Board of County Supervisors Authorizes Purchase of Historic Properties

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors recently allocated funding to purchase two properties in the Brentsville Magisterial District for historic preservation. This acquisition underscores the county’s commitment to preserving its rich cultural heritage.

The properties, known as the Ned Distiller House (circa 1810) at 16210 Lee Highway and the adjoining Ashe Property (circa 1800) at 16206 Lee Highway, span approximately one acre and are located within the Buckland Historic Overlay District.

The Ned Distiller House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Historic Landmark Registry, was built and owned by a freed slave named Ned Distiller and is one of the earliest examples in Virginia of a free African American owning property. The Ashe Property also contains a historically significant structure that was built around 1800 with later additions.

The purchases align with the Resilient Economy Goal in the 2021-2024 Strategic Plan to create and invest in diverse, equitable, and inclusive cultural, arts, and historic preservation initiatives that preserve and enrich the culture, history and heritage of the county. The property acquisitions also meet the Department of Parks and Recreation’s, or DPR, mission to acquire, restore and maintain historic and prehistoric sites, structures and land.

The funding allocated by the Board will go towards purchasing the two properties and then stabilizing the structures, addressing issues such as roof repair, mold remediation and tree removal. After the stabilization is finished, DPR staff will seek additional resources to conduct full restorations at both properties and work with the community to develop a master plan for future programming to highlight, preserve and interpret the historical significance of these sites.

In another action, the Board authorized the purchase of two properties bordering Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park from the American Battlefield Trust, or ABT. The properties, collectively known as Rollins Farm, are located at 10806 and 10810 Bristow Road in the Brentsville Magisterial District. Together, they total approximately 22 acres and fall within the American Battlefield Protection Program core battlefield area administered by the United States Department of the Interior. These properties are part of the battlefield areas for the Battle of Kettle Run and the Battle of Bristoe Station. The county’s Bristoe Station Battlefield Preservation Study recommends their preservation.

ABT, an organization dedicated to acquiring battlefield lands and transferring them to entities for historic and preservation purposes, will also transfer four additional properties as part of the Rollins Farm sale. These properties, totaling 152.5 acres, are located at 11059, 11009, 10821 and 10833 Bristow Road. The four additional properties will require rezoning to place them under a historic preservation and open-space easement.

Once the rezonings and transfers are finalized, county staff will consolidate all parcels with Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park. Following modest improvements, the properties will eventually open to the public for passive recreation.

The actions taken by the Board further the county’s mission to preserve, interpret and share its diverse history with residents and visitors alike.