Oatlands Plantation is an estate located in Leesburg, Virginia. Oatlands is operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark. The Oatlands property is composed of the main mansion and 260 acres (101.2 ha) of farmland and gardens.

History

Oatlands Plantation was established by George Carter in 1798 on 3,408 acres (1,980 ha) of farmland. It started as a wheat farm, but expanded to include other grains, sheep, a gristmill and a saw mill, and a vineyard. In 1803, Carter began construction of a Federal mansion, which he expanded in the 1820s and 1830s. He also built a terraced garden and numerous outbuildings.

In 1897 the Carter family sold the mansion with 60 acres (24.3 ha) to Stilson Hutchins, founder of the Washington Post newspaper, who never lived on the property.

Hutchins sold Oatlands in 1903 to Mr. and Mrs. William Corcoran Eustis. Mrs. Eustis restored the gardens from neglect, adding boxwood-lined parterres to the terraces, statuary, a rose garden, a bowling green, and a reflecting pool. Today her plantings include mature specimens of Buxus sempervirens `Arborescens’ and `Suffruticosa’, Larix decidua, and Quercus robur.

After Mrs. Corcoran's death in 1964, her daughters donated the mansion, furnishings, and estate grounds to the National Trust.

It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971.

Visiting

Oatlands is opened for visitation March 30 through December 30 of each year. An admission fee is charged.

See also

• List of botanical gardens in the United States

References

External links

• Oatlands Plantation
• National Trust for Historic Preservation
• Search on "Oatlands VA" yields numerous photosets, data pages and supplemental material, at Historic American Building Survey