Benton (Middleburg, Virginia) facts for kids
|
Benton
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Northern Virginia
Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | VA 774, near Middleburg, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Area | 13.2 acres (5.3 ha) |
| Built | 1830 |
| Built by | Benton, William |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003545 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | June 14, 1984 |
Benton, also known as Spring Hill, is a historic house located in Loudoun County, Virginia. It's found near the town of Middleburg. A brickmaker and builder named William Benton built this house around 1831. He had traveled to Wales after 1822 to get an inheritance. While there, he saw a house he really liked. He wanted to build a similar one on his own land. He first named his new home "Spring Hill."
What Does Benton House Look Like?
The Benton house has two stories. It is built in the Federal style. This means it has a balanced look with five sections across the front. It also has a main hallway in the middle.
On each side of the main house, there are smaller sections with three parts. The windows on the first floor used to be a common style with small panes. Now, they are taller, like French doors, reaching almost to the floor. The main front door has also been changed. It now has double doors with narrow windows on the sides (called sidelights) and a rounded window above (called a fanlight). These changes were made in the 1900s. The original entrance had a small porch. The window on the second floor in the center and the windows on the roof (dormers) were likely changed at the same time. The back of the house looks more like it did when it was first built.
Inside, the house is one room deep. There are large rooms on either side of the central hallway. The main stairs are also in this hallway. Most of the original wooden details inside the house are still there and are quite special.
Other Buildings at Benton
Benton also has several other buildings nearby. These are sometimes called "dependencies."
- The building on the west side is a brick building with one and a half stories. It was called the "laundry house." It has two sections and chimneys at the center and one end.
- The smaller building on the east side might have been a smokehouse. This was used to smoke meat.
- There is also a very large brick barn. It is about 33-foot (10 m) by 110-foot (34 m) and has three stories. A small house for workers is attached to it.
Who Lived at Benton House?
William Benton continued to work as a brickmaker and builder even after building his house. He even worked for important people like James Madison, who was a U.S. President. The Benton family owned the property until 1894.
Then, Joshua Hatcher bought the house. In 1908, he sold it to Daniel Sands. Sands made many updates to the house. He also created beautiful gardens. It was Daniel Sands who changed the name of the house to "Benton." He bought more land around the house and created a well-known horse farm there.
In 1954, Mr. and Mrs. James Nicklin bought the house and about 13 acres (5.3 ha) of land. They then sold it to Mr. and Mrs. William T. Leith in 1961.
Benton was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 14, 1984. This is a special list of places in the United States that are important to history.
