Salubria

Just south stands Salubria, built ca. 1757 for the Rev. John Thompson and his wife, Butler Brayne Spotswood, widow of Lt. Gov. Alexander Spotswood. Likely the work of both free and enslaved craftspeople, the Georgian manor house is one of the oldest dwellings in the county and was once the center of a large plantation. It is distinguished by its brickwork, interior paneling, and terraced gardens. The property acquired its name, meaning “healthful,” by the 1830s. Part of the Battle of Brandy Station was fought on its grounds in June 1863, and Union soldiers encamped here during the winter of 1863-64. Rear Adm. Cary T. Grayson, personal physician to Pres. Woodrow Wilson, was born here in 1878.