Morven Park facts for kids
|
Morven Park
|
|
Morven Park, June 2009
|
|
 Location in Northern Virginia
Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 1 mile (1.6 km) northwest of Leesburg off U.S. 15, near Leesburg, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Built | 1780 |
| Architect | Lind & Murdock; Thomas Swann, Jr. |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75002022 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | February 18, 1975 |
Morven Park is a huge historic estate and horse park in Leesburg, Virginia. It covers 1,000 acres in the state of Virginia, United States. This amazing place has a grand mansion, a museum filled with old carriages, beautiful gardens, and many miles of trails for hiking and riding. You can also find athletic fields here.
Morven Park is also home to the Museum of Hounds and Hunting of North America. This museum shows art, old items, and memories about the sport of foxhunting.
The main house, called the Morven Park Mansion, has a rich history. It was once the home of Thomas Swann, Jr., who was the governor of Maryland after the Civil War. Later, it was home to Westmoreland Davis, who served as the governor of Virginia during World War I. The Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Virginia Historic Landmark. Today, the Westmoreland Davis Memorial Foundation runs Morven Park as a non-profit organization. It relies on donations to stay open for everyone to enjoy.
Morven Park is famous for its International Equestrian Center. Top riders from all over the world come here to compete. They take part in exciting events like Horse Trials, Dressage, Hunter/Jumper shows, Pony Club activities, and Carriage Driving. For many years, from 1980 to 2010, Morven Park also hosted popular Steeplechase Races.
Contents
Exploring Morven Park's History
The very first buildings at Morven Park were built around 1780. A stone house, built by Wilson Cary Seldon, is now part of the main mansion's north side. Around 1800, Judge Thomas Swann bought the property.
About 1830, Judge Swann added the two-story center part of the house. He also built two smaller sections on each side. During these changes, a large Greek Revival style porch was added to the front. This porch is still a main feature of the house today.
Judge Swann's son, Thomas Swann Jr., started more changes around 1850. He hired architects E.G. Lind and William T. Murdock. They changed the house to an Italianate style, adding four towers. One of these towers was five stories tall! Later, Thomas Swann Jr.'s daughter, Mary Mercer Swann Carter, and her husband, Dr. Shirley Carter, removed the towers. They also made other changes, like making the connecting parts between sections taller.
Governors and Gardens
Westmoreland Davis, a lawyer from New York, bought Morven Park in 1903. He and his wife, Marguerite Inman Davis, loved horses and quickly joined the Virginia fox hunting community. Mr. Davis helped start the Loudoun Hunt and led its foxhounds.
Mr. Davis turned Morven Park into a top farm for agriculture. His wife, Marguerite, created beautiful formal boxwood gardens near the house. Westmoreland Davis served as Virginia's governor from 1918 to 1922. He and his wife were the last private owners of Morven Park. Today, it is run as a non-profit organization. This means it raises money to keep the park open for everyone to visit and enjoy.
A Center for Horse Training
From 1967 to 1991, Morven Park was home to the famous Morven Park International Equestrian Institute. This institute was a special school for training riding instructors. They taught advanced riding skills like dressage, 3-day-eventing, and show jumping. Many expert riders who trained at Morven Park went on to compete in international horse shows. At that time, Morven Park was known as one of the best riding schools in the United States. Major John Lynch, a skilled instructor, led the institute. He had coached Olympic teams from Britain, Ireland, and America.
Morven Park Today
In 2017, the Morven Park International Equestrian Center began a big renovation project. They also started "Polo in the Park," which is a fun polo event.
Programs and Activities
Morven Park is like a "Central Park" for Loudoun County, Virginia. It has 1,000 acres of rolling hills and beautiful landscapes. Every year, more than 200,000 people visit the park. They enjoy many activities, such as hiking, museum tours, horse events, and field sports. Since Morven Park is a non-profit, it needs donations to keep its gates open for visitors.
Morven Park also hosts the Center for Civic Impact. This program teaches students from kindergarten to 12th grade important civic skills. It helps them learn how to be active and involved citizens. Working with Loudoun County Public Schools, this program connects what students learn in the classroom to the real world.
