Liberia House Office

Back to Liberia Plantation today.  When William Weir built Liberia in 1825 there wasn't much else around, but he had a vision of a thriving community growing up around his new home.  To attract settlers he had postal service extended to the area, serving as postmaster himself.  He also struck a deal with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad that brought train service almost literally into his backyard, thus assuring quick transport to market for the plantation's crops and livestock.  His efforts paid off as the plantation thrived prior to the American Civil War and the community that would eventually become Manassas, VA took root and started to grow.

A man wearing so many hats needed a place to conduct business, and this hutch with fold-down writing surface might have been just the place.  It had a space for everything, and was portable enough for a quick escape from advancing Yankee troops.

See the other images in the Liberia Plantation series here.