Our History

George Washington purchased the property that is now Hayfield Farm from George and Mary Ashford in 1761. When General Washington returned to Mount Vernon after the War of Independence, he sold 360 acres of the western section of Mount Vernon (Hayfield) to his manager and kinsman, Lund Washington, in order to settle a debt. Lund married his cousin, Elizabeth Foote, in 1779. The Hayfield Manor House, where they lived, once stood near the corner of Hayfield Road and Bing Court. Lund died in July 1796 and left everything to his wife. Elizabeth died in 1812, and left her entire estate to her nephew and adopted son, William Hayward Foote.

In 1860, Richard Windsor purchased Hayfield from Francis L. Smith, executor of the Foote estate. William E. Clark bought the property from Mr. Windsor in 1874. During this time, a 16-sided barn was erected, said to be a larger copy of George Washington’s original barn that he built in 1793. The Hayfield barn was destroyed by an accidental fire in 1967.

Joseph R. Atkinson acquired the property in 1906. Mr. J.M. Duncan then purchased Hayfield from Atkinson, and he was the last owner to live in the manor house before it was destroyed by fire in 1917. After the fire, the land conveyed to Hayfield Farm Company, Inc. In June 1918, Stanton R. Norman acquired the property, and he sold the remaining bricks from the ruins of the manor house to collectors. Marguerite Merigold and her mother later purchased 175 acres of the land and allowed the Junior Equitation School to use it.

In 1952, the property was sold to W.S. Banks and W.M. Orr who used the land to raise cattle. Wills and Van Metre, Inc. purchased the land in 1963 and developed the subdivision as it is today. The first home was sold in 1965, and the project was completed in 1972.

If you want to get even more history about Hayfield Farm, check out this article that was included in the “Historic Franconia Legacies” newsletter (pg. 4)  in Fall 2009.  Or this historical information from a presentation in 2015.  Additionally, learn more about how the U.S. Coast Guard was able to secure some of this land in 1939.

The Hayfield Farm Barn (pictured top right) is also rooted in our history, as part of the property owned by George Washington.

Lastly – did you know that the original sales price for a split level was $25,950!?  Check out that and other prices here.