Chatham Manor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Chatham Manor
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Chatham Manor, March 2008
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| Nearest city | Fredericksburg, Virginia |
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| Area | 4,601.1 acres (1,862.0 ha) |
| Built | 1771 |
| Built by | William Fitzhugh |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Part of | Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park (= ID66000046) |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
Chatham Manor is a beautiful Georgian-style mansion built in 1771. It sits on the Rappahannock River in Stafford County, Virginia, right across from Fredericksburg. A wealthy farmer and leader named William Fitzhugh finished building it after about three years. For over a century, Chatham was the center of a large, busy plantation. It's the only private home in the United States that was visited by four famous presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Chatham's history also shows the challenges of race in early America. In 1805, enslaved people at Chatham stood up against their overseer. An armed group quickly stopped the uprising. Sadly, some enslaved people died or were sent away. The owner, William Fitzhugh, soon sold the property.
Decades later, in 1857, the owner Hannah Jones Coalter tried to free the 93 enslaved people in her will. However, her relatives went to court. They argued that enslaved people could not choose freedom. Even though local judges agreed with Hannah's wishes, the Virginia Supreme Court disagreed. So, Chatham and its enslaved people were sold. But one enslaved woman, Ellen Mitchell, managed to raise money and buy freedom for herself and her family.
During the American Civil War, the owners left Chatham. Its location overlooking Fredericksburg made it important for the Union Army. It served as a headquarters and later as a major hospital during battles. After the war, Chatham was in very bad shape. The owners sold it in 1872. Over time, new wealthy owners restored Chatham, making it a showpiece once more. In 1975, the estate was given to the National Park Service. Today, it is the main office for the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.
Contents
Discover Chatham Manor: A Historic Virginia Home
Chatham Manor is a grand house with a long and important history. It was built in the 1700s and has seen many changes over the years. From being a busy plantation to a Civil War hospital, Chatham has played a big role in American history. Today, it's a place where visitors can learn about the past.
Early Days and Famous Visitors
The main house at Chatham was finished in 1771 by a rich lawyer and planter named William Fitzhugh. Fitzhugh was a good friend of George Washington. Washington's family farm was close by on the Rappahannock River. Washington often visited Chatham, as noted in his diaries. He and Fitzhugh worked together in the House of Burgesses before the American Revolution. They both loved farming and horses.
The plantation was huge, about 1,280 acres. It had an orchard, a mill, and even a race track for horses. Fitzhugh named the mansion after William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. Pitt was a British leader who supported the American colonists before the Revolutionary War. Around the main house were many other buildings. These included living areas for enslaved people, a dairy, an ice house, barns, and stables.
Over the years, Chatham was known for its warm welcome. Many important people visited, including presidents Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and William Henry Harrison. The famous writer Washington Irving also visited twice. He was researching for his books about George Washington.
Life and Freedom for Enslaved People
William Fitzhugh owned many enslaved people at Chatham, sometimes over 100. They worked as field hands, house servants, or skilled workers like carpenters and blacksmiths. We don't have much physical proof of where the enslaved people lived. Most of what we know comes from old written records.
In January 1805, some enslaved people at Chatham rebelled. They felt it was too soon to go back to work after the Christmas holidays. They overpowered their overseer and others who tried to force them to work. An armed group quickly stopped the rebellion. One enslaved man was killed, and two others died trying to escape. Two more were sent away, perhaps to another country.
Later, Hannah Coalter owned Chatham. She was against slavery and tried to free her 92 enslaved people in her will when she died in 1857. She wanted them to have a choice: either stay enslaved in Virginia but choose their new owners, or be freed and move to a free state like Ohio or to Liberia. She also wanted to give them money to start new lives.
However, Hannah's relatives went to court. They argued that enslaved people could not make such choices. The local court agreed with Hannah's will. But the Virginia Supreme Court disagreed. They ruled that enslaved people were property, not people with choices. This decision meant Hannah's wishes were overturned.
One enslaved woman, Ellen Mitchell, was very upset by this ruling. She had hoped for freedom. To get rid of her, the new owner, J. Horace Lacy, sold her to a slave trader. But the trader allowed Ellen to travel for 90 days to raise money for her freedom. She gave speeches in cities like Washington D.C., Baltimore, and New York. She raised enough money to buy freedom for herself and her children. Lacy was so impressed that he also freed Ellen's mother. The Mitchell family then moved to Ohio, a free state.
Slavery at Chatham ended in 1865 with the end of the American Civil War. This happened when the Thirteenth Amendment was passed, making slavery illegal in the United States.
Historians are still looking for where the enslaved people's homes were at Chatham. An old sketch from 1862 shows some buildings that are now gone. These buildings were likely on the south side of the main house. This new information helps researchers understand more about the lives of enslaved people at Chatham.
Chatham During the Civil War
The Civil War brought big changes and damage to Chatham. The owner, James Horace Lacy, supported the South. He left Chatham in 1862 to join the Confederate Army. His wife and children had to leave Chatham when Union troops arrived.
For over a year, the Union Army used Chatham. They called it the "Lacy House." Union officers first used the mansion as their headquarters. In April 1862, General Irvin McDowell brought 30,000 soldiers to Fredericksburg. He oversaw repairs to the railroad and built bridges across the Rappahannock River near Chatham.
President Abraham Lincoln even visited Chatham to talk with General McDowell. This visit makes Chatham special. It's one of only three houses visited by both Lincoln and George Washington. While at Chatham, Lincoln also walked through Fredericksburg and visited soldiers.
Seven months later, in November 1862, a huge battle happened in Fredericksburg. General Ambrose Burnside brought 120,000 Union soldiers to the area. Union troops crossed the river and attacked Lee's Confederate soldiers. The Confederates were on high ground behind the town.
The Battle of Fredericksburg was a terrible defeat for the Union. Many soldiers were hurt. Over 12,600 Union soldiers were wounded or killed. Many of the wounded were brought to Chatham for care. Army doctors operated on hundreds of soldiers inside the house. Volunteers like the poet Walt Whitman, Clara Barton (who later started the American Red Cross), and Dr. Mary Edwards Walker helped.
Walt Whitman came to Chatham looking for his wounded brother. He was shocked by the terrible sights. More than 130 Union soldiers died at Chatham. They were first buried on the grounds. After the war, their bodies were moved to the Fredericksburg National Cemetery.
In the winter after the battle, Union soldiers camped behind Chatham. Confederate soldiers were across the river. Soldiers from both sides sometimes traded newspapers using small sailboats. When not on duty, Union soldiers slept at Chatham. Dorothea Dix ran a soup kitchen in the house. As winter went on, some soldiers tore wood panels from the walls for firewood. You can still see some of their pencil drawings on the walls today.
Fighting started again in the spring of 1863. Union troops crossed the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg. They drove Confederate forces off Marye's Heights. Many of the 1,000 Union soldiers hurt in this battle were sent back to Chatham. It served as a hospital once more.
Chatham After the War
By the end of the Civil War in 1865, Chatham was a wreck. Over 750 windowpanes were broken. Blood stained the floors, and drawings covered the bare walls. Much of the wood inside had been taken for firewood. The surrounding forests were cut down, and the gardens were damaged or destroyed. The lawn had even been used as a graveyard.
The owners, the Lacys, returned in November 1865. They couldn't properly care for the house without enslaved workers. They moved to another home and sold Chatham in 1872. Over the next years, the bodies of many soldiers were moved from Chatham's gardens and lawn to a new national cemetery.
Chatham had several owners until the 1920s. Then, General Daniel Bradford Devore and his wife Helen started to restore it. They made big changes, like making the east side the main entrance for cars. They also added a large, beautiful English-style garden. Thanks to their efforts, Chatham became one of Virginia's finest homes again.
The last private owners were John Lee Pratt and his wife. They bought Chatham in 1931. During World War II, Pratt worked for President Roosevelt. Generals George Marshall and Dwight D. Eisenhower visited Chatham to relax and hunt ducks. Chatham continued to be a special place.
When John Lee Pratt died in 1975, he gave land around the mansion to Stafford County for parks. He also gave a large part to the local YMCA. The manor house and about 30 acres around it went to the National Park Service (NPS). The NPS now uses it as the headquarters for the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.
Today, five rooms in the house are open as a free museum during certain hours. You can also watch an explanatory video tour. The grounds are open to everyone. The rest of the house and other buildings are used for offices and maintenance. In 2014, the National Park Service removed some trees. This improved the views to and from Chatham, making it look more like it did during the Civil War.
Since 2012, a group called the Friends of Chatham has helped take care of the historic house and its grounds. They work with local clubs to maintain the gardens and make repairs. They have fixed the summer house and a statue in a scenic gazebo. They have also started repairing all the windows in the original house and other buildings.
Gallery
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Dairy Barn (c.1900)
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Garden Seedling Cold Frames (1935)
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Greenhouse (1935)
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Kitchen (1768)
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Laundry (1768)
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Stable and Garage (c.1900)
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Summer House (1940)
