Cherry Hill Farmhouse facts for kids
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Cherry Hill Farmhouse
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Cherry Hill Farmhouse
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 Location in Northern Virginia
Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | 312 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia |
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| Area | 7 acres |
| Built | 1845 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 73002210 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 26, 1973 |
The Cherry Hill Farmhouse is a special house museum located in Falls Church, Virginia, United States. It was built in 1845. The house shows off the Greek Revival architecture style, which was popular back then.
For many years, the farmhouse was home to families who owned farms. In 1956, the City of Falls Church bought the property. They decided to turn it into a museum to share its history. Today, Cherry Hill Farmhouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's an important example of 19th-century buildings in the area.
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History of Cherry Hill Farmhouse
The Cherry Hill Farmhouse was built around 1845. It started as a working farm with a main house and a wooden barn. In 1856, a man named William A. Blaisdell bought the house. He also bought 73 acres of land around it. Mr. Blaisdell sold goods at a market in nearby District of Columbia.
The farm got its name, Cherry Hill, because of the many fruit orchards. These orchards grew all around the house.
The Riley Family and the Farmhouse
From 1870 to 1945, the Riley family lived in the farmhouse. They were a well-known family in the village. Joseph Riley, a member of the family, helped Falls Church become a town in 1875. At that time, the town included parts of Fairfax and Alexandria Counties.
A famous poet, James Whitcomb Riley, was a relative of the owners. He visited the farmhouse often. He even wrote about the house and some of its residents in his poems.
Becoming a Museum
In 1945, the farmhouse, barn, and other buildings were given to the University of Virginia. The university owned the property until 1956. That's when the City of Falls Church bought it. The city bought the house and all the land around it.
In the 1960s, a group of people who loved local history formed a group called "Friends of Cherry Hill." Their goal was to make the house look like it did when it was first built. They wanted to turn it into a museum. The museum would show what life was like for successful families in the area.
The museum helps visitors imagine life before the American Civil War. It also shows what the Victorian period was like. Guides at the museum share stories about the house and the local area. They also explain how national events affected the people who lived there. Today, the house is part of a 7-acre park.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum has real furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries. These items belonged to the families who lived there. The "Friends of Cherry Hill" group owns and takes care of these historical pieces.
The old barn next to the house also has a collection. It displays tools from the 19th century. These tools show how people worked on farms long ago.
The Cherry Hill Farmhouse and Barn are important historical sites. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The farmhouse is one of only six Victorian-era houses in Falls Church on this list.
