Community Update

Chuck Mauro, contributor 

Jon Hickox was wondering if he’d find more Civil War relics

or grapevines when he started The Winery

at Bull Run on the border of the famous Manassas National Battlefield Park which memorializes

the First and Second Battles of Bull Run. These battles are also known as the First

and Second Battles of Manassas per the Confederate forces.

Opened in 2012, the winery is growing the prized Norton grape, first developed in Richmond in the 1830s.  

“For me, the true embodiment of any memorable experience is based on an authentic experience and one that you wouldn't expect to find anywhere else," Jon said. "This special place lives up to its authenticity by showcasing a distinctively Virginia wine ... Norton, also known as the ‘Wild Vine,’ is recognized as the first successfully grown grape vine in North America that could produce a respectable and very drinkable world-class wine. The Civil War artifacts that are found throughout the entire property serve as a constant reminder of the "hallowed ground" in which the winery occupies and reminds us all about the incredible history that took place here.”

Jon purchased 21 acres in 2008 just northeast of the Stone Bridge,

which was made famous when Union General Daniel Tyler fired the opening shot

the First Battle of Bull Run shortly after 6 a.m. on July 21, 1861. 

The shot was

a rouse to hold the Confederates at that location while Union troops marched

north to Sudley Ford in an attempt to slip in behind them on the opposite side of

Bull Run. Union Col. William Tecumseh Sherman spent the rest of the morning

scouting on the hill where Jon Hickox built his winery.  

Sherman completed scouting the location

before joining the battle, which ultimately was won by the Confederate army,

and where General Thomas Jonathan Jackson earned his famous moniker

“Stonewall.”

On Aug. 28, 1862, Confederate Maj. General A.P. Hill’s

division crossed Jon’s property while traveling west along the Warrenton

Turnpike from Centreville on their way to the Confederate army’s second victory

at Bull Run. 

The “bitten” bullets and syringe Jon dug up on the property lay

testament to the 1840s era house, Hillwood,

being converted into a hospital during the war. The Union army also retreated

in defeat after both battles across the Stone Bridge along the Warrenton

Turnpike, on the southern edge and entrance to Jon’s property.

 “I knew virtually nothing about the Civil

War history that occurred on the property although I expected there to be

something related to the battlefield with its close proximity to the Stone Bridge," Jon said. "The first huge surprise was to find out that the modern house was built

literally on top of the older stone foundation of the Civil War period house Hillwood. Once we discovered the older

stone foundation buried behind the plaster in the cellar it was clear the old

house had quite the story to tell.”

The artifacts we excavated revealed quite an amazing story revealing

the hospital site in the front yard, the artillery shells from the battle

itself, and the artifacts from encampments representing both sides with New

York buttons and Virginia buttons, he added. 

"This little 21-acre farm turned out to be an

absolute treasure trove of artifacts spanning the many years of activity that

took place during and after the Civil War," Jon said. 

Ever the history buff, Jon had the history of the property researched, written by this reporter.  A 24-page booklet was printed  to complement his

patrons’ interest in the winery. 

The history of the property extends back to

1729, when Thomas, Sixth Lord of Fairfax, for whom Fairfax County was named, granted

the property to Landon Carter who handed the property down through his family

until it was sold in 1840 and the house Hillwood

was built. Reaching out to the descendants of two previous owners, the history

covers the family farms of Thomas A. Lee from 1890 to 1936, and H. Frank Entwisle

from 1946 to 1980.

The winery was built next to the foundation of Hillwood, which burned down in 1990. The Winery at Bull Run was built to

represent two Northern Virginia farms; a small 1800s era

barn and a larger 1920s dairy barn complete with a hayloft and hay lift cable. 

The “little barn” entrance to the tasting room was built with authentic 1800s

era hand hewn beams, posts and rafters salvaged from reclaimed barns across

South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. The tasting room in the larger

“dairy barn” embodies the dairy farms so prevalent in the area in the 1920s. Relics

that Jon discovered around the property are prominently displayed.

So, the next time you visit this battlefield park, stop by

and enjoy viewing the relics on display and tasting the wine, both having emerged

from such “hallowed ground.”  More information can be found at WineryatBullRun.com.