $10 to attend this event. Singles will pay $5. These
and many other interesting memories and ghosts will be evident at Weston that
cool October weekend.
eston,
an early-American treasure, is one of Fauquier County’s most completely
preserved nineteenth-century farmsteads. The property goes back to Robert
“King” Carter’s land grant, while the present-day 7500
square foot farmhouse, originally a 2-story log cabin, was built by
the Fitzhugh family sometime around 1817. A classic example of an early
Virginia working farm, Weston retains its rare collection of ten original
agricultural and domestic outbuildings: log kitchen, smokehouse, overseer’s
cabin; dairy, corn crib, blacksmith shop, tool shed/workroom, two barns
and a stable.
The
family of Charles Joseph Nourse owned Weston from 1859-1959, making
several 19th century additions to the house and farming the land. Stories
abound from the time when the family found refuge there during the Civil
War throughout their 100 year ownership of the property. Charles’s
daughters Charlotte and Constance were born and died at Weston. During
their lifetime, Weston served as a weekend get-a-way for soldiers from
the nearby army post, Vint Hill Farms Station; a summer camp for girls
and a tea room. It is from here that the two sisters, both artists,
sold their artwork to raise money to keep Weston a viable working farm.
Today, standing on 10 of its original 440 acres, the old house and its
outbuildings are surrounded by giant oaks, sweeping lawns, woodlands
and cornfields. The Casanova Hunt maintains its kennels on the property.
Most of the furnishings in the house are original. Daily life of the
Nourses can be seen in the remaining diaries, ledgers, letters and photographs.
