Fairview (Summit Point, WV)

Fairview is an early 19th century farm estate^[1] located in Jefferson County, West Virginia built around 1830 by Gurdon Pendleton, brother of American Civil War General William N. Pendleton. It is situated in the Shenandoah Valley, eight miles northwest of the Shenandoah River and roughly 60 miles west of Washington, DC. The home appears as "Pendleton" on an 1864 military map by Samuel Howell Brown^[2]. Another Pendleton sibling, Hugh Pendleton, built nearby Westwood^[3], an estate of similar age which was featured in the book Uncommon Vernacular^[4] for it's architectural style exemplary for this region and time period.

Sometime around 1870 the estate was purchased by Addison L. Withers for whom Withers Larue Road is named. Withers renamed the estate Fairview in reference to its rolling hilltop perch surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east, and the bulk of the Appalachian mountain range to the west.

Historical significance[edit]

Fairview is one of many 19th century farm estates representing the fertile Shenandoah Valley's agricultural history. Several other farm estates in the surrounding area of Jefferson County, WV and Clarke County, VA include homes built by George Washington's brothers nearby (Happy Retreat Harewood (West Virginia)|Harewood, Cedar Lawn, Claymont Court, and Blakeley (West Virginia)|Blakeley. The original brick farm house was given an addition around 1900 in the Federal style.

The home's interior retains many of it's original 19th century features. The property includes a one room schoolhouse, an icehouse, the remnants of a stone "summer kitchen" outdoor bake oven, a corncrib, a hand-dug water well lined with limestone rock, and two 19th century rainwater cisterns.

Civil War[edit]

The region's economic importance led to fierce fighting for it's control during the Civil War. The farmland immediately surrounding this property experienced many notable battles and skirmishes throughout the war. At the time of the war the home was still owned by Pendleton, whose brother, William General William Pendleton, served as General Robert E. Lee's chief of artillery. The Battle of Berryville took place about two miles to the south, the Battle of Kabletown took place five miles to the east, and the Battle of Cool Springs about 7 miles to the south. Many other battles took place at nearby White House Farm (Jefferson County, West Virginia)|Whitehouse Farm, Battle of Summit Point, Charles Town, and the first, second, and third battles of Winchester, VA.

Several raids by CSA Colonel John S. Mosby occurred nearby including the Berryville Wagon Train Raid, the Greenback Raid^[5], Duffield's Depot, Battle of Kableton^[6] and Mosby's near surrender at Millwood, VA.

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