Estate

THE CARTER BARN, built in 1821, is a barn notched into the man-made hillside. The brick structure and attached stone icehouse are all that remain of a much larger farming complex. Originally, this area was the agricultural hub of the plantation where enslaved people threshed grain, sheared sheep, and crafted tools in a blacksmith shop. With several interior bins, the Carter Barn mainly served as grain storage for various crops. The structure utilized an intricate design to create good ventilation which prevented mold and dispersed accumulated heat. Archaeological evidence uncovered a foundation adjacent to the Carter Barn, indicating that another bay once extended farther to the south. Newspaper articles note that a large barn at Oatlands burned down in 1889, likely this missing bay.

Currently, a wooden dairy barn partially sits on the missing bay’s foundation. During the early to mid-1900s, a large influx of people to the Washington, D.C. area caused a boom in Loudoun County’s dairy industry. The Eustis family built their own state-of-the-art facility to hygienically gather and process milk from Oatlands’ cows. Today, the barn is a time capsule, displaying evidence of both Carter and Eustis-era agricultural practices.

THE GREENHOUSE, built in 1810, illustrated George Carter’s interest in contemporary horticultural practices and reflected his wealth. It is believed to be the second-oldest propagation greenhouse in the country. The south-facing glass wall and glazed roof maximizes sun exposure for plants in the hothouse. The attached potting shed helps shield the hothouse from northerly winds while also providing storage for equipment and heating devices. Enslaved people used the space to cultivate a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and flowers. Oral history suggests that one or two enslaved people may have slept inside the greenhouse during winter months when they had to stoke the heating system day and night in order to maintain a constant warm temperature.

By the late 1800s, the second generation of Carters used the hothouse to display more exotic plants such as sago palms. They also turned the attached shed into an official dwelling. In the early 1900s, the Eustis family improved the structure with a state-of-the-art Lord and Burnham iron framework and heating system. They propagated boxwoods and grew snapdragons, roses, tomatoes, and rhubarb. Today, Oatlands’ garden staff follows the tradition of using the historic greenhouse to shelter delicate plantings during colder months.

The trio of green buildings around the circular drive were constructed in the early 1900s by the Eustis family, the last private owners of Oatlands. William Corcoran Eustis enjoyed the close proximity to Virginia hunt country while Edith Eustis saw the dilapidated gardens as a perfect restoration project. They often entertained friends from the D.C. area, including President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

The Carriage House was built between 1903 and 1906 by the Norris Brothers of Leesburg. Outside, the frame building with fieldstone foundation represented typical rural Virginia architecture. Inside, it housed a state-of-the-art healthy environment for “thoroughbreds and Irish hunters.” High windows supplied light and ventilation without subjecting horses to harsh drafts. Second floor staff rooms were strategically located to minimize disruptive noise. Raised wooden floors, scored concrete hallways, and an interior drainage system allowed easy cleaning of both horses and carriages. Today, the Carriage House is the Oatlands Visitor Center and Museum Store.

In 1804, George Carter focused his substantial resources on wheat production and construction of a MANSION at Oatlands. A scholar and astute businessman, Carter likely designed the house himself, possibly with the help of builders and pattern books. Enslaved people dug up clay from local riverbanks to mold and fire bricks for a three-story structure with a basement and cupola. Both enslaved people and paid laborers worked on the house until the mid-1830s, adding side stairwells, removing the cupola, applying stucco to exterior brick, and building an impressive two–story columned portico. The finished house showcased elements of Georgian, Federal, and Greek Revival architectural styles.

After purchasing Oatlands in 1903, Edith and William Corcoran Eustis made only a few changes to the mansion. They added a porch to the north facade, moved the second floor staircase, and combined two small bedrooms into one large room. In family correspondence, they often referred to the mansion as “Oatlands House.” Because of their preservation efforts, the mansion still remains true to George Carter’s vision for his home.

MT. GAP SCHOOL, built circa 1882, exemplifies the iconic one-room rural schoolhouse. White students came from nearby small communities or farms, ranging in age from 5 to 15. Each morning, they traveled to the schoolhouse by horse, cart, or on foot. Due to limited space, children often shared books and desks. Teachers instructed lessons in math, history, geography, reading, penmanship, and science. Because of segregation, African American students could not attend Mt. Gap School. Instead, they were required to attend another one-room schoolhouse, called Mt. Gap Colored School. This schoolhouse was built in the late 1880s on nearby Mt. Gap Road to serve Gleedsville and the surrounding community.

As one-room schoolhouses became obsolete, Mt. Gap School closed its doors in 1953. The National Trust for Historic Preservation bought the building and surrounding acreage in 1973. Today, Oatlands uses the schoolhouse for educational programs throughout the year.

THE BACHELOR’S COTTAGE, circa 1821, was originally constructed as a dairy. It matched the smokehouse on the other side of the mansion to balance the plantation’s layout. Originally, the structure had a dirt floor several feet below ground level, thick plastered walls, and high vented openings to help maintain a constant cool temperature of around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Enslaved people used this space to store perishable foods, such as milk and butter, for the Carter family’s consumption.

After the Civil War, the Carters turned the building into a residence for paying boarders. During renovations in the 1880s, they added a first floor at ground level, a second floor, a chimney, two windows, and a two-story porch. By the early 1900s, the Eustis family turned the structure into a guest cottage with additional windows, beadboard ceilings, indoor plumbing, and screened porches. According to oral histories, the family referred to the building as the “Bachelor’s Cottage” because Morton Eustis and his friends from Harvard University stayed here when they visited Oatlands during school breaks.

After Oatlands was donated to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1965, the building served as staff offices, event preparation space, and housing for an artist-in-residence program.

THE GARDEN DEPENDENCY’S exact date of construction is unknown, although several characteristics point to the early 1820s. The dependency shares the same type of mortar, brick, and unique roof framing system as the smokehouse. Physical evidence and historical precedence suggest the building likely housed enslaved people and provided storage and work space. It could have been used as a laundry, food preparation and cooking area, and a place for other activities associated with the mansion and garden. By 1890, a visitor to Oatlands noted the “rows of offices and storehouses” were now “a silent ruined town.”

More than a decade later, Edith Eustis extensively renovated several of the garden buildings and removed dilapidated structures during her revitalization of the walled garden. She incorporated a laundry into the dependency with large soapstone sinks and decorative cast iron brackets. Today, Oatlands’ garden staff continues to use the dependency as work and storage space.

THE SMOKEHOUSE, circa 1821, is located on the same axis as the Dairy/Bachelor’s Cottage for symmetry of the plantation’s layout. The windowless, one-story brick building with dirt floor was used by the enslaved people as a place to preserve and store meat products. Typically, fresh meat was dry-salted, marinated in wooden boxes or troughs for up to six weeks, and smoked inside the building over a smoldering pit fire. It was then stored on shelves or hung on beams until needed.

In the early 1900s, Edith Eustis turned the building into a studio during renovations of the dilapidated garden. Changes included a new front door with sidelights and transom, construction of a floor and ceiling, and installation of four windows. She also added a chimney to the building and appropriated one of the mantelpieces from the mansion to use in her new space. Today, Oatlands’ garden staff uses the building as office space.