Clover Hill: The Honeymoon is Over

Located near Culpeper, Virginia, I only recently learned of Clover Hill's existence. It has an interesting and rich history, but is destined to meet a very sad fate.

Reportedly built in 1775, Clover Hill was built in the Gothic style long before it was popular. It was home to James Barbour (1828 - 1895), who was a lawyer, planter, Virginia delegate to the 1860 Democratic National Convention, delegate for the 1861 Virginia secession convention, and a major in the Confederate Army under General Richard S. Ewell. His father, John, served in the War of 1812 as aide-de-camp to future president James Madison.

Needless to say, there's a lot of history in this home and the people who lived there. However, Clover Hill wasn't done witnessing history.

After the battle of Brandy Station in June 1863, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Hampton (brother of Lieutenant General Wade Hampton) of the 2nd South Carolina Cavalry died in the front-right first-floor room of the house.



 

Wade Hampton

Frank Hampton

 

 

While this is certainly notable and significant in the home's history, it is trumped less than a year later, in February 1864, by another historic event in the home.

George Armstrong Custer (of Little Big Horn fame) honeymooned with his bride, Elizabeth "Libbie" Bacon Custer, at Clover Hill for about a month. Custer called the place "Camp Libbie" in her honor.



George and Libbie 

 





Clover Hill with Custer and staff, March 1864



Clover Hill obviously survived the Civil War and was home to a number of families well into the 20th century. Sadly, it has been vacant for many years now.

Clover Hill, November 2013

The bushes out front have grown so tall and so rotund that it is impossible to see in this photo the porch where Custer and his staff posed almost 150 years ago. Trust me, though, the porch is still there.

Seeing Clover Hill's sad state of disrepair is utterly gutwrenching to anyone who appreciates history and old houses. Supposedly, the owner has been contacted in the past about selling the home so that it can be preserved. Unfortunately, the efforts were fruitless. Now, it seems, all is lost. It would take a tremendous amount of time, energy, and money to bring the home back to livable condition.

Standing on the property, it is all but impossible to imagine this place as the home of a once-proud and accomplished Virginia family. It is even harder still to imagine it as a lovely honeymoon destination for George Custer and his young bride, Libbie. Instead, it is easier to imagine it as the place where Frank Hampton died because, like Frank, Clover Hill has drawn its last breath.