The Restoration of Dodona Manor

Phase One began with the exterior, and included installation of a new de-watering system; re-pointing and repairing the two-story brick bay; repairing and re-glazing all 19th century windows; and the addition of a standing seam metal roof over the Federal block of the house.  
 

Detiorated foundation brickwork       Artisans repointing brick facade     Installation of de-watering system

Phase Two consisted of the interior restoration. Prior to any interior repair work, important character-defining features, such as existing wallpaper, stairway railings, wooden and linoleum floors, and plumbing fixtures were covered for protection.  Then Marshall-era light fixtures were removed, cleaned, polished, re-wired and re-installed. Environmentally-advanced geothermal heating and cooling systems were installed, and a new concrete floor was poured in the basement. New electrical wiring was put in with minimal intrusion to the interior plaster walls and ceilings.

Basement of Dodona Manor before and after restoration

Existing wallpaper was conserved, and new custom-design wallpaper was installed matching existing paper in the living room and breakfast room. In the dining room, where no wallpaper existed, period photographs and a small wallpaper sample provided enough information to reproduce the wallpaper with accuracy. In other rooms, paint analysis guided the selection of paint colors re-creating the Marshall era.

Phase Three entailed arranging the Marshall collection of furniture, art, rugs, lamps and books. In areas where Marshall rugs, drapery, or curtains could not be used due to irreversible deterioration, new custom rugs, drapery, and curtains were reproduced he original artifacts, now located in the museum archives.

Phase Four, restoration of the Marshall-era landscape, began with clearing away years of unwanted growth and dead trees. To assist in the garden restoration, a small sketch drawn by Marshall's step-grand daughter, Kitty Winn, provided valuable information about the location and plants in various gardens, including General Marshall's vegetable garden adjacent to the garage and Mrs. Marshall's rose garden nearby.

Today 90% of the Marshall landscape, including the vegetable and rose gardens, has been recreated through the generous donation of landscape plans from the Garden Club of Virginia, and through a grant from the Burpee Foundation. Visitors can enjoy the authentically-restored gardens the Marshalls so cherished and were their "source of comfort."

                                 Recent exterior views showing Dodona Manor restored, March 2007

The Gardens and Grounds of Dodona Manor

The Marshalls were committed gardeners. In 1941 they bought Dodona Manor to serve as a weekend retreat from their public life at Quarters Number One at Fort Myer, Virginia. In buying the residence they sought a quiet place to retire to for relaxation and gardening, which along with reading, were their favorite shared pastimes. In order to enjoy and work in the garden as much as possible, they lived at Dodona during the warm months between April and October. Many stories and letters exist that illustrate General Marshall's keen interest in gardening. Even during the dark days of World War Two, General Marshall's thoughts turned to gardening as indicated in his March 27, 1942 letter to David Burpee:

"The business of seeds and flowers tantalizes me because I have been an amateur gardener, both flower and vegetable, since a boy of ten. There is nothing that I would so much prefer to do this spring as to turn my mind to the wholesome business of gardening rather than the terrible problems and tragedies of war."

On December 27, 1943 in another letter, the General requests a catalog of flowers and seeds, noting that he was "particularly interested in phlox."  Later he ordered poppies, calendula, cornflowers, coreopsis, delphinium and Shasta daisy.  

When the Marshalls acquired Dodona Manor, they made some cosmetic changes to the residential interiors to customize the house to their taste.  The overgrown garden, however, immediately became the focus of their "spare" time.  Mrs. Marshall described work at the new home:

"I had made a contract with a Mr. Brown, who did the forestry work on the places around, to take out the many dead trees, prune and doctor the oaks and elms, thin out the shrubs, and replant the lilac that had grown as high as the second story."

One of two construction projects during the Marshall residency was the construction of a stone patio partially covered by a shed porch and "pergola." Located on the east side of the house, the patio quickly became their summer dining room. Under the shade of the porch, the Marshalls could survey the landscape, approving of their work while no doubt discussing future gardening projects.
  

Katherine and George Marshall on the lawn of Dodona Manor.	Marshalls visiting with Mrs. Marshall's daughter, Molly Winn and her children.