Preservation of Marshall House Attracts Lawmakers' Attention

LEESBURG, VA — Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton, who represents Leesburg in the U.S. House of Representatives, and U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner of Virginia sent a letter to the National Park Service requesting it designate the George C. Marshall House in Leesburg as an “affiliated area.” Such a designation by the National Park Service would bring increased public interest and awareness of Dodona Manor and would produce additional funds to further assist in its preservation, the lawmakers said.

Dodona Manor, located at 217 Edwards Ferry Road in Leesburg, was home to General Marshall while he developed the Marshall Plan. He served as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense during the 1940s and early 1950s. Marshall and his wife Katherine purchased the property in 1941 and it served as their residence until he died in 1959.

“Dodona Manor has a clear historic value to our nation. To honor General Marshall’s life and legacy, it would be fitting for Dodona Manor to become an affiliated area under NPS to ensure its preservation for future generations,” Wexton, Kaine and Warner wrote in their Nov. 20 letter to the NPS.

Marshall, one of only five individuals to serve the United States as a five-star General of the Army, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953 for his leadership and contributions to the economic recovery of Europe following World War II while living in Dodona Manor.

Dodona Manor is currently registered as a National Historic Landmark by the Department of the Interior and has been designated by the Commonwealth of Virginia as a Virginia Landmark. The house is situated on 3.8 acres at the eastern end of Leesburg's Old and Historic District.

The house was named Dodona Manor before the Marshalls purchased it. The name derives from Dodona, a shrine in ancient Greece where clergy interpreted the rustling of oak leaves as messages from the gods. Due to the large number of oak trees located on and around the property, naming the house Dodona Manor seemed appropriate.

The home has been restored to museum standards with original Marshall furnishings. Dodona Manor also hosts international exchanges, historical exhibits and community events. It is also home to the George C. Marshall International Center, which was formed to preserve Dodona Manor and further the legacy of Marshall.

Dodona Manor is open for public tours on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The house will be open for tours through the end of December. It closes for tours in January and February and reopens in March.