Salona, Fairfax County, Virginia Part 8

According to Smoot family legend, Salona was built entirely by slaves, who made the brick from clay on the property. These legends also claim that the woodwork was made by William Buckland who did the woodwork at Gunston Hall in 1758. This seems unlikely as William Buckland died in 1774. Smoot family legends also say that the house was built by Maffitt, with construction starting in 1790 and ending in 1801, and that the wings were larger than the main house.

Although the DuVals found no remnants of a west wing foundation when they were doing extensive grading, there is visual evidence in the brick mortar that a doorway and a window existed in the west end of the main house. Moreover, architectural historians believe that the placement of the kitchen and summer kitchen testify to the west wing's existence. Furthermore, the Smoots agree that their older relatives stated that the Yankees destroyed the west wing which was never rebuilt.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Salona entrance hall. Photo by the author, 1975._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _West wall, showing evidence of a former doorway opening. Photo by the author, 1975._]

The Outbuildings

The old stone house was an enigma which fascinated the young Smoots.

They report that the house was built around an oversized stone chimney in its center, with four fireplaces, two back-to-back on each floor. Downstairs was one big room, with a winding stairway at one end leading to the second floor where there were two rooms.

Unfortunately the building was in such disrepair when the DuVals bought the property that they later had it razed in the interests of safety. It was located north and east of the mansion house and was referred to by one of the Smoots as "the trappers cabin."

The old stone spring house is still standing.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Stonehouse ruins, Salona. Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress, 1958._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Springhouse and barn, Salona. Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress, 1958._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Rear view of the main house, Salona. Photo by the author, 1975._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Foundation ruins of the old barn, Salona. Photo by the author, 1975._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Rear view of the wing, Salona. Photo by the author, 1975._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Smokehouse, Salona. Photo by the author, 1975._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: smokehouse]

A number of early outbuildings are still in use at Salona. Close to the house on the south is the outdoor brick kitchen, used by the Smoots as a "summer kitchen," now by the DuVals as a guest house.

Diagonally opposite the east wing is a former brick smoke house now used for storage. Farther to the southeast is a board and batten corncrib. Some distance farther east are the ruins of a large bank barn, whose thick stone foundations testify to its former size and st.u.r.diness. At the west end of the house, some distance away, is an old three-hole brick privy, once approached through a grape arbor.

The DuVals have built a tennis court on a lower level of land on the east.[135]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _The outside brick kitchen, now a guest house, Salona.

Photo by the author, 1975._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _PRIVY_]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _The old brick privy, Salona. Photo by the author, 1975._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _OLD KITCHEN OUT BUILDING_]

Chapter VI Notes

Salona: The House and Outbuildings

[129] National Park Service and Fairfax County Park Authority.

[130] Stated in Works Projects Administration, Writers' Program, _Virginia, a Guide to the Old Dominion_ (Oxford University Press, New York, 1941), p. 525.

[131] Interviews between the author, Jane Wilson Smoot and William Smoot; _Alexandria Gazette_, November 11, 1811.

[132] Interview with Clive and Susan DuVal. January 5, 1979.

[133] Virginia Mutual a.s.surance Society records, Virginia State Library, Richmond, Virginia.

[134] Fairfax County, Virginia, Will Book Q-1, p. 241. Also see appendix.

[135] Interviews with the DuVals and the Smoots.

VII

PRESERVATION BY EAs.e.m.e.nT

Because it was a "wonderfully sound, nice and comfortable, gracious old house" with many pleasant and historical a.s.sociations and memories, the DuVals felt that Salona should be permanently preserved.[136] In 1971, a permanent historic and scenic eas.e.m.e.nt and a temporary eas.e.m.e.nt were drawn up by the DuVals, and signed on behalf of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors by County Executive George Kelley.[137] (See appendix for full text of the doc.u.ment.)

Both eas.e.m.e.nts were designed to a.s.sist the county's efforts to protect and maintain "the scenic, historic, and recreational values of land within the County." It also fitted in with the county government's stated purpose to shape the character, direction and timing of community development through the preservation of open s.p.a.ce land. The permanent eas.e.m.e.nt was also given "to protect in perpetuity the mansion known as 'Salona.'" It provides that "The mansion house known as 'Salona' as such structure exists at the date of the execution of this instrument, shall not be razed, demolished, moved or relocated until such action is approved by the Board of County Supervisors acting upon the advice of the Architectural Review Board ... or until such structure becomes uninhabitable or demolished through fire, storm or similar natural calamity."

Provision is also made for the protection of trees and shrubbery and various uses permitted under the permanent eas.e.m.e.nt.

The permanent eas.e.m.e.nt includes the eight acres surrounding the mansion; the temporary eas.e.m.e.nt covers the remaining 44.3 acres.

On November 20, 1974, the deed of eas.e.m.e.nt was amended, providing for the termination of the temporary eas.e.m.e.nt only after January 1, 1990.

The amendment was signed by the DuVals and Jean Packard, Chairman acting for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.[138]

Salona was placed on the Virginia Landmarks Register on June 19, 1973,[139] and on the National Register of Historic Places on July 24, 1973.[140]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Chapter VII Notes

Preservation by Eas.e.m.e.nt

[136] Interview with Clive and Susan DuVal, January 5, 1979, by Nan Netherton, at Salona.

[137] Deed of Eas.e.m.e.nt, Fairfax County, Virginia, Deed Book 3418, p.

686, March 24, 1971.

[138] Amending Deed of Eas.e.m.e.nt, Fairfax County, Virginia, Deed Book 4159, p. 436, November 20, 1974.