Rosemont: Past and Present
A Trivia Quiz
A Look Back…
1. The first High Sheriff of Clarke County George Norris built Rosemont Manor in 1811 as:
a. A wedding present to his bride, Jane Bowles Wormeley
b. A summer home for US President James Madison
c. A place to breed champion racehorses
d. An inn for actors & musicians performing at the Berryville theater
ANSWER: A wedding present to his bride! George Norris had purchased the land from Jane’s father, and promised to build her a home on the property.
2. The Confederates who attacked the Union troops at Rosemont Manor during the Battle of Berryville (September 3-4, 1864) were under the command of General:
a. Stonewall Jackson
b. Robert E. Lee
c. George Custer
d. Jubal Early
e. Philip Sheridan
f. James Longstreet
ANSWER: Jubal Early. General Early led the attack on the Union troops, who were under the command of Philip Sheridan.
3. Which two future U.S. Presidents were occupying Rosemont Manor as Union officers during the Battle of Berryville:
a. Ulysses S. Grant
b. Benjamin Harrison
c. William McKinley
d. James A. Garfield
e. Rutherford B. Hayes
f. Chester Arthur
ANSWERS: William McKinley and Rutherford B. Hayes. The two future Presidents were young Union soldiers in Philip Sheridan’s command.
4. Which prominent family was not one of the owners of Rosemont Manor during its 200+ year history?
a. The Tysons of Baltimore
b. The Harrimans of New York
c. The Byrds of Virginia
d. The Rockefellers of New York
ANSWER: The Rockefellers of New York. Rosemont was owned by the Tyson family during the mid-to-late 1800’s, and the Harrimans and the Byrds for the better part of the 20th century.
5. Which famous military figure has not been a guest of Rosemont Manor?
a. Admiral Richard E. Byrd
b. General George Marshall
c. General George Patton
d. Admiral Chester Nimitz
e. General David Petraeus
f. General Stanley McChrystal
ANSWER: General George Patton. While General Patton (as far as we know!) never visited Rosemont, General Marshall, Admiral Byrd, and Admiral Nimitz were all guests of Rosemont owner Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr. Later, General David Petraeus stayed at Rosemont in 2012 for the weekend wedding festivities of his daughter, Anne. General Stanley McChrystal was a guest at Anne’s wedding.
6. Of the Rosemont Manor U.S. Presidential guests listed below, who offered Senator Byrd, Sr. the opportunity to be his Vice-Presidential running mate?
a. Franklin D. Roosevelt
b. Dwight D. Eisenhower
c. John F. Kennedy
d. Lyndon B. Johnson
e. Richard M. Nixon
ANSWER: Franklin D. Roosevelt. Just before the 1932 Democratic National Convention, FDR came to Rosemont to offer Sen. Byrd the Vice-Presidential bid, in exchange for his support for Roosevelt’s candidacy for President at the convention. Senator Byrd declined, as he hoped to earn for himself the Presidential nomination. At the convention, the nomination was deadlocked between Roosevelt and Byrd for 4 rounds of voting before Byrd eventually conceded to Roosevelt. In an interesting bit of irony, decades later, Richard Nixon would come to Rosemont to offer the Vice-Presidential nod to Harry F. Byrd, JUNIOR, who also declined.
7. Which “celebrity” visitor was known to enjoy quail hunting with Senator Byrd Sr. on the Rosemont Manor estate grounds?
a. Albert Einstein
b. John Wayne
c. Winston Churchill
d. Charles Lindbergh
ANSWER: Charles Lindbergh. The famous aviator had other interests beyond flying, namely strolling the Rosemont grounds in the hunt for quail.
Present Day Rosemont…
8. After nearly 200 years as a private home and respite to the Washington DC elite, Rosemont opened to the general public as a wedding venue, B&B, and tea house in what year?
a. 2000
b. 2005
c. 2010
d. 2015
ANSWER: 2010. We opened our doors to our first B&B guests in September of 2010 and hosted our first wedding in January 2011.
9. How many events (including teas, retreats, rehearsal dinners, ceremonies, and receptions) were conducted on the estate grounds of Rosemont for the most recent year?
a. 100
b. 150
c. 200
d. 250 +
ANSWER: 250 + events. Rosemont is a wonderfully busy place, but each and every event is important to us, and our guests and clients become like family to us.
10. How many overnight guests can the Rosemont Estate accommodate?
a. 25
b. 45
c. 65
d. 85
ANSWER: 85. Including the Main Manor, Byrd’s Nest, and the three larger Guest Cottages on the property, we can sleep up to 85 guests overnight.
11. The 6,800 sq. ft Amish-built hammerbeam truss barn at Historic Rosemont Springs opened in 2019 and features which amenities:
a. Swarovski crystal chandeliers
b. Grand bluestone fireplace
c. Natural rock, spring-fed waterfall
d. Year-round climate control
e. Bride & groom preparation suites
f. Wedding dress showroom
ANSWER: You can find all of these incredible amenities at our Rosemont Springs barn.
12. Rosemont has trees on the grounds from all over the world that were given to previous owners by foreign dignitaries. How many native and foreign species have been thus far identified?
a. 30
b. 45
c. 60
d. 75
ANSWER: 75 native and foreign species of trees. Senator Byrd was fond of trees and often when distinguished visitors came to Rosemont from overseas and throughout the US, they would bring a sapling as a gift for the Byrds. As a result, Rosemont has a very rich arboreal collection.
13. Which of the following species of trees have been identified on the Rosemont estate grounds?
American Holly
Amur Cork
Arborvitae
Black Gum
Black Walnut
Blue Atlas Cedar
Box Elder
Catalpa
Copper Beach
Eastern Hophornbeam
*European Hophornbeam
Ginkgo
Golden Rain
Hackberry
Hemlock
Hinoki Cypress
Japanese Maple
Katsura
Kentucky Coffee
Kousa Dogwood
Kwanzan Cherry
Lebanon Cedar
Locust
Red Elm
Russian Olive
Sassafras
Sophora (Scholar Tree)
Sweetgum
*Tree of Heaven
Weeping Cherry
Yoshino Cherry
*North American Champion
ANSWER: All of the above species have been identified at Rosemont!
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Overnight Accommodations (B&B)