For the next time you are on Jeopardy:
A: Buckland
Q: A town in Virginia named after an architect
How many of you can think of another town named after an architect? If you don't know who William Buckland is, then here is your chance to learn a bit about him as well as a little architectural history.
William Buckland (1734 -1774) was a local architect in colonial Maryland and Virginia. He designed Gunston Hall (home of George Mason) in Mason Neck, VA and the Hammond Harwood House (directly inspired by Palladio) in Annapolis, MD. Menokin and the William Paca House are "sometimes" attributed to him (according to Wikipedia). Originally a carpenter (and indentured servant), Buckland is credited with the ornate woodwork and interior carving in various styles (i.e. rococo, chinoiserie, and gothic) at Gunston Hall.
As for Buckland, it is a little village on the side of Route 29. I came across the hamlet one morning on the way to Warrenton. A 1774 stone house (attributed to William Buckland) is at the edge of the village as well as the historic marker (thank goodness for those things!). A grist mill (now a residence) is located down the road along Broad Run. A sleepy National Register of Historic Places National Historic District, Buckland once thrived and played a part in the Civil War. A full history of the town is available on the Buckland website. http://bucklandva.org/ http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=1083

Latrobe, PA
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