Together We Win:
Shared Sacrifice and the Struggle for Justice in the World Wars
Tickets
Tickets will be available at Oatlands.org prior to the event, and at the gate on the day of. Tickets are $12 for individuals, $25 for families. Admission is free for all servicemembers (past and present). Wristbands will be provided as proof of admission, and those who purchase tickets in advance are requested to check-in at the admission table. Tickets will be required for those who wish to visit the property during the event.
Parking
From Rt. 15, follow Oatlands Plantation Lane until you see the gravel parking lot to your right. (If the lot is full, overflow parking will be on the grass.) Parking is free, and the admissions table will be immediately adjacent to the parking lot, in front of the Carriage House.
Concessions
During the event, food trucks will be open for purchases from 11am-3pm each day.
- On Saturday, Halal Tikka food truck will be on site, along with Brookfield Dairy Ice Cream.
- On Sunday, California Taco Truck will be on site, along with Brookfield Dairy Ice Cream.
- Loudoun Brewing Co. will be offering beer and wine for sale from 11am-3:30pm on Saturday and Sunday. Legal proof of age is required.
Snacks are available for sale in the Carriage House during Oatlands’ open hours (10am-5pm). Guests are invited to make use of picnic tables and benches, and there will be chairs and tables under the tent for lunching. Unsealed food and drink are not permitted in the historic mansion.
Restrooms
Restrooms are located in the Carriage House and in the Garden Dependency.
Safety
Please be aware that Oatlands paths and roads are gravel. We encourage comfortable footwear as there is a .1 mile walk across the event. No weapons are permitted on site, and no outside alcohol is permitted.
Mobility
The walkways at Oatlands are largely gravel, and there are some mild inclines within the historic core. The mansion and the events tent are roughly 100 yards from the parking lot. Seating will be available under the events tent, and benches are available throughout the property.
During Together We Win, guests are invited to take a self-guided tour of the historic mansion. Entrance to the mansion includes eight steps and a raised threshold at the door. There are raised thresholds (less than 1”) inside which provide a minor obstacle. Guests are invited to visit
the second floor via curved staircases. We recommend using the side of the staircase closest to the wall where the treads are widest.
Activities will be found in the historic greenhouse. The interior is on two separate levels, including ten wooden steps (with railings) to access the lower level.
Why living history?
Living history brings the past to life in ways books and screens simply can’t. Guests can
see, hear, and even smell history as they meet real people dressed in period clothing, using the tools and materials of the time. Visitors are invited to ask questions, start conversations, and learn directly from knowledgeable interpreters who each bring their own interests and perspectives to the stories they share.
Living history is educational, but it’s also fun! It’s hands-on, engaging, and designed to
spark curiosity for all ages. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or just looking for an enjoyable day out, living history offers a chance to learn together, explore new ideas, and experience the past in a memorable way. When history feels welcoming and fun, it invites us to keep asking questions and discovering more.
2026 is the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Why the World Wars?
The United States was founded as an ongoing project. While the American Revolution
established the nation’s independence, the Constitution was designed to allow the country to grow, adapt, and strive toward a “more perfect union.” Each generation has helped shape what those ideals mean in practice.
The First and Second World Wars were two moments when those ideals were tested on
a global scale. These conflicts shaped how the United States was seen in the world, and how Americans understood themselves at home. People from all backgrounds were called to serve, sacrifice, and work together, often while facing inequality and uncertainty. Though not the only turning points in American history, the World Wars, fought just twenty years apart, profoundly shaped the nation that is emerging in the 21st century. Exploring these moments helps us better understand how the promises of 1776 were carried forward, challenged and reimagined, and why those questions of democracy and shared responsibility still matter today.
Why here?
Oatlands is a place deeply connected to the people of Loudoun County and local
residents were touched deeply by these global conflicts. Many of their stories are directly connected to this site.
Men and women with ties to Oatlands served in World War I and World War II in many different ways. Some held leadership roles overseas, working alongside Allied commanders in Europe. Others volunteered or were drafted into military and support units, facing danger both on the battlefield and behind the lines. Some never made it overseas, losing their lives during training or from illness. Others returned home carrying the physical and emotional costs of war.
Oatlands is also connected to descendants of people who lived and labored
here—individuals whose families’ stories stretch from enslavement to military service. These stories reflect the complicated reality of wartime America: service and sacrifice alongside segregation, unequal assignments, and barriers to recognition. Women connected to Oatlands stepped into new roles as well, serving in military offices and support positions that helped keep the war effort moving while reshaping expectations at home.
During World War II, those connections continued. Individuals with ties to Oatlands
served across branches of the U.S. military, earning honors for bravery, working in journalism and communications, transporting vital supplies, and rescuing fellow service members under fire. Families sent multiple sons and daughters into service, reflecting the shared responsibility—and shared risk—that wartime demanded.
By hosting this living history weekend at Oatlands, we are able to tell a story that is both national and deeply local. These are stories rooted in this land and this community, reminding us that global events are shaped by ordinary people—neighbors, families, and communities—who answered the call in extraordinary times.
WW1
- Capt. William Corcoran Eustis served 1917-1918, first as personal secretary to General Pershing, the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe, and later as Liaison Officer for Paris, helping French and American commanders work together.
- Pvt. Valentine B. Johnson, an Oatlands Descendent, was drafted in 1917, but died of tuberculosis before completing his training.
- Lt. Charles C. Riticor was born to tenants at Oatlands. He and his brother both volunteered to serve in France, but Charles was hit by shrapnel and gassed in August of 1918 and died the next month.
- Grayson “Grace” Carter Barber, the great-granddaughter of George Carter, was born at Oatlands and served as a Yeomanette – a woman enlisted in the Navy, generally assigned to office jobs to replace men who could be sent overseas – during WW1.
WW2
- Lt. Morton Eustis served 1940-1944, in the U.S. National Guard, Army Air Corps, and 2 nd Armored Division. He earned two Bronze Stars and a Silver Star, as well as a Purple Heart.
- Cpl. Sandy B. Johnson, an Oatlands Descendent and cousin of Valentine B., was drafted in 1942, assigned to the 22 nd Quartermaster Truck Regiment (most Black soldiers were assigned to auxiliary positions, which were often just as dangerous but generally earned less glory), and was killed by shrapnel in Italy in October, 1944.
- SFC (Specialist First Class) Carter Barber, a great-grandson of George Carter Jr., was a journalist with the U.S. Coast Guard and earned the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for Heroism for his work helping recover sailors from the water off the coast of Normandy on D-Day.
- The Buchanan brothers – Phillip (Navy), John (Army), and James (Air Force) were all grandsons of Martin VanBuren Buchanan, a Civil War Veteran who was born into enslavement in Loudoun County. After his service, James worked as a chauffeur to Mrs. Eustis.
