Picture the year 1822. A grand brick residence rises on the land. This is Historic Rockland. General George Rust stands proudly before his creation. He had acquired the property in 1817. The house is more than just bricks and mortar. It stands as a testament to a bygone era. An era of slave labor and wealth.
Historic Rockland’s history is deeply rooted in Loudoun County Virginia. General Rust a prominent figure of his time built the house. He incorporated an older frame house into the design. This created a rear service wing. He had fought in the War of 1812. He was also a member of the Virginia House of Delegates.
But Rockland’s story is not solely one of its builder’s triumphs. The 1850 census reveals a darker side. It lists 33 enslaved people owned by George Rust. Their lives were intertwined with the very fabric of Rockland. Their labor built this magnificent home. The Rust family genealogy reveals names and details of some of these enslaved individuals. Their stories too deserve to be told. They are woven into the very walls of Historic Rockland.
After General Rust’s death in 1857 his son Colonel Armistead Thompson Mason Rust inherited the estate. Colonel Rust attended West Point. He served with the Confederate 19th Virginia Infantry during the Civil War. His son Henry Bedinger Rust later enlarged the house in 1908. It is now in its present configuration. The house remains in the hands of the Brown family descendants of the Rusts through Henry’s daughter.
The architectural style of Historic Rockland is Federal. It features a central hall and a single pile plan. The 1908 additions expanded it to a double-pile plan. A Roman Doric portico was added to the south elevation. A similar porch graces the rear elevation. The property boasts several outbuildings. These include a brick overseer’s residence brick slave quarters a smokehouse and a small barn.
The location of Historic Rockland is significant. It was once home to the Virginia landing of Whites Ferry. A lawsuit by the Rockland family led to the ferry’s closure. Today Historic Rockland stands as a National Historic Landmark. It is a reminder of the complex and often contradictory past. The stories of the enslaved people the Rust family and the ferry’s demise are all part of its rich history. The legacy of Rockland is one of wealth loss and resilience. It is a place where history whispers from the bricks and stones. It waits to be discovered.