– Click on the image to enlarge or purchase – Ratcliffe-Allison House The Ratcliffe-Allison House on Main Street in Fairfax City is the oldest house in the City. The eastern portion (on the right in this photo) was built by Richard Ratcliffe in 1812 to specifications of the original lot sales in the Town of Providence (to become Fairfax in 1875), “at...
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– Click on the image to enlarge or purchase – Cabells Mill Cabells Mill, known at different times as Triplett’s Mill, Caples Mill, Pittmans Mill and Middlegate, was included in the estate purchased by David and Ellanor C. Lawrence in 1935. In fulfillment of their wish that the land be set aside as a community park, David Lawrence, founder of the magazine...
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– Click on the image to enlarge or purchase – Squawroot (Conopholis americana) Squawroot, I must admit, is one of the strangest wildflowers I have ever seen. I initially thought it was an early season mushroom until I took a closer look. Squawroot (Conopholis americana) is a member of the Orobanchacheae or Broomrape family. I guess in a way this plant is...
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– Click on the image to enlarge or purchase – Sugar Processing, Whim Plantation In addition to the Greathouse discussed in my last post, the Estate Whim Plantation has many exhibits to help the visitor understand sugar processing on a colonial plantation and how the associated equipment was used. Two of the major exhibits are the mule powered sugar press...
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– Click on the image to enlarge or purchase – Whim Plantation Greathouse The Estate Whim Plantation is only about 2 miles from Frederiksted at the west end of the island of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. It was restored by the St. Croix Landmarks Society and is the oldest sugar plantation museum in the Virgin Islands. The estate of Whim is typical of...
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– Click on the image to enlarge or purchase – Garlic Mustard (Alliaria officinalis) Garlic Mustard (Alliaria officinalis) is a member of the Brassicaceae or Mustard family. It is a mostly smooth, erect biennial growing up to 3-feet in height. The leaves have the smell of garlic, and are mostly deltoid, coarsely-toothed and are from 1.2- to 2.4-inches long...
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