by Leigh Goessl

Created on: February 23, 2009   Last Updated: September 11, 2009

Gunston Hall is the home of George Mason and located in the northern region of Virginia, just south of Washington DC. Mason was instrumental in helping nurture the seeds of early American government. His writing of the Virginia Declaration of Rights was a pivotal document.

When you arrive at Gunston Hall there is plenty to see and do during your visit. You can tour the mansion, the grounds, external buildings and there is also a terrific visitor's center to explore.

*Mansion

The main house's architecture is Georgian style and was constructed approximately 1755-1760. The interior design reflects the styles of the mid to late 1700s. What is amazing about Gunston Hall is that much of the original walls and flooring are still intact and in excellent condition.

On the first floor are four rooms, the parlor (formal), formal dining room, a smaller parlor which is more aligned what would be considered a "family room" in modern times. This room is where the Masons ate their meals when company was not present. Also the master bedroom is located on the first floor.

What is unique about this house is there is a hallway which entrance is located at the side of the house and leads to the outdoor facilities. Most first floor plans of homes in this era had the four rooms with only a front and rear exit, but the Mason home contained this side exit which was convenient for bringing in meals and other chore related activities not having to disturb by coming through the front door.

Gunston Hall's formal dining room deserves a special mention because of the intricate and very beautiful carvings along the molding and doorways of this room. It is very fancy and amazingly detailed. The beauty of the craftsmanship oozes through the final product, which is amazing even for modern times; in the 18th century it must have taken a painstakingly long time to create and carve the ornamental details to the perfection which is still clearly evident today.

There is a small winding staircase leading from this hallway up to the upstairs rooms which was likely used as a private entrance or for servants to get upstairs. The stairs are rather unique and the corridor is narrow. Once you reach the top and arrive at the second floor you find a wide hallway with several doorways adorning the hallways.

This central corridor is the gateway to the other bedrooms. What's unusual is that most homes of this era had second floors that mimicked the first floor, but not Gunston Hall. The layout upstairs is quite

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