Captain Husband, Sammy and I took a rather impromptu trip to the Barboursville Ruins in Orange County, Virginia, on Wednesday; I had always wanted to see the ruins in person and I knew that CH would appreciate the visit as well as he is a bit of a Thomas Jefferson fan. The ruins are all that remain of the stately home that Jefferson designed for his friend and political ally, James Barbour (1775-1842). The residence burned in an accidental fire that took place on December 25, 1884, but even in its ruinous state, its elegance and architectural importance remains apparent to all those who visit.
Jefferson designed the home, which was built around 1822, in the fashionable Neo-Palladian style and employed much of the distinctive architectural vocabulary that he used at Monticello at Barboursville, such as the emphasis on symmetry and the use of an octagonal drawing room located at the rear of the house (the original design also called for a dome to be placed over the octagonal portion, but it was never realized).
Walking around the grounds of this once elegant residence, I couldn't help but wish I had a time machine at my disposal so I could travel back in time and visit it when it was still intact; I wanted to walk through the grand, double-storied rooms, and explore all of the building's nooks and crannies. I suppose my imagination will just have to suffice for the time being.
Be sure to check out the other lovely photos this week by clicking below;
have a great weekend everyone!
3 comments:
Gorgeous photos. I love it in black and white.
Oh, I would love to visit this place. It looks so neat. I love the shot of the doorway with other doors through the opening. So neat. It is a very stunning piece of architecture and you photographed it so well.
Very cool! Something that I would love to see - and drag the kiddos and Soldier through and lecture them on the time period and architecture. They hate sight seeing with me ;)
Have a great weekend!
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