Morven Park facts for kids
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Morven Park
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Morven Park, June 2009
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 Location in Northern Virginia
Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1 mile (1.6 km) northwest of Leesburg off U.S. 15, near Leesburg, Virginia |
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| Built | 1780 |
| Architect | Lind & Murdock; Thomas Swann, Jr. |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75002022 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 18, 1975 |
Morven Park is a huge, historic property covering 1,000 acres in Leesburg, Virginia. It's a special place that combines history with a busy horse park.
At Morven Park, you can explore the beautiful Morven Park Mansion. There's also the Winmill Carriage Museum, which shows off old carriages. You can walk through lovely formal gardens and enjoy miles of hiking and riding trails. The park also has athletic fields for sports.
It is also home to the Museum of Hounds and Hunting of North America. This museum has art and items about the sport of foxhunting.
The Mansion itself is very important. It was once home to two governors: Thomas Swann, Jr. (of Maryland) and Westmoreland Davis (of Virginia). Because of its history, the Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also a Virginia Historic Landmark. A group called the Westmoreland Davis Memorial Foundation runs Morven Park. It is a nonprofit organization, which means it relies on donations to stay open for everyone.
Morven Park is famous for its International Equestrian Center. Top riders from all over the world come here to compete. They take part in horse trials, dressage, and jumping shows. Pony Club and carriage driving events also happen here. From 1980 to 2010, Morven Park hosted popular steeplechase races.
The Story of Morven Park
The very first buildings at Morven Park were built around 1780. A stone house from that time is now part of the main mansion.
Around 1800, Judge Thomas Swann bought the property. He added the main two-story part of the house around 1830. This part had a grand front porch with tall columns. Later, his son, Thomas Swann Jr., made more changes around 1850. He hired architects to update the house.
In 1903, a lawyer named Westmoreland Davis bought Morven Park. He and his wife loved horses. They quickly became involved in the Virginia fox hunting community. Foxhunting is a traditional sport where people on horseback follow hounds that track a fox. Davis helped start the Loudoun Hunt club.
Westmoreland Davis also turned Morven Park into a top farm. His wife created the beautiful boxwood gardens near the house. Davis later became Virginia's governor from 1918 to 1922. He and his wife were the last private owners of the estate. Today, it is run as a nonprofit for the public.
From 1967 to 1991, Morven Park was home to a famous riding school. This school, the Morven Park International Equestrian Institute, trained riding instructors. They learned advanced dressage, three-day eventing, and show jumping. Many expert riders trained here. They went on to compete in international horse shows. Morven Park was known as a top riding school in the United States. It was led by Major John Lynch, a coach for Olympic teams.
Morven Park Today
In 2017, the Morven Park International Equestrian Center started big renovations. They also launched "Polo in the Park," a new event.
What You Can Do at Morven Park
Morven Park is like a "Central Park" for Loudoun County, Virginia. It has 1,000 acres of rolling hills and pretty landscapes. Every year, over 200,000 people visit the park.
Visitors enjoy many fun activities. You can go hiking on the trails. You can take tours of the museums. There are exciting equestrian events to watch. You can also play sports on the athletic fields.
Morven Park is a nonprofit organization. This means it needs donations from supporters. These donations help keep the park open for everyone to enjoy.
Morven Park is also home to the Center for Civic Impact. This center teaches important civic skills. It helps students from kindergarten to 12th grade. The program works with Loudoun County Public Schools. It helps connect what students learn in class to the real world. This helps young people become active citizens.
