It was originally a plot of land that was cleared out and cultivated by Richard Bland Lee’s slaves. The land was acquired in 1725 and in 1787 after inheriting additional land, the land was named Sully. Sully was originally built as a home for Richard Bland Lee and his wife Elizabeth Collins Lee. Lee notably served three terms as Northern Virginia’s first state congressmen as well as helping to ratify the Bill of Rights to the Constitution, and also voted to make Washington D.C. the nation’s capital. Lee owned and kept 29 slaves at Sully. As time went on the house had to be sold to Lee’s cousin due to financial trouble. The Sully Historic Site is significant because the original buildings are still intact. Including a smokehouse, a lumber house, the kitchen and laundry, and a stone dairy along with the original house.
This is the entrance to the Sully Historic Site, the sign indicates a sense of importance and genuineness of the site. The sign is easy to read and relatively simple but gets the point across. The Sully Historic Site is a plot of land that has a Federal-period mansion and original outbuildings.
Sully has been standing for over 230 years, which is a feat in itself especially because during the Civil War soldiers had stayed on and passed through the land while fighting. As well as almost being torn down for the construction of Dulles Airport, but Federal legislation was secured and saved the property from being damaged.
Essentially the Sully Historical Site is significant because it has lasted so long, but more importantly it serves as a reminder of how life used to be and how people used to treat one another. History is so important because remembering the past and reflecting on not only the event but also the impacts on people is so incredibly important in order for change. The purpose of Sully being a Historical Site is to preserve time so that people can see what life was like, to gain knowledge.
This is the original slave housing quarters at the Sully Historic Site
Visiting Sully is beneficial to all audiences, people who do have a lot of background knowledge about Sully, but also beneficial to the people who may not have previous knowledge. Essentially the site serves as a way for people to immerse themselves in history and it is very effective. People are able to see the beauty of the landscape while simultaneously reflecting on what life may have been like for the enslaved people who worked there.
The Site knows some of the names of the enslaved workers, and has these names listed so that these people are not forgotten. Remembering these names is important because it is an attempt to ensure that people recognize that Sully is not just a pretty landscape, it is a place where enslaved people suffered and worked against their will. A tour is offered in which visitors are able to go inside these original buildings and get a sense of what life was like for the people that Lee kept on the planation. The historical knowledge at the Sully Historic Site is accessible and because it is accessible that makes it an effective presentation of public history.
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