Brawner Farmstead: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Manassas National Battlefield, National Park Service

Donaldson, Emily

The Brawner Farmstead site encompasses about 344 acres located in the NW corner of Manassas National Battlefield Park, in Prince William County, VA. The odd shape of the property boundary today is due its early 19th century definition and before the construction of the Warrenton Turnpike. The north and east boundaries of the farm trace the same property lines as the historic Douglas/Brawner tract. The farm was acquired by the NPS in 1985 from the Davis family, who bought it in 1895. The Brawner Farmstead land addressed by this inventory is composed of two tracts. The property located to the north of Rt. 29 was originally owned by George Tennille as two separate tracts of land, the northern portion of which measured 180 acres and the southern portion, 208 acres. His wife later leased the property to John Brawner during the Civil War. The Davis family owned the farm for most of the 20th century. The majority of the property was acquired fee simple by the NPS in 1985, as a tract of 312.5 acres from Annie M. Davis. The small section of the farmstead located to the south of Rt. 29 measures 29 acres, and also once formed a part of the Douglas/Brawner farm. It was owned by the Davis family and later by Hazel/Peterson Companies et al., who planned to develop the land into a mixed-use development. In 1988 the NPS acquired this tract, known as the Stuart’s Hill Tract, through a legislative taking. The Brawner Farmstead property is significant for its involvement in the Second Battle of Manassas. It was here that fighting broke out on August 28, 1862, between Major General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s wing of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and soldiers from Brigadier General Rufus King’s division of the Third Corps of the Union Army of Virginia. The antebellum farmstead known as Bachelor’s Hall anchored the right of the Confederate line that evening, and the conflict continued to rage on the property over the next two days. The period of significance for the Brawner Farmstead encompasses both the Civil War, 1861 to 1865, and the agricultural development of the area, from 1800 to 1905. The site also meets Criterion A for its significance to broad patterns of history, relating primarily to the Civil War, but also to the settlement and agricultural development of the surrounding area. In addition, it is significant under Criterion B for its association with the well-known Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, and Criterion D for its ability to yield important archeological information about the battle and the character of the Douglas/Brawner Farmstead. Today, the Brawner Farmstead retains a high level of integrity to its historic period of significance, and still consists partially of cleared farmland that is actively cultivated. In the SE corner, the size of Brawner Woods is near double what it was during the 1860s, as 20th century forest growth has extended north of the historic woods. As a result of a 2008 landscape rehabilitation project, a large swath of land in the NE corner of the property was cleared to restore the same historic open vista to the east. As a result, lands belonging to the old William H. or Lucinda Dogan Farm (Peach Grove) can now be seen across the rolling fields, while a portion of the Deep Cut battlefield can be had through the trees, providing the visitor with one of the most pivotal vistas of the Second Battle of Manassas. The house is the primary building on the property, and stands partially in the same location once occupied by the historic home that existed during the Civil War. The present structure was completed by 1905, and contributes to the historic character of the Brawner Farmstead.

Brawner Farmstead: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Manassas National Battlefield, National Park Service

Series

Collections