On Sunday, 29 September, “Serve Our Willing Warriors” (SOWW) was invited to participate in an Americana Music Day at The Winery at La Grange in Haymarket, Virginia. Members of SOWW manned a table with literature and information and talked to the guests about the establishment of the Bull Run Warrior Retreat on Waterfall Road, just a couple of miles from La Grange. A visit to this beautiful vineyard property reminds us how fortunate we are to live in this area of fascinating history and breathtaking scenery. We grow increasingly eager to share this region and all the local riches it has to offer with our Willing Warriors + Families.
The Winery at La Grange was formally launched in December 2005, a first for Prince William County, and opened it's historic doors to the public on Labor Day in 2006. The Winery’s property includes eight acres of vineyards, a restored manor house, circa 1790, and their production facility. The property, which had been originally carved out of Robert "King" Carter's Bull Run Tract in the 1600s and later became known as La Grange, is rich in history.
The beautiful fall day included a crowd of people with picnic baskets, good music and conversation, and of course, lots of great tasting wines. The musical selections were all chosen in celebration of American Folk Music with performances by The Harley String Band, The Stewart Sisters and Steve Potter. Kevin Potter, the Events Manager at La Grange, was a very gracious and helpful host. John Dominick, Vice President of SOWW discussed the retreat project with Kevin, a prior military service member, and it appears that the SOWW-La Grange relationship will continue to grow as the Bull Run Warrior Retreat project develops.
Now for all you oenophiles and history buffs out there -- a little additional research into La Grange's past has revealed some interesting folklore. Visitors to the property have often claimed to share their experiences with the friendly spirit of Benoni E. Harrison, who purchased the La Grange estate in 1837 and lived here until he died in 1869.
Interestingly, our SOWW photographer inadvertently captured an image of what we believe is the Ghost of Benoni, when she snapped a picture of the La Grange vineyards (see below). It appears the friendly ghost was used the ladder that workers left in the field to sit on to contemplate the events of the day.
The Winery at La Grange was formally launched in December 2005, a first for Prince William County, and opened it's historic doors to the public on Labor Day in 2006. The Winery’s property includes eight acres of vineyards, a restored manor house, circa 1790, and their production facility. The property, which had been originally carved out of Robert "King" Carter's Bull Run Tract in the 1600s and later became known as La Grange, is rich in history.
The beautiful fall day included a crowd of people with picnic baskets, good music and conversation, and of course, lots of great tasting wines. The musical selections were all chosen in celebration of American Folk Music with performances by The Harley String Band, The Stewart Sisters and Steve Potter. Kevin Potter, the Events Manager at La Grange, was a very gracious and helpful host. John Dominick, Vice President of SOWW discussed the retreat project with Kevin, a prior military service member, and it appears that the SOWW-La Grange relationship will continue to grow as the Bull Run Warrior Retreat project develops.
Shirley Dominick with the winery's guests -- enjoying a perfect autumn afternoon.
Shirley and daughter Kelsy share the vision of SOWW + Bull Run Warrior Retreat.
Interestingly, our SOWW photographer inadvertently captured an image of what we believe is the Ghost of Benoni, when she snapped a picture of the La Grange vineyards (see below). It appears the friendly ghost was used the ladder that workers left in the field to sit on to contemplate the events of the day.
(Awww . . . Just kidding! Kelsy Dominick snapped the picture of her dad, John Dominick, taking in the beauty of the sunset in the vineyard.)
Papa Dominick recommends a visit to The Winery at La Grange to try some of its most popular wine, the “Benoni Red Blend”, named in honor of the Winery’s ghostly inhabitant.
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