Warrenton Virginia BISPHAM HOUSE Introduction The House – Part 1 A noteworthy part of this illustrated account is about the Bispham’s who built the house, ca. 1856, at the highest elevation in town (660’ vs. usually claimed point 646’ at Court House Square)) It is called Baptist Hill, for the nearby church and minister’s house next door to the Bispham’s. Soon after the house was built, the Civil War began. Because the town was at an important crossroads and rail branch line terminus, it became an army supply depot. Consequently, the two sides changed occupation 67 times. The first family’s experiences and neighbors add to understanding the times in a small Southern town. Included are interesting happenings and images of early scenes in Warrenton. All owners to current time are identified along with their caretaking and additions to the property. The house and owners help introduce captivating local and national history. Scrapbook – Part 2 The Scrapbook sections are three fourths of the document where images bring to life local events and people that inform about the Warrenton area through the years including: Historical Maps, slavery, General McClellan's farewell to his troops; distinguished people, visits by Presidents, Lafayette, and former residents: The Great Chief Justice John Marshall, John Singleton Mosby, Anthony Dangerfield, Dangerfield Newby, plus others. Artwork Surprising artworks amplify the local story; many by renowned Richard Norris Brooke; three creative murals by Stewart Burgess White; and three paintings of Mosby’s Berryville Raid; Edwin Austin Forbes, Civil War scenes. The art’s subject matter stimulates critical thinking that may inspire further research for forming educated judgments about historical times and events Interpretive History Used throughout is a teaching technique which combines facts, illustrative photos, and maps (high resolution, when possible, enables zooming for details) with stimulating explanatory information. It helps to tell a story about Warrenton, Fauquier, and America. Many images convey their own tale. This study began when the eighth owners wanted to gather photos and information about the old place. Their expanded discoveries and use of over 500 splendid illustrations provide a remarkable history lesson in this free eBook available to others interested in historical Warrenton Virginia and beyond. Enjoy! Skim read or trigger the PDF Page Thumbnails first to get a visual understanding from the images for the overall content. Then skip to what interests you.