Distinguished soldier. Accomplished statesman. Honored humanitarian.  General George C. Marshall is considered by many to be one of the greatest modern-day American heroes. He is recognized as the organizer of the Allied Victory in World War Two and the architect of the European Recovery Program (the Marshall Plan) that changed the face of the world and earned Marshall the Nobel Peace Prize. From the beginning of his 44-year public career as a graduate of Virginia Military Institute in 1901 to the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953, Marshall's decorations, awards, and honorary degrees total more than 60, and include military, civilian, and substantial foreign recognition.
Amid his extraordinary accomplishments, Marshall was most appreciated and beloved for who he was. He did not seek fame and earned an uncontested reputation for being an honest, humble, and resolute leader. His personal contributions to the efforts and development of the United States and other countries during some of the most significant events in modern history are remarkable, not just for the magnitude of what he accomplished, but because of the incorruptible, selfless integrity with which he served.  Dodona Manor was the Marshalls' beloved home in Leesburg, Virginia for many years, and George Marshall lived there during the period of his greatest achievements. He was recognized for distinguished service in both World Wars; earned the rank of Five-Star General; and held positions as United States Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State, and Secretary of Defense. He also served as the President of the American Red Cross; Special Envoy to China; headed a U.S. delegation to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth; and was the first professional soldier to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Marshall was born in 1880 in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. He formally retired to Dodona Manor in 1953. Marshall died in 1959 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Click here to read about Marshall's early career... A History of the Property
In 1805, John Drish purchased eight acres at the top of a knoll just east of Leesburg on land that had originally been owned by Landon Carter, son of Robert "King" Carter. Although not mentioned in the deed of sale, it is likely that an early 19th-century two-story, two-bay-wide brick building already stood on the property that Drish purchased.
Between 1805 and 1826, Drish constructed an elegant two-story Federal-style residence that adjoined the earlier building. The Federal-style structure is noted in the 1826 deed to Wilson J. Drish and in the 1829 deed to Fayette Ball, whose elder brother, George Washington Ball, was a nephew of George Washington.
Both the 1829 sale price and the building's footprint, identified as the 'G. W. Ball residence' on 1856 Yardley Taylor map of Loudoun County, clearly indicate the presence of a substantial building. However, by 1859 the residence had undergone two major alterations: a two-story brick service ell had been added on the east side, and on the north side the early 19th century building had been encapsulated.
An advertisement appearing in the 1859 Democratic Mirror of Leesburg announced that the residence, then known as Oak Hill, was for sale. Describing a 16-room house with good cellars, the public notice also mentioned several outbuildings including carriage, ice and meat houses, cow shed, stable, and a building for servants.
 
South elevation of Dodona Manor, after 1907. 1935-1941, prior to the Marshalls' residency.
The Marshalls and Dodona Manor
 Except for three signficant changes: a late 19th-century two-story brick bay window, an early 20th century Colonial Revival front porch, and the 20th-century bathrooms - this advertisement from House and Garden magazine describes the manor house as it appeared in 1941 when the Marshalls purchased Dodona Manor from Northcutt Ely as a retreat from their public life in Washington.
The Marshalls made certain interior cosmetic changes to Dodona Manor, including new wallpaper for the living, dining, and breakfast rooms, and fresh paint for the trim and walls in other rooms. On the exterior, they added a stone patio to the rear of the house, a two car brick garage to the north, and a wooden garden shed at the eastern edge of the property.
While Dodona Manor retains its early 19th-century architectural details, present day furnishings and decorative arts reflect the tastes of the 1940s and 50s when the Marshalls lived there. General Marshall, a student of history, appreciated the historic character of the fine old building and its location overlooking the Town of Leesburg.
Ever the peripatetic career Army officer, Marshall remarked to his wife Katherine upon returning from a trip abroad in 1942: "This is Home...a real home after forty-one years of wandering."
George and Katherine Marshall on the front porch of Dodona Manor
Photo courtesy of Life magazine
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