Nellysford
Stoney Creek
Nelson County, Virginia
With snow capped mountains all around, the mood was perfect for the 2009 Wintergreen Performing Arts’ Christmas House Tour on Sunday afternoon. Three different homes were beautifully decorated for the Christmas season. Proceeds from the event support WPA.
The Rose home was built in 1995, and a sunroom was added in 2001. The sunroom is where the England’s Dickens Village is on display. This grand collection began innocently in 1986 with the gift of one building at Christmas. The following year, on a ski trip to New Hampshire, Annie Mae and Bobby Rose saw a train station which had special meaning to them, but it cost $25. Deciding to purchase it after Christmas, they learned that it had been retired and the price now was $110. This market incentive drew Bobby’s interest and thus the collection began.
An old-world, Bordeaux-inspired design by architect William Poole, the Macik home was built by general contractor Steve Macik in 2005.
Additionally at the Macik home, people on the tour saw hand-turned pens, bird houses, note cards featuring Nelson County and Nelson County birds, handmade pillows, aprons, cover ups and jumpers crafted from antique fabric, monogrammed polo shirts and gift items, lavender gift items, hand-knit scarves, The Birds of Wintergreen (autographed by the author), unique folk art, curios and fine crafts, silver jewelry, wickless scented warmers, Bare Foot Books for children, hand-knit clothes for18-inch dolls or bears and beautiful Christmas wreaths, all on sale to benefit WPA.
Located at the foot of Crawford Knob in the Stoney Creek community at Wintergreen is the Crawford House. The Crawford family, one of the most distinguished families in the Rockfish Valley, had extensive land-holding in the 1700’s. The house is believed to have been built during that time, though it has not been substantiated to be the birthplace or even the residence of young William H. Crawford, who became a U.S. Presidential candidate in 1824 against John Quincy Adams and was narrowly defeated by him.
When the Simpson’s purchased the property in the late 1990’s, the house was uninhabitable and the surrounding land neglected and overgrown. They began extensive renovations in 2001 to the Georgian style brick two over two original house. Today it is a showplace!
Next Weekend on December 13th, A Blue Ridge Christmas – The Virginia Consort will perform at Rockfish Presbyterian Church just north of Nellysford on Route 151. The event is so popular is is already sold out according to WPA’s website.
You can learn more about Wintergreen Performing Arts and their upcoming 2010 season by heading on over to their website by clicking here.
