Located just west of Washington DC at the foot of the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains near Millwood, Virginia, Long Branch Historic House & Farm is one of the most elegant manor homes in Virginia hunt country. Since the early 18th century, the rolling hills of the Long Branch Historic House & Farm estate have been owned by a series of famous men: Lord Culpeper, Lord Fairfax, and Robert “King” Carter. A young George Washington helped to survey the property.

In 1788, Robert Carter Burwell inherited the land sitting along the stream know as LONG BRANCH. Some twenty years later, he began to construct a mansion following the classical principles suggested by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, an architect of the U.S. Capitol. A Burwell descendant, Major Hugh Mortimer Nelson, purchased the Long Branch mansion in 1842 and finished the interior using elaborate woodwork designed by architect Minard Lafever. Although descendants of Nelson and subsequent owners, notably Abram Hewitt, made valiant efforts to maintain LONG BRANCH Historic House & Farm, its condition had declined by the late 20th century. In 1986, Harry Z. Isaacs, a Baltimore textile executive, purchased the estate at public auction. His good taste, remarkable energy, and sizable fortune revitalized the historic house in less than three years.

The exquisite rooms at Long Branch Historic House & Farm boast a superb collection of 18th and 19th century furnishings. Mr. Isaacs traveled throughout Europe and the United State to find antiques of great distinction – dining room chairs identical to those at the White House and several major pieces attributed to the workshop of Duncan Phyfe. Hand-painted wallpapers and celebrate fabrics adorn room after room.

Before he died in 1990, Mr. Isaacs established a private non-profit foundation to manage the estate for enjoyment and education of its visitors. Long Branch Historic House & Farm also serves as a site for a wide variety of seasonal events in the Clarke County community: educational activities, annual Easter Egg Hunt, Trout Fishing Derby, Christmas Gala & Twilight tours and most notably the three-day, family oriented Shenandoah Valley Hot Air Balloon, Wine & Music Festival. The property, with its outdoor terrace, has become a very popular site for weddings and other special events.

The grounds are graced by beautiful gardens and the farm also serves as a horse retirement facility with as many as 85 equine residing at the estate. For more information on Long Branch go here: http://www.historiclongbranch.com


(Photos by Reggie Hall – Hallr@aol.com)