The name “Rising Sun” is taken from the Rising Sun Tavern in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The tavern is located in the house built by Charles Washington in 1760 and where he lived before he moved to Happy Retreat. The house became a tavern in 1792. It is now owned and operated by the Washington History Museums
April 2018 Rising Sun Newsletter
The inaugural concert of the Charles Washington Chamber Music Society on Sunday, February 25, was thrilling. We are indebted to Gary Stewart for organizing the event and for bringing such a group of extraordinary musicians to Happy Retreat. It was so successful we are making plans for future concerts. read more
December 2017 Rising Sun Newsletter
As you read through this issue of The Rising Sun, you will get a sense of how many things are going on at Happy Retreat at different levels. We continue to make steady progress on the restoration of the house and outbuildings. We have established two signature annual events – the Wine & Jazz Festival and June and the Craft Beer and Music Festival in September – which will continue to anchor our calendar of activities. The Book Club has introduced many in our community to two excellent books read more
September 2017 Rising Sun Newsletter
June marked the one year anniversary of working with the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of their National Treasures. We are indebted to Nancy Tinker, who led our project team, Rob Nieweg, Susan Berning and Stephen Crochet for the time they spent working with us. Under their experienced guidance, we developed a strategic plan for Happy Retreat, created a fundraising strategy and established valuable connections with other successful National Trust sites around the country ... read more
April 2017 Rising Sun Newsletter
“If only these walls could talk,” is something we often hear people say at Happy Retreat, as I’m sure they do at most historic homes. It turns out that, in a way, walls can talk, as we learned from the paint analysis done as part of the first phase of the Historic Structures Report summarized in this newsletter. In one room, that analysis gave us a complete chronology of the colors of paint used back to the day Charles Washington first walked through the door. By comparing that sequence of ... read more
December 2016 Rising Sun Newsletter
Two momentous events marked the year that draws to a close. First, in June the National Trust for Historic Preservation named Happy Retreat a National Treasure. We cannot begin to express our gratitude to the National Trust for this immense and humbling honor. The National Treasure designation is not simply a plaque to hang on the wall. It is a commitment between the Trust and our Board to work together to bring to life our plans for Happy Retreat. This work began even before the National ... read more
April 2016 Rising Sun Newsletter
“Ask us in a year,” is the answer to most questions about Happy Retreat, questions such as, “When was the stone kitchen built?” or, “Is this an original window?” or, “What was this room used for when Charles Washington lived here?” We are just beginning to unravel the complicated history of the house. Early on, we were fortunate to have Matt Webster, who is now Director, Grainger Department of Architectural Preservation at Colonial Williamsburg, help us estimate the history of the ... read more
January 2016 Rising Sun Newsletter
2015 was a momentous year in which our nine year effort to acquire and preserve Happy Retreat finally bore fruit.At the end of 2014, the City of Charles Town, under the leadership of Mayor Peggy Smith, stepped forward with an agreement to purchase 10 acres of the 12.3 acre Happy Retreat property. This reduced the amount of money Friends of Happy Retreat needed to buy the house and remaining 2.3 acres. read more