Historic Clifton - Meetupfiles.meetup.com/432942/Historic Clifton 2016.pdf4 Historic Clifton Notes...
Transcript of Historic Clifton - Meetupfiles.meetup.com/432942/Historic Clifton 2016.pdf4 Historic Clifton Notes...
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Historic Clifton 10:00 am, October 29, 2016
Meetup location: Clifton Elementary School, 7010 Clifton Rd, Clifton, VA 20124
How to find us: We’ll meet in the elementary school parking lot
Let’s take a walk in historic Clifton!
"Without traffic lights or a direct postal service, Clifton remains an enchanting relic of a time past.
Functioning a few decades behind the rest of the world, Clifton's façade is composed of houses that are
almost all over one hundred and twenty years old. White picket fences line main street, rustic lanterns
and barrels full of flowers adorn the small hub of town. Featuring a handful of shops—a general store,
florist and antique collector—Clifton's economy has not developed much since its founding days as a
small railroad station."*
The route: From the meetup point at Clifton Elementary School parking lot, we’ll walk down the trail to
VA-645 and enter town along Main Street. At Richards Lane we’ll divert to the right and left to examine
buildings northwest of the railroad tracks, then cross them to check out Devereux Station. From
Devereux Station we’ll make a big clockwise circle around town to visit most of its historic structures,
ending the tour in front of the Clifton Store. From there, members can have lunch at one of the
restaurants nearby, cross Main Street to visit the Clifton Wine Shop & Tasting Room, or return north
along Main Street to our meetup point.
The hike is about 2.1 miles of smiles and should take about an hour and a half to two hours at a slow
pace, depending on whether we enter any houses. The surface is mostly paved, with gravel and dirt
trails here and there, and is mostly flat in town.
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/qxn4bub
How to get there: From the VA-286/Fairfax County Parkway, turn onto VA-654/Pope’s Head Rd and
drive west 2.9 miles. Turn left onto VA-645 and drive 1.6 miles. At the elementary school sign turn right
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onto Great Oak Lane, then immediately left onto Burns Way. Follow Burns way until it ends in the
elementary school parking lot.
Sorry, this is not a Metro-accessible hike.
What to bring: Water, comfy shoes, and your furry friend if desired (leashes, please). We won’t be
walking too fast, due to stops to check out the houses, so consider a light jacket.
Weather: It's too early to see the forecast, but updates will be here: http://tinyurl.com/qh44j5u
Advisory: As a reminder, this is an adult group, and you are ultimately responsible for your own safety
and well-being during events. No one under 18 years of age is allowed at this event, either as members
or as guests, to include babies in carriers and/or strollers.
Administrative stuff: There are a few restrooms and drinking fountains at commercial locations along
our route and nearby, notably in Burke Center, at the corner of Ox Rd and Burke Center Parkway.
Notes:
McDonald’s, 5651 Burke Centre Pkwy, Burke, VA 22015, 703-250-3652
Clifton Wine Shop & Tasting Room, 7145 Main St, Clifton, VA 20124, 703-266-1607.
http://tinyurl.com/nlp8ucz
* Hilary Hodge, 2002, http://tinyurl.com/o86yeaa
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Historic Clifton Notes on structures
1. Clifton Creek House, 1930. This structure was built on the site of a
previous house, in the style of a late 1800's Victorian farm house. Its main
feature is the solid oak woodwork throughout the house. For several years,
beginning in 1997, this home served as a bed and breakfast.
2. Clifton Hotel, 1869. Built by Harrison Otis in 1859, Clifton Hotel was a
popular summertime rail destination for many Washingtonians. Although no
guest registers have survived, Presidents Arthur Hayes and T. Roosevelt are
said to have stayed at the hotel. There is also strong evidence that Ulysses S.
Grant stayed here several times. In 1881, capacity of guests was listed as 50
and the price of room and board was $7 a week or $27 a month.
3. Clifton Presbyterian Church, 1870. In 1870 the Clifton Presbyterian
Church was organized, and the congregation built the gable-roofed, stone
church in 1871 on land facing Richards Lane near the railroad tracks, sold to
them by Harrison G. Otis. The vernacular building features rough-faced
limestone in a random ashlar pattern, elongated, round-arched windows on
the side elevations, and a corner, frame bell tower.
4. The "Pink" House, 1905. The house was built by the Ambler family who
maintained a farm outside of town where they grew various crops. In the
1960s, a business located here painted the building pink and it has been
known by locals ever since as the "Pink" House. The house was repainted
yellow in the late 1990s.
5. Frick Eclipse Steam Engine, 1899. George Frick, born in 1826 on a farm in
Lancaster County, PA, designed and built sawmills, threshing machines, and
portable steam engines to run them at a factory he opened at Waynesboro,
PA in 1861. At Philadelphia’s Centennial Exposition in 1876, a Frick Eclipse
farm traction engine won the gold medal for the best in its class. Four years
later, an Eclipse engine won out over 25 other engines at an exposition in
Melbourne, Australia. Business was booming and a new factory was built in
1881. In 1885, the Frick Daniel Boone traction engine was shown at fairs and
won 39 first premiums. That year, the firm was incorporated and, in 1888,
George Frick retired. This particular engine, number 7888A, was built in
1899. Today, York & Frick manufactures industrial refrigeration equipment
as a subsidiary of Johnson Controls.
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6. The Red Barn, 1936. Originally constructed as a gold ore reduction plant,
it was later used as a cinder block factory and is now owned by the Clifton
Betterment Association and used as a storage facility.
7. Devereux Station, 1863. During the Civil War, Pennsylvanian Herman
Haupt, a noted bridge designer and the superintendent of Union military
railroads, commissioned John Devereux, the railroad superintendent in
Alexandria, to build a siding on the Orange & Alexandria R.R. on this site,
later known as Devereux Station. (Historical marker text; Library of
Congress image.)
8. Detwiler House, c. 1900. Samuel Detwiler lived in this house in 1905
when he was the town liveryman. With the demise of the horse and buggy,
he and his son Frank began a dairy farm. Their barn was located where the
post office now stands. The house was renovated in 1985 and 2013.
9. Beasley House, 1929. (South side of the street.) This replica of a Sears
house was built by Novello Beasley, a huckster (a person who sells his
products in the street) who sold livestock at market in Washington, D.C. In
later years, it was the home of Clifton Mayor, Julian Burke, who helped
organize the Clifton Betterment Association and the first "Clifton Day"
festival, and has also served as the town treasurer's office.
10. Woodyard House, 1899. This house was built by Wallace Woodyard
who was one of Clifton's great lumber merchants. It contains the best in
material and workmanship. The building embodies the simple turn of the
century vernacular architecture found throughout the town in materials,
design and size.
11. The Barber Shop, 1884. The front portion of this building first served as
an out-kitchen for the Payne House. Around 1918, it was moved across
Chapel Street where it served as home for the train agent. In 1935 the first
floor became Tom Fairfax's barber shop until the mid-1960s. In 1972 it was
moved to the present site, restored and enlarged for use as an antique
shop.
12. Hetzel House, 1870. (South side of the street.) The Hetzel House was
named after its resident Susan Riviere Hetzel, who founded the National
Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. It is a gable front and
wing structure, frame and weatherboard with a metal-seamed roof.
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13. The Old Fire Station. The old town volunteer fire station here was
replaced in the 1950s with a larger one on the opposite side of the street. In
1995, the county rebuilt the 1950s station with a modern structure which
now includes the current town hall with larger meeting facilities. The old
building now houses the Clifton Post office and a number of stores.
14. Old Town Hall, 1905. This building was originally known as the Crosen
house, a private residence that housed a family with eight children. Later
the house was inhabited by the Gunther family. The town purchased the
building in 1973 to be used for town meetings.
15. McDaniel House, 1895. This house was built on a lot owned by a freed
slave. This house was in the Pitkin family for over 60 years.
16. Wine House, 1905. Originally built in 1905 by C.H. Wine, who was a
builder as well as one of the organizers and treasurer of the Bull Run Power
Company which eventually became Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative.
The house was enlarged and restored in 1973 and retains the charm and
architecture of the Victorian era.
17. Fairfax House, 1905. This house was originally the summer kitchen for
the Wine House next door. The building was moved to its current location,
converted into a house and sold to Mr. Spinks in 1908. It later became the
home of the Fairfax family until it was sold and restored in 1997.
18. Kincheloe House, 1900. The sign notes that “Huckster George Kincheloe
worked the area until the end of Prohibition” and describes how his wife
sold beer to school teachers. The Kincheloe family were early settlers of
Northern Virginia who emigrated from Scotland to secure a land grant given
to them by Lord Fairfax. The family cemetery is about a mile south of
Clifton.
19. Buckhill, 1902. The house was built by H. Longley. Oscar Woody resided
here from 1910 until he went down on the Titanic. This was the home of
Robert and Helen Elgin Buckley for 52 years, and was completely renovated
by their niece and her husband in 1984.
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20. Miller House, 1907. Built by Mr. Miller, this Victorian farmhouse has
been the home to several Clifton families, including the Fords and Detwilers.
21. Davis Buckley House, 1913. Built in 1913 for Lucy Virginia Davis Buckley,
who lived here with her youngest daughter until 1923. It has been the home
of two of Clifton's Mayors, W. Swem Elgin and James C. Chesley. Clifton's
third elementary school building (1895-1912) and the first high school
building (1909-1912) were located in what is now the yard to the left of the
house.
22. Kivett House, 1904. This carpenter Gothic Victorian house features three
stories, and a wraparound second floor porch. The house was sited on a
steep hill and uses its terraced yards to create several levels of outdoor
space.
23. Clifton Primitive Baptist Church, 1871. In 1863, during the Civil War,
William Beckwith died and left 200 acres of property to his slaves, whom he
freed in his will. In 1869, the former slaves and their children formed the
Cub Run Primitive Baptist Church Association and erected the church.
24. Cross House, 1886. This house was built by James B. Cross, coach and
wagon builder, wheelwright and blacksmith. Clifton's only undertaker, he
was a Magistrate and a member of the first Town Council.
25. Buckley House, 1896. Robert R. Buckley, the first mayor of Clifton and
owner of the Buckley Brother's General Store, built this house as a wedding
present for his bride, Anna Detwiler.
26. Kidwell House, 1890. The A.J. Kidwell family lived here beginning in 1890
for nearly 60 years. Kidwell was the town blacksmith and a member of the
first town council in 1902. He operated a smithy in the now-vacant lot
beside the First Baptist Church.
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27. Harris House, 1830. Built by the Harris Family and later acquired by
Thomas Moore of Williamsburg, this is one of the two oldest houses in
Clifton, the other being the Beckwith House. It is original in all detail and
contains a sick room with its outside entrance that was common during that
period.
28. Wright House, 1941. (East side of the street.) Built in 1941 reputedly by
a gangster, this is Clifton's only stone house. Local craftsmen used stone
mined from a quarry near Robey's farm on Chapel Road. The house featured
the first full indoor bathroom in town.
29. Mercantile Store, 1884. (East side of the street.) This building was built
as a General Mercantile Store and though the years has been occupied as a
Saloon, Church, Pool hall, Dry Goods, Bakery, Grocery, and Cabinet shop.
The addition was added in 1926 for a Barber Shop. The building was
completely restored in 1965.
30. Clifton Baptist Church, 1912. The church was organized in the 1870s, but
the original structure, built in 1877 on the corner of Main Street and Chapel
Road, was replaced in 1912 with the present frame, neo-Gothic style
building. The pointed-arch windows, with their wood tracery, and the
shingled bell tower are characteristic of this period of church architecture.
31. Payne House, 1884. (East side of the street.) This elegant Carpenter
Gothic home was built by Melvin M. Payne, a house builder and lumber
broker to the railroads. Payne's bench mark, a split tree and cross, can be
found 'branded' on the framing of many older Clifton area homes. It is also
carved into the parlor mantel.
32. Fulmer House, 1911. Built by Clifton lumber merchant J.M. Fulmer, who
was twice mayor of Clifton, from 1920-1924 and 1930-1936. This house is an
excellent example of the Carpenter Gothic architectural style typical of the
period. The house was completely restored in 1972.
33. The Red Gables, 1907. This impressive Victorian was built as a summer
home by Will Richards. On the property is a restored 1790 Tennessee cabin
rebuilt log-by-log.
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34. Ferndale, 1904. The Poindexter family built this house in the Folk
Victorian style. An old postcard written by Laura Poindexter revealed that
the house was named "Ferndale". Long time Clifton resident, Margaret
Detwiler Webb lived and painted here as a young woman in the 1920's.
Actress Helen Hayes vacationed here with her nephew and his wife in the
1960's. The facade of the house was restored in 2000.
35. Wm. E. Beckwith House, 1771. Also known as the Homestead, this home
contains Clifton's oldest remaining structure. Originally a three room log
house, it was part of the 200 acres left by William Beckwith to his sixteen
slaves, all of whom were freed in his will in 1863. The original portion
contained a huge stone fireplace still visible today. Modified through the
years, its most illustrious moment in history was during the Civil War years
of 1862-63 when it served for a short time as General Pope's headquarters.
36 Mayhugh Tavern, c. 1870. F.G. Mayhugh operated "a genteel & orderly
bar" from this house in the early 1900's. Originally the house had only one
room and it faced the railroad tracks on Ford Lane. The house was expanded
in 1876, and moved to its present site in 1970.
37. Quigg House, 1896. A French Second Empire, two-story frame and
weatherboard structure with dormer windows in the roof. The center bay is
set forward and to either side of it a porch roof extends at the first floor
level. An addition to the rear is topped with a skeletal rendering of the
mansard roof in an open, wooden treatment. This is the only example of
this architectural style in Clifton and is one of the most interesting visual
elements of Main Street.
38 Weaver House, 1898. The original structure was built in 1898 as a
residence for the Weavers, who owned the general store next door. It was
destroyed by fire in 1930 that erupted in the general store. The present
structure, built in the 1930s, is a one story, craftsman-style bungalow with
decorative accents in the brackets. The 1983 addition to the north facade
carefully replicates the style, including the brackets.
39. The Buckley Store, 1900. “From a pin to a plow" was the Buckley
Brothers' motto for their general store which was the largest store between
Alexandria and Front Royal at one time. Since the Clifton School did not own
a scale, the scales in the store were used to weigh the school children, as
well as grain and nails. The Buckley Store remained in the family until 1951.
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40. Clifton Store, 1930. A one story, concrete block structure which
replaced an older structure that burned about 1930.
41. Ayre House, 1890. Built by Thomas Anthony Ayre, a Southern Railway
Agent when Clifton was a bustling Railroad Center and when Ford Lane was
one of the Main Streets of Clifton. Restoration completed in 1978.
(Construction date mismatch between sources; 1905 is also given.)
42. Leander Makely House, 1878. (Also known as the Ford House, c. 1886.)
Leander Makely was assessed tax on buildings here in 1878 and was shown
living here on the 1878 Hopkins map. He was one of Clifton's merchants.
After his death in 1886, the property descended to his daughter, Martha
who married Charles H. Ford, son of William E. Ford, in 1907. The Fords sold
the land to Frederick Sauber in 1922. The house was restored in 1969.
References:
Historic Register Nomination (pdf): http://tinyurl.com/qeylbxx
Frank Harrell, “The Historic Structures of Clifton Virginia.” http://tinyurl.com/qb7rwv3
Debbie Robison, " Formation of the Village of Clifton, Virginia." http://tinyurl.com/nr2hzvj
Nan Netherton, “Clifton: Brigadoon in Virginia.” Excerpts at http://tinyurl.com/ph77uxj
Kincheloe Family Cemetery at MyCemetery.org, http://tinyurl.com/nue5k94
George Frick and His Steam Empire: http://tinyurl.com/j58o8p2
Frick Steam Engine Serial Number List: http://tinyurl.com/zl5q2yz