Originally settled in 1742 after the land was deeded to the Greggs , a Quaker family , Sylvanside had been continuously homesteaded by its descendants for over 200 years . The land hosted both Union and Confederate troops during the Civil War , and the family gave all men who came to their doors the same care , with matriarch Elizabeth Gregg noting “ It did not matter to us whether the men were from the North or the South , all needed food , all took animals and crops .” Times weren ’ t always easy for the family as they navigated the tides of war .
The same smokehouse that sat empty and overgrown just a few years ago had been their lifeline for the understated , but crucial commodity of salt , which was used for everything from curing meats to tanning hides . Elizabeth described their response to the shortage , noting “ we broke up the cutting block , and dug the earth in the smokehouse where the meat had been cured and had dripped . We soaked this and then evaporated the water to get the salt .” By the end of the Civil War , the family had been stripped of all poultry and livestock save a single blind horse . Seeds for planting crops were difficult to come by , and yet the family persisted through the generations by the grace of fertile soil and generous neighbors .
Fast forward to 2018 : Sylvanside has not been maintained for decades , its historical vitality depleted by years of being used for breeding horses . Clusters of invasive plant species are constellations on the backdrop of unused , compacted pasture . The property is slated to be bulldozed , prepared for cluster development of a 32-townhome complex convenient to downtown Purcellville .
It seems that yet again , the momentum of progress and an increasing population will lead to the same inevitable end : lines of legacy , history , and heritage will erode in the name of a new story , one that lacks ties to the past and to the story of our shared Loudoun home . At a time like this , there ’ s
only one man to call .
~~~
Jeff Fanning is as much a piece of Loudoun as the gneisses that underlay its valley , as the sloped spines of stone fences that stream alongside the roadways . Raised directly across the street from the Bluemont General store , Jeff spent his early years learning to use his hands as an apprentice on the Cochran family ’ s dairy and lumber farms . What began as early days spent milking cows eventually blossomed into an immersive apprenticeship as he learned the trade of fine woodworking and cabinetry . The love that grew from these experiences would thread through Jeff ’ s life , even pulling him back to the trade after years of dedicated service to the Marines .
After re-establishing himself in the community with his own business , Blue Ridge Custom Woodworks , Jeff was invited to employ his skills with the Architect of the Capitol ( AOC ), an elite group of artisans who are responsible for preserving the intricate woodworking details throughout Congressional offices and the Supreme Court . Jeff ’ s work as a master craftsman is even featured in the White House , a symbol of his mastery of the trade and period-specific historical revival . It ’ s no wonder , then , that as neighbors of Sylvanside Farm recognized the imminent threat of
Sylvanside ’ s Stone Barn ; opposite : the Poplar Barn
Exterior barn photos : @ still _ blessings