For real!
This is “Ellwood”, located in the middle of the area where the Battle of the Wilderness was fought. It served as headquarters at various times for both sides of the war and as a field hospital, which is where Stonewall’s arm became detached and buried. The house was built in the 1700’s and had some pretty distinguished guests over those years… early presidents and figure heads such as Lafayette, but it’s now most remembered for that arm.
We restored the home about five years ago. The outside of the home had been maintained fairly well. Volunteers keep the lawn and grounds well kept and they apply a good coat of paint on the house regularly. The Park Service spent a good amount of money installing the most bizarre maze of steel girders throughout the building’s basement to keep the house from falling in, but the interior was best described as having been the victim of a grenade assault… just a big mess.
All the funding for the interior restoration came from years of donations and we did our part in contributing as well in keeping restoration costs to a minimum. Ellwood is now open to the public… you should go see her… and Stonewall’s arm gravestone, of course.
Originally posted 2015-01-19 14:44:43.