Ravensworth (plantation) facts for kids
Ravensworth was a large house built in 1796 in Fairfax County, Virginia. It was a type of home called a plantation house, which was a big estate where farming took place. Ravensworth was the home for several important members of the Fitzhugh and Lee families, including William Fitzhugh and later, famous generals like William Henry Fitzhugh Lee and George Washington Custis Lee.
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Where Was Ravensworth Located?
Ravensworth was found near Annandale, Virginia. It was south of Braddock Road and west of the Capital Beltway, which is a major highway today.
The Story of Ravensworth
Ravensworth was one of three large homes built on a huge piece of land known as the Ravensworth land grant. The other two homes were called Ossian Hall and Oak Hill.
William Fitzhugh, who owned Ravensworth, also had a house in Alexandria. In 1818, his family let their cousin, Anne Hill Carter Lee, stay there. She was the mother of Robert Edward Lee, who would later become a famous general. Anne Hill Carter Lee later died at Ravensworth in 1829.
William Fitzhugh passed away in 1809 and was buried at Ravensworth. His son, William Henry Fitzhugh, then took over the estate. After William Henry Fitzhugh died in 1830, his wife, Anna Maria Sarah Goldsborough Fitzhugh, managed the property until she died in 1874.
Famous Residents of Ravensworth
William Fitzhugh's daughter, Mary Lee Fitzhugh, married George Washington Parke Custis. He was the grandson of Martha Washington. Mary Lee Fitzhugh became the lady of Arlington House, another famous estate.
Their grandson, William Henry Fitzhugh "Rooney" Lee, who was a general during the Civil War, inherited Ravensworth in 1874. He lived there until his death in 1891. Later, in 1897, George Washington Custis Lee moved to Ravensworth after he stopped being president of Washington and Lee University. He lived there until he died in 1913.
Ravensworth During the Civil War
When the Civil War began in May 1861, Mary Anna Custis Lee, who was Robert E. Lee's wife, briefly stayed at Ravensworth. However, she soon moved further south to keep the home safe from damage.
Both the Union (Northern) and Confederate (Southern) armies used the resources and location of Ravensworth. For example, in 1863, Union soldiers took hay from the estate. Also, a group of partisan soldiers led by John S. Mosby once slept in a haystack there. When they woke up, they realized they were very close to a Union camp!
Even with all the fighting, all three Fitzhugh estates, including Ravensworth, were protected by special orders from both sides during the war.
The End of Ravensworth
Sadly, the Ravensworth house mysteriously burned down on August 1, 1926.
In 1957, the widow of Dr. George Bolling Lee sold the estate so that new homes could be built. That same year, the remains of the Fitzhugh family, including William Fitzhugh and his wife, were moved from their family cemetery at Ravensworth. They were reburied at the cemetery of Pohick Church in Lorton.
The land where Ravensworth once stood is now a neighborhood called Ravensworth Farm. Today, it is also known as a census-designated place called Ravensworth, with a population of 2,466 people as of 2010.
