At Oatlands, 20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane, Leesburg, VA 20175. The tour will begin at the Carriage House.

Oatlands is a 19th century plantation owned by a prominent Virginia family, the Carters, in Leesburg. The site is currently owned and operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark. Join Judith Richards, AIA, for an insightful architecture-focused tour about the design and history of this significant property. The tour will be an investigation of historic buildings including the 1804 mansion, 1810 propagation greenhouse, 1821 dependencies and barn and the 1903 carriage house. Landscape design such as the siting, the terraced garden and historic trees will also be discussed.

Participants are also invited to explore the gardens and grounds, which will remain open until 5:30p.

Learning Objectives:
• Identify original elements of the early 19th century house and consider materials used and how the building was constructed originally in the Federal or Adam style and changed to Greek Revival even before construction was complete.
• Consider the construction of multiple outbuildings and how the plantation complex, as a whole, was sited.
• Explore the historic gardens and consider the challenge of maintaining the gardens and the greenhouse (the second oldest propagation greenhouse in the United States), and protecting the historic view sheds.
• Assess the preservation work on site, including recent painting of the mansion, replacement of deteriorated siding and posts on the Bachelor’s Cottage and restoration of the severely dilapidated Hay Barn.

2 LU|HSW. Tickets are $20. The tour is open to the public. Register below.

This event is organized by the AIA Northern Virginia Historic Resources Committee and is offered in celebration of Architecture Week. For information on all our Architecture Week activities, click here.

Directions: From DC, Arlington, Alexandria: I-66 West to Exit 67 (Dulles Airport) to 267 West (toll road) to Leesburg. Exit 1A then second right (15 South Warrenton). Oatlands front gates are five miles on the left.

From Fairfax: Route 50 to Route 15 North at Gilbert’s Corner. Turn right (north). Oatlands front gates are six miles on the right.