Rehabilitation of Page County’s historic White House to begin this month

Owners of White House Farm making half-million-dollar investment to ensure longevity and educational value of beloved historical landmark

~ Press release provided by the White House Farm Foundation

LURAY, Aug. 6 — The owners of the White House Farm, Scott C. Plein and family, have committed to an interpretive rehabilitation of the historic White House, located on their property in Page County, Virginia adjacent to Route 211 and the South Fork of the Shenandoah River.

“The Plein Family is proud to make this investment for the local community and beyond,” said Scott Plein. “It is so important to preserve our local history, so that both present and future generations may enjoy and learn from it.”

Constructed in 1760 by Martin Kauffman II, this two- story, stucco-clad building has been recognized as a landmark by residents of the Valley for more than two centuries. The house is an important example of 18th century Rhenish log and stone houses constructed in Page County, Virginia, exhibiting the influence of early Swiss and German building practices in the area.

The oldest known photo of the White House, taken in 1929. Notably, the roof was of wood shingles at that time. This photo was published in “Historic Homes of Northern Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia”, by John W. Wayland. (Image Credit: John W. Wayland)

The Plein Family is working with experienced professionals to undertake this important project. Architectural plans and preservation treatment methods have been developed by Annie Mathot of Bluebird Design Company (based in Staunton, Va.) and Deneen Brannock of Commonwealth Preservation Group (based in Norfolk, Va.). Their plans have been meticulously reviewed for adherence with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, including review and approval by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and the National Park Service.

“What a rare opportunity it is to find a home of this historic significance in such a preserved state, and to have an owner who has such a strong commitment to its preservation and to sharing it with the community,” Mathot stated about the project.

Representatives from the Plein Family, Urban Development Partners, and Bluebird Design Company work to document baseline conditions inside the White House. This photo shows one of the two parlor rooms located on the ground floor. (Image Credit: White House Farm Foundation)

The rehabilitation project will highlight three major periods in the White House’s long history — its initial construction in 1760, a subsequent remodel circa 1822, and its involvement in the Rural Electrification program of the early 20th century. The most visible changes to the building will be the complete repair of damaged stucco on the building’s exterior and replacement of the modern metal roof with period-appropriate wood shingles. These changes will better align with the original appearance of the White House.

Other major projects will include repointing of deteriorated stone and brick features, restoration and repainting of plaster on interior walls, refinishing and repair of pine flooring, cleaning and repair of late Federal woodwork details, and restoration of the damaged stone staircase leading to the barrel-vaulted cellar.

Another major goal of this project is the structural stabilization of the White House. At more than 250 years old, the house has withstood multiple floods from the nearby South Fork Shenandoah River that have damaged its structural integrity. The building will be stabilized with a concrete slab on the ground floor and steel ties on the second floor.

The present-day interior of the White House. The building has withstood multiple floods, which have deposited sediment on the walls and floors. The Federal woodwork remains in remarkably good condition. This photo shows one of the two parlor rooms on the ground floor.
(Image Credit: White House Farm Foundation)

The oldest known photo of the White House’s interior, taken circa 1937. It was published in a report by Vivian Black as part of the Virginia Works Progress Administration’s Historical Inventory Project undertaken in the 1930s. This photo shows the same ground floor parlor room shown above.
(Image Credit: Black, Vivian, photographer.; Virginia Historical Inventory Project; Virginia Conservation Commission. Division of History.; United States. Works Progress Administration)

All work on this project will be undertaken to the highest standard, taking care to retain and repair or replicate historic building elements as closely as possible to their original conditions. Contractors for the rehabilitation include Urban Development Partners LLC (based in Winchester, Va.), specialists in historic renovations. Some of their notable work includes the renovation of Winchester’s Fort Loudoun in 2017. The team anticipates that the project will take 8 to 12 months to complete.

Representatives from Linton Engineering and the Plein Family work to document baseline conditions inside the White House. This photo shows the passage between the two ground floor parlor rooms.
(Image Credit: White House Farm Foundation)

Ultimately, the Plein Family would like to open the White House on an invitational basis for educational tours, including school groups, university classes, researchers, historic societies, and descendants of the Kauffmans. Such tours will be managed and conducted by the White House Farm Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation with a mission centered on conservation, education, and local history.

The Foundation will lease the White House property from the Plein Family for $1 per year. The White House Farm Foundation is also managing media coverage of this project on behalf of the Plein Family. Progress updates for this project will be shared through the Foundation’s social media pages: @WHFarmFoundation on Facebook and Instagram.

To learn more about the historic White House, please see its listing on the National Register of Historic Places & Virginia Landmarks Register: https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic- registers/069-0012/.

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