Rippon Lodge facts for kids
|
Rippon Lodge
|
|
Rippon Lodge
|
|
 Location in Northern Virginia
Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
|
|
| Nearest city | Woodbridge, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Area | 40 acres (16 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000988 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | July 2, 1971 |
Rippon Lodge is one of the oldest houses still standing in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. It was built around 1747 by Richard Blackburn. This historic house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1971. This means it's a very important building in American history.
Rippon Lodge was the main house and center of a large farm called a plantation. It sits on high ground overlooking Neabsco Creek. Today, it's located in the town of Woodbridge. The house gets its name from Ripon, a small city in England where Richard Blackburn was born.
Contents
The Story of Rippon Lodge
A Historic Roadway
Rippon Lodge is located along a very old road called the Kings Highway. This road was super important because it connected the 13 original colonies. It stretched all the way from Newport, Rhode Island in the north to Charleston, South Carolina in the south.
This road played a big part in the American Revolutionary War. Colonial troops marched on this very section of the road. They were on their way to fight and defeat the British at Yorktown. Today, this historic path is known as the "Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route".
The Plantation and Its Owners
Rippon Lodge started as a tobacco farm. Richard Blackburn, who came from England in 1720, owned it. At its largest, his land stretched for about 21,000 acres. That's a huge area!
The property even had its own port on Neabsco Creek. It was also close to the town of Dumfries. Dumfries used to be the main town for the county.
Richard Blackburn used enslaved people to work on his farm and help build houses. When he passed away, his son, Thomas Blackburn, took over Rippon Lodge. Thomas Blackburn was an important person in Virginia politics. He served in the House of Burgesses, which was like Virginia's government back then.
Thomas Blackburn also helped George Washington during the Revolutionary War. He was an aide-de-camp, which means he was a special assistant to the general. His son, Richard Scott Blackburn, also served in the Virginia government later on.
The Blackburn family owned Rippon Lodge until about 1820. Then, the Atkinson family bought it. They also used enslaved labor to farm the land. The Atkinson family lived there for about another 100 years.
New Owners and Preservation
In 1923, the property was sold again. The new owners were Wade H. Ellis and his wife Dessie. Wade Ellis was a lawyer who had moved to Washington, D.C. The Ellises worked hard to fix up and protect the old house.
Later, Wade Ellis found out that Richard Blackburn, the original builder, was actually his ancestor! It's not clear if he knew this when he bought the house. But it certainly helped him want to preserve it even more.
After Wade Ellis passed away, his wife sold the house to another Blackburn family member. This was Admiral Richard Blackburn Black, a famous explorer of the Arctic. Admiral Black's daughter inherited the house in 1989. In 2000, she sold it to Prince William County.
Today, Prince William County takes care of Rippon Lodge and its surrounding land. A local group of friends also helps to maintain this important piece of history.
Visiting Rippon Lodge Today
Prince William County has restored the house. They also take care of the 42 acres of land around it. Rippon Lodge is open to the public from May through October. You can visit on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11 AM to 4 PM. It's a great place to learn about history!
