xxxxxThe Garden Club of Warren County in cooperation with Historic Garden Week in Virginia will sponsor a tour of Warren County homes on Sunday, April 28, from 1 p. m. to 5:30 p. m. Six houses dating from 1760 to 1850 will be open for this tour.

xxxxxFairview--built in 1760 is one of the tour attractions. Never opened to the public before, the house is brick, covered with white stucco. One of the oldest houses in Warren County, the interior is furnished with 18th century antiques of American, English, Russian, and Spanish origin. An outstanding collection of 17th and 18th century antique silver. Also 18th century porcelain, a large collection of military lithographs of the Napoleonic period, antique glass and Russian paintings by Kovalevski. Colonel William E. Shipp owner.

(Webmaster's note: This was the home of Thomas Buck McKay & family. MLM)

xxxxxOther homes included are,

xxxxxErin--built in 1804 by David Funsten on land bought from the Lord Fairfax holdings. The architecture is Greek Revival and the house is furnished with rare and interesting antiques. Purchased by Mr. and Mrs. William C. Trenary in 1938.

xxxxxGently--The home of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Bowen, built in 1850 by Andrew Jackson Bowen. It is seen today as an average farm house, modernized for the convenience and efficiency of a busy family. Restored by its present owners.

(Webmaster's note: This house is more a part of Sowers family history. MLM)

xxxxxWillow Brook Farm--Built by German prisoners of war in 1785, restored by German prisoners of war in 1945. It is known that George Washington slept here, and also it is known that this was the scene of a minor battle in the War between the States. Style is colonial, furnishings early American with an odd mixture of Italian and France of the same period.
xxxxxColonel and Mrs. James Pomeroy Kendrick, owners.

xxxxxCedarbrook Farm--The original house was a two-story log cabin built by a Pennsylvania Dutch settler, one of a group of a hundred brought here by Robert McKay Sr. to settle a land grant deeded them by the English King. The original log part was built in 1746-48 and now constitutes one half of the entrance hall, the kitchen and the two rooms above. Around 1804 an addition of English Ballast brick was added. The porch and circular molded brick columns were added in the early part of the 19th century and the present house was restored in 1941 by its owners Mr. and Mrs. A. R. L. Dohme.

xxxxxRiverside--Built by the Spengler family in 1849 almost immediately it came into possession of Major James Richards and is still occupied by his descendants, Mrs. J. N. Major Sr., owner.

xxxxxEach home is of distinctive interest and may be visited individually or in a continuous tour. Block tickets, $2.00 each, includes refreshments at Riverside. Tickets for single houses are $1.00. Tickets may be obtained from Mrs. H. U. Oxenham or from any member of the Garden Club of Warren County.