Posts Tagged ‘Middleburg’
Adventures Over the Hump: In Search of a Getaway
Posted by Matt Basheda / Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
I tried to time travel last Friday.
Not in a time machine, but in my goal — I was on a mission to gather photos and ideas for our magazine’s May Getaway column. My destination? The State Arboretum of Virginia, a haven for May flowers that I knew would make for an excellent springtime roadtrip. The problem? It’s January.
The temperature hovered around 28 degrees when I packed my camera and headed down Route 50. I had a few potential stops in mind, but the column was largely still in the idea phase; I remained unsure if I could turn my concept into a predetermined roadtrip for our print readers.
Find this if you can.
I live in Loudoun, so that Fairfax traffic was fortunately nowhere to be found, even at the beginning of my journey.
My first stop was The British Pantry in Aldie. It’s Loudoun’s most authentic slice of England. If you don’t have enough quid for a trip across the Atlantic, stop at the British Pantry’s tea room for genuine afternoon tea, or take a couple of close-up shots in their real-life red telephone booth, and make your friends guess where the heck you are.
The problem with wintertime roadtrips, especially when photographs are the goal, is that daylight evaporates quickly. To compound the issue, thick cloud cover and the threat of snow hung over my head like a soggy scarf. Since my ultimate destination was still 50 minutes away, I sped off toward my goal.
Route 50′s obnoxious, jam-ridden journey heading east past Route 28 clashes delicately with a westbound ride through Loudoun, Fauquier and Clarke counties. It might be Northern Virginia’s most beautiful roadway.
The Virginia State Arboretum in winter.
I traveled through apparently English countryside. Distinguished estates meshed with verdant hills, frigid brooks and crisp outcroppings. One need not pore through illustrations and books to picture colonial Virginia. The drive between Middleburg and Upperville is the real thing.
Then past Upperville, the scenery opened up. Still, cold ponds sat at the foot of mountains like a tiled floor. Cabins churned out smoke in solitude. This was not the suburban conglomeration I knew, or thought I knew, Northern Virginia to be.
I finally reached the arboretum. What can I say? It was beautiful, but cold. All attempts to capture something that remotely resembled springtime scenery proved fruitless. I took the hint when, with my camera on autopilot, the flash came on in the middle of a trail. Even at 2 in the afternoon, adequate light was fading. After a freezing 45 minutes, I headed back east to try to get a couple last-minute stops.
Guess where?
The drive back was faster, but the ideas were flowing. By trip’s end, I had a page of potential Getaway stops, from which I must choose six. I even found a couple of hidden gems I didn’t know existed.
So what made the cut? You’ll just have to read our May issue to find out. But in the meantime, why not create your own list of Route 50 must-sees this weekend and make a custom getaway to call your very own?
Even in the winter, you won’t regret it.
–Matt Basheda
Celebrate the Harvest This Week in Middleburg
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, September 9th, 2011
(Image Andrimka/Shutterstock)
Whenever summer ends, I always feel a little blue. But one of the reasons I look forward to fall is all the festivals and events that begin celebrating the best part of the season- the food.
Starting today and continuing through the 18th Celebrate the Harvest Week is back in Middleburg, VA and it’s your chance to sample the region’s best food and wine!
The restaurants of Middleburg, Virginia, in the heart of Hunt Country, will recognize the year’s bountiful harvest by offering special dishes on their menus featuring fresh and local produce, meats, cheeses, wines and other edibles. Celebrate the Harvest Week aims to bring together local farmers, vintners and food artisans with the town’s restaurateurs, who are excited to showcase locally produced goods. The campaign is part of an ongoing cooperative effort to promote local, fresh and seasonal foods.
“Celebrate the Harvest Week is a great way to support local restaurants and purveyors,” said Marny Birkitt, co-owner of The French Hound Restaurant and an organizer of the event. “This event will give patrons an opportunity to experience the wonderful food and wine that Virginia’s Piedmont region has to offer.”
Marny also said that this year, at the French Hound, they will be featuring a lot of fresh, local herbs within their dishes that will pair perfectly with haricots verts and roasted half-chicken from Ayrshire Farms, located right down the street. The Farm is a certified organic farm, specializing in rare and endangered breeds of livestock and heirloom fruits and vegetables. Their
Got a sweet tooth? Don’t forget dessert! Be sure to finish off your evening with a visit to The Upper Crust bakery, located on North Pendleton Street. They will be featuring their apple, walnut and caramel spice cake with locally grown Virginia apples- I’m assured it’s a true crowd-pleaser.
Here is a complete list of participating restaurants- call today to make your reservations!
Backstreet Cafe – 540.687.3122
Dank’s Deli – 540.687.3456
The Fox Den Tavern – 540.687.4165
The French Hound - 540.687.3018
Home Farm - 540.687.8882
Julien’s Restaurant -540.687.3123
Market Salamander - 540.687.8011
Mello Out - 540.687.8635
The Red Fox Inn - 540.687.6301
The Red Horse Tavern – 540.687.6443
Teddy’s Pizza & Subs – 540.687.8880
The Upper Crust – 540.687.5666
Also, during Celebrate the Harvest week, be on the lookout for Middleburg’s first Celebration Saturday event. Starting September 17, the town of Middleburg will come alive the third Saturday of each month through December. Celebration Saturdays will feature local musicians and artists as well as unique shopping and dining. Many shops and galleries in town will stay open until 7 p.m. during this special event series.
Celebrate the Harvest Week and Celebration Saturdays are hosted by Middleburg businesses and sponsored by the Middleburg Business and Professional Association. Visit www.townofmiddleburg.org today for more information!!
– Jennie Whistler
Posted by Warren Rojas / Saturday, August 6th, 2011
August is historically the steamiest, stickiest, sweatiest month of the year–brilliant move, Founding Fathers, building the nation’s capital on a swamp–in these parts. We’ve tracked down 31 frozen treats (one a day for the rest of this month) to provide you with some temporary, and often insanely delicious, relief.
The place: Red Fox Creamery – 130 N. Cameron St., Winchester; 540-545-8630; www.facebook.com/Redfoxcreamery
The prescription: Honey-Walnut scoop. Middleburg’s loss–founders Brian and Kathy Lewis actually began cranking out their homemade ice cream over a decade ago in Middleburg; it’s still carried by certain area retailers–turned out to be Funchester’s crazy sweet gain. For it is they, our neighbors to the northwest, who now get first dibs on the Lewis’ intensely flavored frozen treats, including: after dinner mint chip, vanilla malt-chocolate chip, mocha-toffee crunch (javariffic), cookies and cream, french vanilla-capuccino, cinnamon-oatmeal cookie (zesty cinammon and crunchy oatmeal crumbs were muy simpatico) and key lime pie. But the most mind blowing of the bunch we tried had to be the honey-walnut. This one goes, well, totally nuts, littering dulcet, honey-laced ice cream with huge, honking whole walnuts.
The modest shop appears to be a must stop for everyone from tow-headed tots to snowy-browed retirees traveling along the bustling pedestrian mall .”I do believe this is the third time I’ve seen you today,” the scoop girl remarked to one particularly circuitous regular. If we lived closer, confidence is high we’d be in the same rotation.
–Warren
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Keep tabs on the month long Freeze Jag trek here.
A Hop, Skip and a Jump to Middleburg
Posted by Rebekah Lowe / Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
You know that feeling where it’s Saturday and you are really antsy to get away and do something out of the ordinary, but you also don’t want to put tons of effort into planning a trip? This was exactly how I felt this past weekend.
As much as I love YouTubing funny home-videos-gone-viral (“Ouch, Charlie!”), watching hours of quirky Paula Deen reruns on Food Network (“So Good!”) and sweating by the pool (excuse to get a Dunkin’ Donuts iced latte), I didn’t want it to be another typical Saturday. It will only stay summer for so long, you know; it’ll be hot chocolate and Redbox season before we know it!
To make the most of the sunny Saturday, Steve and I took off for horse country USA: Middleburg. It only took us half an hour to get there from Herndon! This is the second time I’ve ventured out to Middleburg, and the first time was actually to go to a social media panel for work. I discovered a few must-go-to places the first time, and this weekend, we found a few more unique things to do.
Here’s a quick run-down of the hot spots you’ll want to hit next time you are out that way:
Wylie Wagg
5B East Washington St., Middleburg
540-687-8727
We were making our way through town, stopping in antique stores and such when we came across this window display at the pet store, Wylie Wagg. We decided to go in and look around even though neither of us have pets. Wylie Wagg features a photo wall of pets that need to be adopted: good to keep in mind for the future. I was most amazed at all the dog treats Wylie Wagg offers. There were oatmeal cupcakes, black & white bone cookies, doughnuts, happy birthday bones that come with a candle and more!
Wylie Wagg
Home Farm Store (Photo by Steve Stratton)
Home Farm Store
1 East Washington St., Middleburg
540-687-8882
We strolled into this traditional butcher shop because it’s Steve’s favorite building in Middleburg. (It does have really nice architecture; it used to be a bank.) The Home Farm Store is Ayrshire Farm’s retail shop, and it offers USDA certified organic, certified humanely raised and handled, pasture-based meat and poultry. It also sells gourmet wine and cheese, prepared foods in compostable take-out containers and organic produce.
Second Chapter Books
8 East Federal St., Middleburg
540-687-7016
We were on our way to grab dinner at Mello Out when we stumbled upon this little house with a sign that said “Second Chapter Books.” Being “an English person” as Steve calls my obsession with literature, we of course had to stop in. He grabbed a cup of coffee from the snack bar and settled into a comfy chair to read a book on building tree houses, while I perused the classics. This book store has a quiet, cozy atmosphere and I could have stayed there for hours, but Mello Out was about to close, so we had to run (literally).
Second Chapter Books
Second Chapter Books
Mello Out
19 S Madison St., Middleburg
540-687-8635
Mello Out
We got to Mello Out with a minute and a half to spare and they were nice enough to let us in. I knew exactly what I wanted: the Flying Pig. Now, let me tell you a little bit about the Flying Pig, a.k.a. the best sandwich I have EVER had, and I mean that! It has black forest ham and cheddar cheese and apple butter, all on walnut raisin bread. It’s like nothing I’ve ever tasted before. Steve got the Plescow, which has turkey, cheddar cheese and cranberry mayo on rustic French bread. There was something very comforting about the taste and smell of that sandwich and the little cranberries scattered throughout gave it great texture. Mello Out also serves awesome breakfast paninis and wraps such as the Adam’s Apple (apple, peanut butter, bacon and honey on brioche). They also have lots of freshly baked goods like the biggest cookies I think I’ve ever seen in my life and mini s’more pies. They make their own marshmallows in lots of different flavors and dip them in different kinds of chocolate. Mello Out makes great coffee too. Last time I was there I had an iced mello mocha, and it was super delish.
Walnut Raisin Bread
The Flying Pig
The Plescow
Homemade 'Mellos'
The Upper Crust
4 N. Pendleton St., Middleburg
540-687-5666
We didn’t make it to Upper Crust, but the nice ladies in Second Chapter Books told us how wonderful it is, and I know they wouldn’t steer us wrong. Upper Crust is cute, with a little front porch and baked sweets galore. There are a few tables out back where you can sit and savor a chicken salad sandwich on homemade bread, the Oreo Cookie (two chocolate chip cookies with vanilla butter-cream frosting between them) , the shortbread cookie with chocolate chips or the crispy Cow Puddle Cookie (now, this I want to try).
The Fun Shop
115 West Washington St., Middleburg
540-687-6590
The ladies at Second Chapter Books also told us about The Fun Shop, a family business that’s been around since 1956! The specialty department store is 6,000 square feet of children’s products, gifts, home décor, and so much more! With three buildings, two levels and every type of product you could imagine, there is much to be explored. I like their slogan—“If we don’t have it, you don’t need it!” It’s so true.
Balloons Unlimited
23217 Meetinghouse Lane, Aldie
703-327-0444
On our way back to Herndon, we spotted this hot air balloon ride place right off Route 50 in the little town of Aldie. You can schedule a hot air balloon ride any time of year and even buy gift certificates (a ride costs $200/person)! Soar high above the beautiful mountains in the fresh country air. In addition to hot air balloon rides, Balloons Unlimited also specializes in balloon bouquets, balloon decorating services, aerial photography and inflatable balloon and blimp rentals.
Doc’s BBQ
Aldie Country Store, 39285 John Mosby Hwy. (Route 50), Aldie
703-327-6347
We also saw (and smelled) this roadside pit in Aldie on our way home. We saw a guy (Doc maybe?) out front working a giant grill with a big sign next to it that said, “BBQ TODAY”. If we weren’t so full of awesome sandwich, we may have stopped. Next time. Doc’s is a little takeout area in the back of the rustic Aldie Country Store. Doc’s has $8/pound pulled pork with a spicy tomato-based sauce and $18/slab glazed ribs. It definitely looks like an authentic country store that would be interesting to swing by next time.
So, if you want to get out and about before the cool weather sets in, take a quick trip to Middleburg and explore the adorable town. AND… this weekend is the perfect time to go because it’s Middleburg’s 5th Annual Upscale Side Walk Sale! From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, you can peruse the streets of Middleburg and find some great bargains! Stores participating will have orange and red balloons out front.
-Rebekah Lowe
Posted by ryan / Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
Barrel Oak Winery of Delaplane plans to open an art gallery in Middleburg on May 21. To be more specific, it’s located next to the Red Fox Inn at 8 East Washington St.
According to the proprietor Brian Roeder, expectations should be high. “Our main winery is known as a place with great wine that’s wrapped in a great experience,” he said. “There are no judgments about your wine knowledge, we just want to help you to discover. Middleburg won’t be any different.”
The size won’t be the same though. Capacity crowds may not even reach thirty people, while Delaplane can accommodate almost five hundred. They also plan on playing smooth jazz through the speakers, and the staff will be wearing uniforms.
Visitors of the gallery can try up to seven wines in elegant glassware for $8, but the first two are on the house. Barrel Oak is sharing the spotlight with Rappahannock Cellars and the Phillip Carter Winery.
Accompanying appetizers include savory meats, gourmet cheeses, and fresh bread that are locally sourced from farms like Ayrshire.
The scenic works of artist Armand Cabrera will be on display for the foreseeable future.
He’s expected to be present for demonstrations, and some of his prints are going to be available for purchase. The former LucasArts game designer has successfully established himself as a bona fide artist. His ability to paint quickly but efficiently will be on full display.
“We’re really excited about it,” Roeder said. “We’ll be welcoming kids and dogs just like we always do in Delaplane.”
The official opening falls on a Saturday afternoon.
For more information call (540)-364-6402.
-Ryan Robertson
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
(Image: Missouri Wine Country)
The Norton grape is truly Virginia’s grape. It was first introduced in 1820 by Dr. Daniel Norborne Norton in Richmond, Virginia. Around 1830, the Norton grape was introduced commercially and soon started to dominate wine production. This deep blue-purple grape was well known before prohibition and was even hailed as producing “the best red wine of all nations” at a worldwide competition in Vienna around 1873.
During prohibition, many vineyards were torn up and concord grapes were planted and used to make grapes for jellies and jams. Rebuilding vineyards on the east coast after prohibition was a slow process and many plants were lost.
Health-wise, the Norton grape is at the top. It has a high content of anthocyanins which gives it more significant antioxidant and antimicrobial properties than other grapes. Between the taste, the history, and the health factor, Norton wines have increasingly become highly valued.
The crystal wine glass company Riedel even introduced a special glass for Norton Wines in 2009.
(Image: Good Life Eats)
Today, Chrysalis Vineyards in Middleburg has 69 acres of the Norton Grape which is the largest planting of Norton in the world. My favorite wine at Chrysalis is Sarah’s Patio Red which contains 100% Norton grapes.
(Image: My Vine Spot)
This weekend, the 10th Annual Norton Wines & Bluegrass Festival will take place on October 3rd & 4th. The festival will be held at Chrysalis Vineyards in Middleburg and will be from 10am-6pm each day. At the festival, you can enjoy bluegrass music, take a vineyard tour, and taste Sarah’s Patio Red so you can see what all the fuss is about. Once you get a taste of the Norton grape, it will be hard to find another to compare.
23876 Champe Ford Road
Middleburg, VA 20117
540-687-8222
-Liz Stevenson
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, December 24th, 2009
(Image: Carol Joynt)
Coach Stop proprietor Mike Tate wants everyone to know he’s cherished his two-decade run as a Hunt Country haunt.But barring any 11th hour offers, he estimated that the homey restaurant will likely close for good on January 3, 2010.
In an open letter to their loyal patrons, Mike and brother/co-owner Mark Tate confided that, “Simply put, it is time.”
Mike provided some added insight into the career-ending call via email, noting that, “Our lease has come up for renewal and while negotiating a new lease, it became clear that we had had enough long hours and felt it best if we retired from the restaurant business and explored other opportunities.”
And while discussions with parties interested in acquiring the historic space–the original restaurant was founded in 1958–remain ongoing, Mike suggested that “it is unlikely that it will be The Coach Stop, as we control the name.”
The surprise shuttering has sparked an outpouring of support from long-time fans, some of whom have taken it upon themselves to organize a farewell fete on Wednesday, December 30–an event that currently boasts 20 confirmed revelers, another two dozen maybes and over 120 uncommitted invitees.
Of course, not everyone may feel like partying.
“It just isn’t right for the Coach Stop to close,” farewell dinner attendee Amanda von Argyriadis bemoaned on Facebook. “The experience will be very much missed. As will the raspberry pie.”
–Warren
Ashby Inn Welcomes New Hospitality Team
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
The next chapter in the storied history of Paris’ Ashby Inn is set to be written by chef Tarver King and co-managing partner Neal Wavra–a dynamic duo of fine dining who last turned heads during their (brief) tenure at the neighboring Goodstone Inn.
After parting ways with the Goodstone last summer, Wavra said he quietly resolved to pursue his own farm-to-table dining venture (“The next step for me will be my own place,” he said of his dare-to-fly-solo mindset).
The entrepreneurial bug led him to begin scouting local farms–which, in a very roundabout way, culminated in a surprise introduction to Ashby Inn owners Chuck and Jackie Leopold.
When all was said and done, Neal and his wife, Star, had carved out a partnership deal for themselves. And journeyman chefs King (executive) and Nathan Shapiro (sous) found themselves working together once more.
Although he’s now officially an “innkeeper,” Wavra said he’s very much looking forward to revamping the Ashby’s wine and beverage program (think: visiting winemaker dinners and more local pours) and mixing things up in the kitchen with King.
“I’m working every day in the restaurant,” Wavra said of his hands-on management style.
King said he is pleased to be back behind the burners, but stressed that he’s still formulating a plan that melds Ashby’s longstanding traditions with his passion for progressive cuisine.
“A lot of that is definitely on hold,” he said when pressed about resurrecting the elaborate foams and eyebrow-raising proteins (self-cooking steak, anyone?) that obliged people to hike out to Middleburg.
In the meantime, King says he’ll delve even deeper into locally-sourced everything–”It’s not just bright points. We are seeking to do the whole menu locally,” Wavra stated–floating plans for potential farm-to-fork dinners showcasing specific producers or a grand scale “meat-the-farmers” tasting featuring a variety of agricultural artisans and their wholesome wares.
“We’re going to have a LOT of farmer dinners,” he predicted.
Till then, King plans to busy himself by fine-tuning his a la carte selections–latest offerings include: rabbit stew with cider and chestnuts, roast pork with kale and sherry vinegar, and scallop dumplings with tomato confit and fennel–and tinkering with some tasting menu options (he’s currently considering a “spontaneous tasting menu” for adventurous guests as well as a traditional degustation format).
But don’t expect any sweeping changes before January.
–Warren
Haute Vintage Everyday and Holiday Dressing
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, October 30th, 2009
(Timmie Jane, timmiejane.com)
Good morning, shoppers! And Happy Friday! Wow, I have a really special treat for you today! As you know if you’ve already read our November SHOP column, a few months back, I had the pleasure of not only discussing vintage fashions with Elinor Coleman of Vintage Mirage in Alexandria but also with Nichole Stephenson of Middleburg’s Timmie Jane.
Thanks to Nichole, below, I present you with the opportunity to learn about Timmie Jane’s unique offerings, the many benefits of buying vintage in general, putting together traffic-stopping vintage looks for the holidays and much more!
Biggest Benefits of Buying Vintage:
“Firstly, vintage tends to be less expensive that buying something new. Secondly, clothing was ‘crafted’ back in the day as opposed to ‘made.’ Many of the vintage dresses in my shop were custom made and, thus, you are buying a wonderfully constructed, hand tailored, one-of-a-kind design. Lastly, buying vintage has little impact on the environment, and thus your carbon footprint. It does not have to be flown over from overseas or dyed using toxic chemicals or fabricated by unfair standards. And not all new clothing is managed this way, but you can feel good knowing you are recycling in the form of a beautiful vintage piece.”
What Led Stephenson to Open Her Own Store:
“I used to run a women’s clothing line based out of New York and would travel to India at least three times a year to design the upcoming collection. I would always draw inspiration from vintage pieces and patterns. I have always worn vintage and have been collecting pieces for as long as I can remember. It seemed like a natural progression of things that I would go into business doing something I absolutely love. Not to mention the green aspect of it. “
Timmie Jane’s Specialty:
“I would say the dresses, both day/casual as well as cocktail/evening. That is really my favorite thing to purchase for the store. I love to dress up, whether it be for a fancy party or dinner with a friend. Dresses make it oh-so-easy to go from day to night in a pinch, not to mention it’s fun to feel flirty and girly.”
Favorite Vintage Piece Stephenson Ever Sold:
“I have two actually: The first was a beautiful 1930s pale sky-blue brocade floor-length ball gown with hand beading. The dress probably weighed 30 pounds on the hanger and was absolutely stunning. The girl who bought it literally lit up when she tried it on and began twirling around the room. She came back three or four times to try it on before buying it and every time fell a little bit more in love with it. That was really special. The second was a multi-colored knee-length patchwork rabbit fur coat from the 70s with an oversized drapey hood. That was really a beautiful piece. It was tearing a little at the neck and the woman who purchased it really loved vintage and understood that sometimes if a piece is a bit worn, it does not mean that it is damaged and thus unwearable. She had it fixed and now gets complimented on it constantly.”
Vintage Items She Suggests Seeking Out This Holiday Season:
“I am always a fan of having at least one standout item on your person at all times. Buying a new dress is always my first recommendation. Firstly, you will be certain to have a conversation piece at a party in a vintage dress. So many of my customers say that when they wear vintage, they are always getting questioned and complimented on their choice of outfit. Surely no one else will be donning your duds. Secondly, a new dress always makes you feel confident and beautiful, but a vintage purse or shoe will have a similar effect.”
Her Tips on Mixing Contemporary and Vintage Looks:
“Mixing old with new is surely the way to go. Try to juxtapose the two and stay away from being matchy matchy. For instance, if you wear a 1940s bias-cut fishtail gown, update it with some open-toed strappy heels and a modern color-block patent leather clutch. Or pair your favorite skinny/boot cut jean — if you’re feeling daring, try an acid wash which is oh-so-in right now — with a graphic early 70s secretary blouse and faux fur vest and boots. Throwing a bit of an edge on romanticism, a bit of modern with antiquity lends a sense of uniqueness to your personal style. Be sensibly bold with what you choose to wear and carry it off with an attitude of assurance, and you will always look stylish and, more importantly, feel great!”
Other Important Vintage Buying Tips to Keep in Mind:
“Belts are always a ‘cincher’ to any outfit. Whether worn in the traditional sense, around the waist, or in a more updated way such as around the wrist as a bracelet or horizontally around a purse or clutch, they really add a new dimension to your outfit. Scarves work in much the same manner, donating a pop of color to a black dress or livening up a drab brown handbag. They are so versatile. Never underestimate the power of a punch of color.” And, finally, Stephenson suggests, “Have a blast with wearing vintage. Getting dressed in the morning should be fun and playful, not a chore. With vintage, you are able to pull from a past era, a time when dressing up was an everyday event. Channel your inner lady and make it your own.“
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, April 23rd, 2009
There’s no tethering the National Sporting Library’s stacks of equestrian tomes
By Larry Tritten / Photography by Sonya Weaver
My most salient memory of the National Sporting Library in Middleburg is of the bronze sculpture of a war-weary Civil War horse in the library’s courtyard. This is not the customary type of equestrian statue, with the horse depicted as powerful and imposing. It purposely shows an animal that is exhausted, half-starved and standing with a back hoof bent, and honors the 1,500,000 horses and mules that lost their lives in the Civil War. The sculpture, by Tessa Pullan, is based on a painting she saw of a horse in a snowstorm, which is no doubt why the sculpture struck a subliminal nerve of memory the moment I saw it.
I grew up in a mom-and-pop tavern in the backwoods of Northern Idaho. In those days there was a local painter, Joe Breckenridge, who was a sort of cross between Frederic Remington and Cezanne, and my dad paid him to paint Western scenery on our walls. Watching him work, I was reminded of the brush in Disney movies that would throw paint on a canvas for a fully formed scene to spontaneously appear. Using a brush, or even an old sock, Joe would make the scenery magically materialize in moments. But he did take a little more time and care in painting on one of the booth tables, at my request, a packhorse in a snowstorm, a horse that looked as worn down as Pullan’s Civil War horse.
The plaque under the sculpture reads: “In memory of the one and one half million horses and mules of the Confederate and Union armies that were killed, were wounded or died from disease in the Civil War. Many perished within 20 miles of Middleburg in the Battles of Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville in June of 1863.”
There is a second copy of the three-quarter-sized sculpture at the US Cavalry Museum in Fort Riley, Kan., both commissioned by Paul Mellon, and a third copy was made to be placed at the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond. The story of the detailed research and artistry involved in the creation of these horses deserves a separate article; in any case, the memorial at the National Sporting Library is an apt introduction to a library that houses more than 15,000 volumes on horse and field sports, one of the largest collections of equestrian material in the world.
On the roof, above the three gables of the stone and wood building that resembles an English country inn, there sits a weather vane with a figure, not of a rooster, but of a stylized horse in profile with flowing mane and tail. If there’s something to know about horses or turf and field sports, it’s almost certainly searchable in the library’s collection of 13,000 books, periodicals, photographs, films and manuscripts. Paintings and sculptures by famous sporting artists set an appropriate ambience for the 15,000-square-foot building.
The library was founded in 1954 by George L. Ohrstrom Sr., president of the Orange County Hunt, and Alexander Mackay-Smith MFH, editor of The Chronicle of the Horse. Ohrstrom passed away in 1955, but his son, George L. Ohrstrom Jr., has been the library’s guiding force and chairman of its board for nearly half a century.
There is a daunting amount of material in the library’s seven distinct collections: Horsemanship, Steeplechase, Thoroughbred, Shooting, Foxhunting, Sporting Art and Angling.
Those who come to the library to pursue piscatorial interests are certainly outnumbered by those interested in the quadrupeds, but the Angling Collection is not to be taken lightly. Its treasures include a copy of Richard Tracey’s “Vox Piscis” (1627) and several first editions of Izaak Walton’s “The Compleat Angler” (1653), which is the third most frequently reprinted book in the English language after the Bible and the works of Shakespeare. The books range from historical texts on fly-fishing to numerous volumes representing the proliferation of fishing literature that began to appear in the early 20th century.
The books and magazines in which horses figure are so many and varied that giving an adequate summary is an impossible task.
From archaic texts to the illustrated volumes on the art shelves, the library’s collection constitutes a mother lode of information and is irresistible to researchers.
The Steeplechase Collection includes American serials, books and racing calendars dating from the 18th century to today and materials that chronicle the history of the sport in the United States since its beginning in 1824.
The Horsemanship Collection has books ranging from editions of Antoine de Pluvinel’s “L’Instruction du Roy en L’Exercise de Monter a Cheval” (1623) and the Duke of Newcastle’s “Methode et Invention Nouvelle de Dresser Les Chvaux” (1657) to hundreds of years of books on every detailed aspect of dressage and jumping disciplines, Western and saddle horse riding, endurance, vaulting and therapeutic riding.
In the Foxhunting Collection, where most of the books have red bindings in deference to the color of the coats of the huntsmen, the history of the sport, especially in the United States, is chronicled by both nonfiction and fiction books as well as magazines, letters and original manuscripts. Among the latter is a manuscript by Theodore Roosevelt, titled “Foxhunting on Long Island.”
In the library’s Thoroughbred Collection, the sport’s history from its beginnings in England and Ireland to its evolution in America is chronicled in more than 500 historical and contemporary books on racing, training, handicapping, pedigree references, race charts and biographies of horses, owners and jockeys.
Hunting all over the world is the subject of the materials in the Shooting Collection. Contemporary shooting books abound in the collection, which also has a separate section for books about big-game hunting in India and Africa and contains such rare items as a copy of the privately printed “Ten Days on the Plains” by Gen. Henry Eugene Davies, an account of an expedition made in 1871 by Gen. Philip Sheridan and some of the country’s richest businessmen, led by Buffalo Bill Cody.
Finally, the Sporting Art Collection is highlighted by books about British and American sporting art from the 18th century to today, with horses keeping a high profile in titles like Sally Mitchell’s “The Dictionary of British Equestrian Artists” (1985) and “Portraits of the Winning Horses of the Great St. Leger Stakes” (1824).
This summary only scratches the surface, as the collection is constantly expanding. Some recent acquisitions have been an early 17th-century Italian manuscript on horsemanship by Valerio Piccardini and several rare 16th- and 17th-century equestrian books from the estate of Capt. Vladimir Littauer. Chances are that if there is a proverbial horse of a different color, it can be found here.
(April 2009)
