Please join us at the Silas Burke House (the lovely white home at the top of the hill, with the historic marker at the driveway), built ca. 1824. Historian and author Patrick O’Neill will speak about the Belvoir manor.
The Burke Historical Society is a group of local enthusiasts interested in exploring and preserving the history of Burke. We are seeking new members who share this interest. No commitment is needed; all are welcome!
At our previous meeting we heard about Ben and Mary Fairfax, small farmers in the Burke area of the 19th century. This month we’ll learn about some of the considerably better-heeled members of Ben’s family and their estate on the Potomac, Belvoir. Finished in 1741, Belvoir was the seat of Col. William Fairfax’s plantation, an elegant and richly appointed mansion. Inherited by William’s son George William Fairfax, Belvoir was visited by Lord Fairfax and the young George Washington, but later was effectively abandoned by the family, fell into disrepair, and was further damaged during the War of 1812. Though the manor no longer stands, its name lives on in the Army base that now includes its ruins.
