The historic stone house was used as a hospital for both Union and Confederate soldiers during the Second Battle of Manassas.
The Stone House was built in the hey-day of America's "Turnpike Era" in the second quarter of the nineteenth century. The Warrenton Turnpike, completed in 1828, represented one of the best hard-surfaced roads of early Virginia. Henry P. and Jane Matthews owned the Stone House from 1850 until 1865 and Stone House probably served the traffic on the turnpike as a wagon stop. Made of stone, the house severed as a refuge for many wounded soldiers.
“A makeshift red flag appeared on the building to mark the Stone House as a place of refuge and suffering. After the fighting ended, Company A of the 28th Virginia Infantry arrived at the Stone House to find 100 weapons and
"a large number of wounded enemy, some dead, and thirty-six men, who surrendered themselves prisoner."
Among the prisoners were two Union medical officers, a surgeon and an assistant surgeon. Only the assistant surgeon was allowed to remain and care for the many sufferers as best he could. ”
[Source:
The Stone House]
The property was purchase by the Federal Government in 1949, and in 1960 the Park Service began a major restoration project to return the building to its Civil War appearance.
Text from a marker located at the Stone House
Battlefield of Bull Run or First Manassas
July 21, 1861
Confederates under General Beauregard defended Federals under General McDowell.
General Jackson given name of “Stonewall” on this field. Generals Bee and Bartow Killed.
Old Stone House used as a hospital.
This marker erected July 21, 1928
Manassas National Battlefield Park, located north of Manassas, Virginia, preserves the site of two major American Civil War battles: the
First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, and the
Second Battle of Bull Run which was fought between August 28 and August 30, 1862 (also known as First Manassas and Second Manassas, respectively). The peaceful Virginia countryside bore witness to clashes between the armies of the North (Union) and South (Confederacy), and it was here that Confederate
General Thomas J. Jackson acquired his nickname "Stonewall."
From the NRHP nomination form:
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Structure Number: |
STHOUS |
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LCS ID: |
000893 |
Historical Significance:
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National Register Status:
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Entered - Documented
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National Register Date:
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01/18/2006
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National Historic Landmark?: |
No
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Significance Level:
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Contributing
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Short Significance Description:
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The Manassas National Battlefield Park commemorates the two Civil War battles of Manassas. The park was listed on the National Register in
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1966. The Stone House contributes to the National Register under Criterion A, period of significance 1820-1942.
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Long Significance Description:
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The Stone House is significant under Criterion A for its association with the First and Second Battle of Manassas (July 21, 1861; August 28-30, |
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- 1862). The house was a part of the Civil War landscape and served as a field hospital during both battles of Manassas.
The early history of the Stone House has been debated. Property records indicate the house was built before 1828 by Thomas Otway Carter and sold to John Lee shortly after its completion. Other sources suggest Thomas O. Clarke built the house when he owned the property in 1848.
Based on written text and the structures ideal location, along the Warrenton Turnpike, it is believed that the Stone House functioned as a tavern and stagecoach center. Henry P. Matthews bought the house in 1850 and owned the property during the Civil War.
The Stone House was at the center of both battles at Manassas. During the First Battle of Manassas, Union forces used the structure as a field hospital. Following the Union Army’s hasty retreat from Henry Hill, Confederates discovered a doctor and 21 wounded from the 5th Massachusetts regiment still in the house being treated. The Confederates utilized the Stone House as a field hospital during the Second Battle of Manassas. After the war, the house remained standing and in good condition.
The house was sold to Mary Starbuck in 1865 and opened up as a boarding house. The house continued to cater to turnpike travelers when Henry Ayers purchased it and acquired postal services from Sudley Post Office in 1903. In the same year, Ayers made two exterior additions to the property. A one story, roofed entrance porch with post supports and gingerbreading was attached to the full length of the south elevation. On the north façade, Henry Ayers attached a partially enclosed, wood-framed, shed roof structure. By this time, a small community of businesses had developed at the Warrenton Turnpike and Sudley Road intersection. In 1922, the ornate entrance porch was removed. It was not until 1949, when the National Park Service acquired the property, that the north addition was removed and the Stone House was stabilized.
From 1960-1961, extensive research and restoration was done to bring the Stone House to its Civil War era appearance. Efforts were focused on window pane replacement, reroofing, repointing, major interior restoration, and the removal of modern additions.
The Stone House was acquired by the National Park Service in 1949. The Civil War-era structure was listed on the National Register on October 15, 1966 with a confirmation National Register form approved by the Keeper on April 14, 1981. An amended nomination was completed, and approved by the Keeper on January 18, 2006.
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Short Physical Description:
The Stone House is located on the north side of U.S. 29 (Lee Hwy) about 60 yards east of the intersection with Sudley Road. The Stone House is a four-bay, two-story, rubble coursed sandstone, side-gable structure with two interior end chimneys.
Long Physical Description
The Stone House is located on the north side of U.S. 29 (Lee Hwy) about 60 yards east of the intersection with Sudley Road. The four-bay, two-story, side-gable structure measures 24’ x 40’. It is constructed with rubble coursed sandstone with corner quoins and large lintels over the basement and first floor fenestration. The color of the sandstone walls lightens halfway up the first floor from red sandstone to light brown sandstone. It has a wood shingle roof pierced with two interior end chimneys with a single corbel band near the top.
The four-bay side-gable south elevation is regularly fenestrated and overlooks U.S. 29. The first floor is elevated above grade and has 3 windows and 1 door. The nine-over-six double-hung windows have large red sandstone lintels and projecting sills. They are located in the two western bays and in the easternmost bay. The four panel wood door with a three-light transom is located in the second bay from the east. The door has a 4 stair red sandstone staircase and a large red sandstone lintel and projecting sill. On the second floor are 4 six-over-six double-hung windows aligned above the first floor fenestration. The ridge of the roof is pierced with 2 interior end chimneys. The basement level has 2 small windows just above grade. They have vertical wood bars, large red sandstone lintels and are located towards the interior sides of the two outer bays.
The east elevation only has 2 small windows in the attic story. The six-light fixed-sash windows have light brown sandstone lintels and projecting sills. They are located on either side of the chimney stack which is flush with the exterior wall surface.
The side-gable north elevation has four-bays and a small one-story side-gable addition to the west. The first floor is elevated above grade and has 3 windows and 1 door. The nine-over-six double-hung windows have large red sandstone lintels and projecting sills. They are located in the two western bays and in the easternmost bay. The four panel wood door is located in the second bay from the east. The door has a 4 stair red sandstone staircase and a large red sandstone lintel and projecting sill. The door lintel is below the height of the window lintels. The second floor has 4 six-over-six double-hung windows aligned above the first floor fenestration. The roof is pierced with two interior end chimneys. The basement level has two small windows just above grade. They have vertical wood bars, large red sandstone lintels and are located towards the interior sides of the two outer bays.
The west elevation has a small one-story red sandstone addition that is flush with the north corner. This vestibule has a wood batten door with wrought iron hardware and a gable roof with wood siding on the gable end and wood roof shingles. There are two small windows in the attic story. The six-light fixed-sash windows have light brown sandstone lintels and projecting sills. They are located on either side of the chimney stack which is flush with the exterior wall surface. The basement level has a small window just above grade near the east corner. It has vertical wood bars and a light brown sandstone lintel.
Artillery projectiles are embedded in the exterior walls on 3 sides of the house: 2 Parrott shells are located on the west wall, 1 near the top of the chimney and the other south of the south attic window; a 12-pounder shot or shell is on the south wall just east of the front door; a Confederate Archer projectile is on the south wall below the second floor windows; and a 12-pounder shot or shell is on the east wall about 15' above the ground and just south of the chimney stack. Although the house sustained damage during the battles, these projectiles were apparently placed in the walls at a later date, probably in places where damage had occurred to the walls. According to photographic evidence, the projectiles most likely were embedded during the Ayres ownership in the early 20th century.