A National Treasure in the heart of Loudoun County
Welcome to Oatlands—one of Loudoun County’s most cherished historic landmarks.
Oatlands stands on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Manahoac and Piscataway peoples. For generations before this estate was established, Indigenous communities stewarded this landscape, shaping and sustaining the land in ways that resonate today.
Here, land, history, and community come together across 418 acres of natural beauty, formal gardens, winding trails, and 28 buildings spanning the 19th and 20th centuries. Established in 1798 as a plantation and site of enslavement, the beauty of Oatlands is inseparable from the lives, labor, skill, endurance, and humanity of the men, women, and children who were held in bondage here. This landscape holds layered stories—of Indigenous sovereignty, of bondage and emancipation, of aspiration and exclusion, of resilience and reinvention.
At Oatlands, we ask an essential American question: What does it mean to be free?
Freedom meant land and opportunity for some—and survival, resistance, and the long pursuit of dignity for others. It meant legal emancipation, but also the unfinished work of belonging and equity. Across generations, the meaning of freedom has expanded, been contested, and been reimagined.
Today, Oatlands is a place where those evolving meanings of freedom are explored openly and thoughtfully. We preserve this historic landscape not only to honor its beauty, but to examine its complexity—and to create space for reflection, learning, dialogue, and shared stewardship. As we care for the gardens, preserve the historic structures, and welcome new generations, we invite you to consider how the past continues to shape our understanding of freedom and community today.
Discover Oatlands in your own way: take a tour, wander through the gardens, explore the trails, or picnic beneath centuries-old trees. Join us for theatre and talks, hands-on workshops, family programs, or our beloved seasonal teas. Each visit offers both beauty and perspective—an opportunity to engage with history and to reflect on the freedoms we inherit, protect, and define together.
Here, the past meets the present, and every visitor becomes part of the unfolding story of this remarkable place.
We can’t wait to welcome you!
Margaret Salazar-Porzio, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Oatlands, A Site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
