I sent this info out in answer to one specific request, but will post what
     I wrote, since there seems to be some general interest.  I need very little
     encouragement to talk about these fascinating projects.



     Houses were Woodlawn (circa 1800), purchased by Elizabeth Sharpe (coal
     heiress from PA) in 1907, "restored" c. 1915, enlarged hyphens with modern
     conveniences and nice Colonial Revival details, main block treated much
     more carefully, grounds apparently treated in "country house" style;
     Gunston Hall (c. 1750), "restored" c. 1911 (I wrote my thesis some time
     ago!) by Louis Hertle (hardware money from Chicago), trying to keep
     downstairs rooms as close as possible to what they thought was original,
     modifying upstairs for "modern living," not adding flanking wings or
     detached flankers, which architect "knew" would have been there, treating
     grounds as "country house"; the Nelson House ( c. 1750 in Yorktown),
     "restored" by George Blow (Virginian who married Matthiesson money from
     Illinois) c. 1914, with careful research into original paint colors,
     restoration of main block, creation of gorgeous Colonial Revival gardens,
     damask curtains, oriental rugs, and high-style English antiques (the
     quintessential "Williamsburg Colonial" some years before Williamsburg),
     addition of outbuildings and land to turn town house into "country house."

     Woodlawn is still pretty much as Ms. Sharpe left it, although the last
     private owner added more Colonial Revival details.  The National Trust
     interprets is pretty much as good old Nellie Custis's house, though.
     Gunston Hall has been rerestored twice since Mr. Hertle died in the 1950s.
     The last one apparently concluded that Hertle removed more original fabric
     than originally appeared.  The Nelson House has been rerestored by the Park
     Service, taking out all the "aged" colors and replacing them with grey (!,
     but apparently the real original color based on paint analysis), taking out
     the garden, and "restoring" the colonial landscape.  I think the house is
     currently unfurnished.

     Fascinating topic and I had a wonderful time working on it.

     Marilyn








     Marilyn Harper
     National Register of Historic Places
     (which is in no way responsible for the content of this message)