WINCHESTER VA RENTALS BY FT. LOUDOUN PROPERTIES LLC

FORT LOUDOUN

Fort Loudoun apartments started as a girls school about 1800 , built on the foundation of Fort Loudoun, the 1700s fort built by George Washington.
It was the master fort for 20 forts to guard the frontier during the French and Indian war. It was made of mortar and hewn timbers and held 450 men. The cannon were taken off at the time of the Revolution.
The main road was tunneled through the fort. Later the fort served a variety of purposes. In 1900 the buildings were converted into a ladies’ seminary by Kate Glass Green.
The Fort Loudon Seminary for Ladies of Gentle Birth, where the young ladies learned to say “hahhnd,” not hand. In 1954 my grandfather, Irvan O’connell bought the building and turned it around so the parking area would not be wasted.
He began to convert it into an apartment complex.

BARKMILL

Around 1875 Barkmill was built, the corner building on Wolfe st and Braddock. The 26 Wolfe st bulding is the oldest of the Barkmill buildings. We know this building to be pre civil war because of the stone work on the exterior of the building. German Smith bought the collection of buildings on Wolfe Street and made there a concoction for tanning leather. He used to grind up the bark from the chestnut oak. We found his milling equipment in the cellar. In the days of harness for horses, tanning leather was a big business. German Smith’s manager there earned $72.00 a month. He was the highest paid manager in Winchester. That is the origin of the name of Barkmill.

HARMONY HALL

Harmony Hall was built in 1753 by George Bowman.
It took 5 years to build it. George Bowman had 6 sons.
The sons scrapped so with each other that the name Harmony Hall was given in satire.
In 1778, in the year 2 of the independence of the United States, George Rogers Clark began at Harmony Hall the expedition that seized what became the future states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.
This was to be known as the George Rogers Clark expedition. The O'Connells love of history and Harmony Hall inspired the gift of this 100 acre estate to the National Registry.
For the eternal preservation, in museum status.