The Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society will host its fall fundraiser on Sunday, Oct. 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. They will meet at Historic Rosegill on the banks of the Rappahannock River. Dr. Gordon Blaine Steffey, Historic Stratford Hall’s Arthur Lee historian, will be the guest speaker.
During the afternoon’s festivities, the museum’s annual Preservation Award will be presented to retired Col. A.B. Gravatt III in honor of his late wife, Diane Gravatt, for her hard work and diligence in the preservation of Lansdowne. They completely restored the historic residence after purchasing the house and property on Virginia Street in the heart of Urbanna in 1998. Gravatt’s commitment to the heritage of the house and its story is at the heart of why the Middlesex County Museum has a Preservation Award honoring local stewards of Middlesex history.
Built out of handmade local bricks, Lansdowne was constructed about 1740, and is a two-story, five-bay, T-shaped, dwelling in the early Georgian style. It consists of a main section measuring 52 feet by 25 feet, with a rear wing of 36 feet by 18 feet. The front facade features a tall pedimented portico projecting from the center bay. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 as one of Virginia’s finest examples of Georgian architecture due to its colonial design and quality craftsmanship.
Built by Ralph Wormeley III of Rosegill, Lansdowne was purchased and became the residence of diplomat Arthur Lee (1740-1792), the youngest son of Thomas Lee of Stratford Hall. Lee helped to negotiate and signed the 1778 Treaty of Alliance, which allied France and the United States together during the American Revolutionary War.
Lee retired to the home in 1791 and died in residence in 1792. He is buried on the property. Lansdowne was then inherited by his two older brothers, both signers of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee.
Dr. Gordon Blaine Steffey, the special guest speaker for the fundraising event, is Stratford Hall’s authority on Lee’s life and achievements and will give all present an interesting insight into his fascinating life. At Stratford Hall, Dr. Steffey is the Director of Research, Academic Programs, and the Jessie Ball DuPont Memorial Library.
The fall fundraiser and award presentation will be conducted at Historic Rosegill’s barn, located at 1824 Urbanna Road near Urbanna. Appetizers wine and beer will be served. Tickets are $35 for members and $45 for nonmembers or at the door. Tickets may be purchased online, at the museum located at 777 General Puller Highway in Saluda, Low Tide located at 260 Virginia St. in Urbanna (cash or check only), Nauti Nell’s at 16507 General Puller Highway in Deltaville, and Salon by The Bay at 10880 General Puller Highway in Hartfield.
Sponsorships are available and welcomed at the following levels:
- Platinum, $500 (includes four tickets).
- Gold, $250 (includes two tickets).
- Silver, $100 (includes one ticket).
Sponsorships can be purchased online or per phone 804-758-3663. Please contact the museum with any questions at info@middlesexmuseum.org or 804-758-3663.
