Sully Historic Site facts for kids
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Sully
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Sully Main House
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 Location in Northern Virginia
Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3650 Historic Sully Way Chantilly, VA 20151 |
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| Area | 65 acres (26 ha) |
| Built | 1794 |
| Website | Sully Historic Site |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000793 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 18, 1970 |
Sully Historic Site is a special place in Chantilly, Virginia. It is recognized as both a Virginia landmark and a nationally registered historic place. This means it's important for its history and is protected.
The land where Sully stands was first claimed by the Doeg people, a Native American group. Later, the famous Lee family of Virginia owned the land for many years, from 1725 to 1839. Richard Bland Lee built the main house in 1794. After 1838, Sully was bought by different private owners who used it as a home or a working farm. In 1958, the United States government bought Sully. This was part of the plan to build Dulles Airport nearby. Today, the Fairfax County Park Authority manages Sully. They focus on teaching visitors about the Lee family's time there.
Sully's Story: A Look Back in Time
Early Days: Before the Lee Family
The land that became Sully was likely home to several groups before the Doeg people claimed it. When English settlers arrived in what is now Northern Virginia, they met the Doeg. The Doeg were known for a raid in 1675 that was part of Bacon's Rebellion. English colonists and the Doeg had conflicts from 1661 to 1664. After some diplomatic efforts failed, a local militia was sent in 1666. The details are not fully clear, but the English gained control of the area. Not much is known about the land until the Lee family received a special land grant.
The Lee Family Era at Sully
The Sully land was first acquired in 1725 by Henry Lee I, who was Richard Bland Lee's grandfather. When Henry Lee I passed away, the land went to his son, Henry Lee II. After Henry Lee II died in 1787, the land was split between his sons, Richard Bland Lee and Theodorick Lee. Richard, being the older brother, received the northern part of the land. He had been managing the property since about 1781. During this time, the main crop grown on the farm was tobacco.
Richard Bland Lee's Farm Innovations
Richard Bland Lee made big changes to the farm. He greatly reduced tobacco farming. Instead, he focused on growing more sustainable crops like wheat, corn, rye, and barley. This helped keep the soil healthy because tobacco farming can wear out the land quickly. He also started crop rotation, which is a farming method that helps the soil stay rich.
Richard also planted fruit orchards, with peach and apple trees. He used these fruits to make spirits. In 1801, Richard built a dairy building. His wife, Elizabeth Collins Lee, mostly managed the dairy.
In 1789, Richard was elected to the United States Congress. For the next five years, his brother Theodorick managed the farm day-to-day. Theodorick oversaw the planting in spring and the harvest in fall. He also collected rent from tenant farmers. Construction on the large main house, which Richard had planned, began in 1794 under Theodorick's watch. Richard had chosen the name "Sully" for his estate before he left for Congress.
By 1811, Richard Bland Lee was in a lot of debt. He had tried to help his brothers, Henry Lee III and Charles Lee, with their money problems. Because of this, Richard decided he could no longer keep Sully. He sold the plantation for $18,000 to his second cousin, Francis Lightfoot Lee II. Francis Lightfoot Lee II was the son of Richard Henry Lee.
Francis Lightfoot Lee II's Time at Sully
For a few years after buying Sully, Francis Lightfoot Lee II, who his family called F. L., made a good profit from the farm. He earned between $1,500 and $2,500 each year. Part of this success was thanks to the smart farming methods used by his wife, Jane Fitzgerald Lee.
Sadly, in 1816, Jane Fitzgerald Lee died during the delivery of their fifth child. Four years later, in 1820, F. L. became very ill. He was unable to care for himself and was moved to the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia in 1825.
After F. L. became ill, Sully was managed by his nephew, Richard Henry Lee II. However, Richard Henry Lee II did not manage the estate well. Money was stolen from the farm, and he seemed not to care. Because of this poor management, control of Sully was given to Colonel George Washington Hunter in 1830.
While their father was in the hospital, F. L.'s children were cared for by relatives, William and Winifred Brent. The Brents moved to Sully to look after the children. They also started a special school for boys and girls at Sully.
As the Lee children grew up, they began to leave Sully. Samuel Phillips Lee joined the Navy, and John Lee went to West Point. Arthur Lee moved west. The oldest daughter, Jane Elizabeth Lee, married Henry Tazewell Harrison at Sully in 1834. Harrison then took over managing the estate from Colonel Hunter in 1836. Finally, in 1838, Sully was sold to a merchant named William Swartwort.
Sully After the Lee Family
From 1838 onwards, Sully was owned by several different families. They used it as a home, a working farm, or both. In 1958, the federal government bought the property to build Dulles Airport. People immediately started a campaign to save Sully. Former owners, Lee family descendants, and a neighbor named Eddie Wagstaff were all involved. This effort succeeded in 1959 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a law making Sully a national historic site.
The Fairfax County Park Authority agreed to manage Sully as a county historical park. They have since added more land, bringing the total size of Sully Historic Site to about 120 acres. The most important historical period for the site is when Richard Bland Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee owned it (1787–1838). Because of this, the park authority has furnished Sully with items from the Federal period, which was the style of the time.
Who Owned Sully? A List of Owners
- 1725–1747 Henry Lee I
- 1747–1787 Henry Lee II
- 1787–1811 Richard Bland Lee
- 1811–1839 Francis Lightfoot Lee II (purchased from his second cousin)
- 1838–1841 William Swartwort
- 1842–1842 Jacob and Amy Haight
- 1842–1852 Alexander Haight
- 1852–1869 James and Marie Haight Barlow
- 1869–1874 Stephen Shear
- 1874–1910 Conrad Shear
- 1910–1919 William Eads Miller (a real estate agent)
- 1919–1939 King and Rebecca Poston (converted Sully to a dairy farm)
- 1939–1946 Walter Thurston (United States ambassador to Mexico)
- 1946–1958 Frederick E. Nolting, Jr. (United States ambassador to South Vietnam)
- 1958–1959 Federal Aviation Administration
- 1959–present Fairfax County Park Authority
Other Buildings at Sully
The Kitchen and Laundry Building
This building is divided into two parts by a large double fireplace. One side is the kitchen, and the other is the laundry room. Both fireplaces share the same large chimney. This kitchen building was built at the same time as the main house.
The Stone Dairy
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Richard Bland Lee built this dairy around 1801-1802. Its thick stone walls helped keep milk cool. This building is special because of its unusual "galleted" or "garneted" masonry. This means small stones are pressed into the mortar joints, which is rarely seen in North America.
The Schoolhouse
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This log schoolhouse was originally located at Antioch Farm in Haymarket, Virginia. It was moved to Sully Historic Site in 1963 to be preserved.
The Slave Cabin
This building is a replica of a cabin where enslaved workers lived. It was built in 2001. Its location and how it was built were based on old records and information found by archaeologists.
Images for kids
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1960 HABS Drawing
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1960 HABS Drawing
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1960 HABS Drawing
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1960 HABS Drawing
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1960 HABS Drawing
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1960 HABS Drawing
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1960 HABS Drawing of Kitchen
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1960 HABS Drawing of Kitchen
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1960 HABS Drawing of Dairy
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1960 HABS Drawing of Dairy
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1960 HABS Drawing of Dairy
