Yesterday was a day for baking and catching up on household things so we never left the RV. Today, however, we spent the day driving and seeing more of this beautiful state.
Driving west from Waynesboro, we drove to Staunton which was the birthplace of our 28th President, Woodrow Wilson. Staunton, VA is one of the oldest cities west of the Blue Ridge Mountains and was settled by John Lewis in 1732 and named for Lady Rebecca Staunton, the wife of Governor William Gooch. The town was laid out in 1747 and was largely unscathed during the Civil War so today it has one of Virginia's finest collections of 19th century architecture.
The above house is now the Berkeley House Bed and Breakfast. If you would like to see what the inside of this home looks like, go to www.bhbandb.us and take the virtual tour. Incredibly beautiful.
Our first stop was to see Woodrow Wilson's home, Museum and Library. Woodrow Wilson's father was a Presbyterian minister and Wilson was born in the hilltop Manse, a 3 story 4,000 square foot house in the Greek revival style with 12 rooms and includes a beautiful Victorian garden. In Wilson's time there were no other homes close by and the church was located down the street. The back of the house overlooks the city below.
Front of the Manse
Garden
A couple of doors down the street is the Woodrow Wilson Museum and Presidential Library. The Museum also includes Wilson's Pace-Arrow limousine and a replica of a trench our soldiers used during WWI.
Heading north on a scenic road through beautiful rolling hill farm countryside, we stopped in Verona to take in one of Americas largest Antique Malls (135,000 square feet all one one floor). If they don't have it, you don't need it. No need to take your lunch as the Mall includes a cafe with free wifi (for those men like Ron who don't like to shop). I want to go back when I have more time. Ron couldn't even get the entire length of the building in this picture even from across the parking lot and the grass area.
In Fort Defiance, we came across this old abandoned military academy.
Our drive then took us further north into Harrisonburg where we will return another day. Turning south back to Waynesboro where we are staying, we took another scenic road through more farm land taking a side road to the Natural Chimney's and the Moss Creek Presbyterian Church and Cemetery established in 1768.
What intrigues me most are all the old homes with the many chimneys, something we do not see in the southwest. Note the 4 chimneys found on the Manse picture. Each of these chimneys had a fireplace on each of the three floors for a total of 12 fireplaces in the home.
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