New Exhibit at the Manassas Museum – Enduring Legacy: Liberia Plantation 1825-2013

Posted on by Katherine Gotthardt

Liberia Plantation is a Manassas historic gem that served as a Civil War headquarters and was visited by two Presidents.  It is the focus of a new exhibit, Enduring Legacy, Liberia Plantation 1825-2013, opening May 10 at The Manassas Museum.

Liberia Plantation has been named to the National Historic Register, the Virginia Landmarks Register, and is being recognized during Virginia’s Year of the Historic Home, but its captivating story has never been the subject of an exhibit until now.

Built in 1825, Liberia was one of the most prosperous and largest plantations in the region. During the Civil War, Liberia served as headquarters for both Confederate and Union forces and was visited by Jefferson Davis and AbrahamLincoln. After the devastation of the war, Liberia was transformed into a successful dairy farm and became home to the Breeden family, who later donated the property to The City of Manassas.

Enduring Legacy details the establishment of the plantation by the Weir family and their ties to the wealthy and influential Carter family of Virginia. The exhibit explores the conflicting attitudes about slavery within the family,despite owning nearly 90 slaves, and what happened to the family and their slaves when the home was occupied by Civil War troops. Period furnishings, Civil War artifacts, and ledgers from Liberia’s time as a dairy farm are also included.

The exhibit features a hands-on experience for children and adults, including an activity with a cipher disk – a Civil War spy tool. The exhibit also describes architectural features, construction of the home, and more about the home’s original owners.

The Manassas Museum has restored parts of the exterior of the house, with the help of generous Museum supporters, and hosts tours and special events on site. Recently, a Citizens Advisory Committee recommended a master plan for the site. This will provide direction for future restoration.

“We are very excited to be able to offer this new exhibition on Liberia – one of the most important historic sites in the City of Manassas,” said Museum Curator Mary Helen Dellinger.  “The home and surrounding property are rich in history and this exhibit will help tell that story.  Three other museums and one private collector have loaned objects for this show and the staff has reproduced numerous images from the collection at the Library of Congress to make the show one of the best offered by the Manassas Museum.”

As part of this exhibition, the Museum will unveil the landscape plan for the property, step one in the restoration of the grounds and house.

Enduring Legacy is free with admission, and is open Tuesday – Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A companion book that benefits Liberia restoration, Liberia, Sentry of the Ages, and various commemorative gifts are available at Echoes, the Museum Store.

Patty Prince
Communications Coordinator
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Published by Katherine Gotthardt

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt, M.Ed., writing concentration, hails from the Northern Virginia/D.C. metro area. Born in Billerica, Massachusetts, she considers herself a writer by nature and by trade, having begun writing as soon as her mother helped teach her to read. Her first published poem, "Remembering Thoreau," appeared in ELF: Eclectic Literary Forum in in the early 1990s. Since then, her work has been published in publications such as Yankee, Haight Ashbury Literary Journal, Frogpond and dozens of other journals, anthologies, books and online media. Her poetry has been taught in secondary and post-secondary classrooms and workshops. Awards and Recognition Katherine has been a Prince William County Poet Laureate nominee and was the winner of Inside Nova’s 2019 and 2020 Best of Prince William award in the category of author. Her poetry and prose book Get Happy, Dammit: Staying Inspired and Motivated in an Often-Unhappy World received a Silver Award from the Nonfiction Authors Association. Katherine's children’s book, A Crane Named Steve, hit number one in its category on Amazon in 2019. Katherine then took first place in the free verse category of Loudoun County Library Foundation’s 2020 Rhyme On poetry contest for her piece "Discussion Topic." The Prince William Arts Council and Poet Laureate Circle awarded her the 2020 Outstanding Poetry Project Award for her leadership in Write by the Rails' Poems Around Town poetry installation. In 2021 Katherine earned second place for "Aftermath" in a Poetry Society of Virginia national contest and the regional Seefeldt Award for Arts Excellence in the category of Individual Artist. She won first place in the Virginia Writers Club statewide Golden Nib contest in the poetry category for her poem "Kayak." Katherine was recognized as a PW Perspective 2021 DMV Best Business award winner in the category of author. In April 2023, Katherine’s poem “Now Entering Manassas” was the winner of Manassas, Virginia's adult “time capsule” poetry contest. Katherine read her poem at the 150th anniversary celebration, the translated version by Jorge de Villasante was read in Spanish by Bianca Menendez, her poem was published in Neighbors of Historic Manassas magazine, and it was included in the city’s time capsule. Learn more at www.KatherineGotthardt.com or find her on LinkedIn.