The Woodville plantation is the 18th century home of Revolutionary War veteran General John Neville. His house is located at 1375 Washington Pike, but motorists speed past it every day without noticing, thanks to the tall lilac bushes in front and the office buildings across the road. Two hundred years earlier, the site was the centerpiece of a 400 acre plantation established before 1785.
After General Neville’s relocation to a new plantation called “Bower Hill,” (across the valley) his son, Colonel Presley Neville, owned Woodville until it was sold to relatives. The house was actually occupied until the mid-1970s, when it was acquired by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation.
The original log cabin is the oldest dwelling house in Allegheny County, though only two-and-a-half of the original 400 acres remains. Thanks to the care of devoted volunteers, the interior of the home reveals a way of life long passed. The home’s windowpanes still bear the signatures of guests and relatives, scratched into them with the point of a diamond. Painted on the dining room walls is a bright verdigris green popular in the late 18th century. The bedrooms are papered in a replica of a pattern that was discovered behind nine other layers of wallpaper.
The old log cabin is now covered in clapboard, but two small doors can be swung open to show visitors the original logs. The cabin’s original kitchen, restored in 1993, with its hearth and period utensils, is usually the most popular stop on the house tour. The building also retains its historically accurate privy, which was part of a recent reconstruction project. A living connection to the era has also been made with the recent planting of rye on the grounds.
Volunteer docents, dressed in 18th century attire, give tours of the Woodville Plantation on Sundays from 1-4 p.m., between May and October. Their ranks include Matt Boyas and Julianna Haag. Boyas originally got involved because of his participation in Upper St. Clair’s International Baccalaureate Program, which required 30 hours of community service per year, but he stayed long after his 30 hours were completed.
As a junior docent, Boyas has chopped firewood, weeded the heirloom garden, painted the privy, and whitewashed the authentic picket fence. In addition to working around the house, he has played graces and hoops (two authentic colonial children’s games) with young visitors, baked cornbread and biscuits in a Dutch oven over a fire, and performed traditional dances. Since his first volunteer session in 7th grade in 2004, he has learned quite a bit of history, including the authentic way to build a picket fence.
“I’ve really liked every aspect of volunteering,” he says. “I get to learn a lot and have a great time doing it.”
The students of Chartiers Valley High School also learn about Colonial life from the Neville House. Each November, the entire ninth grade class visits the house for several days as part of their study of late 18th century American life. During their visit, the students might make butter, play games typical of that time, or talk to an actor portraying a Native American. Many of the students who visit the school have come back to volunteer as docents.
Julianna Haag, currently a freshman at Penn State University, has been a volunteer since seventh grade. Her interest was originally sparked when she was assigned a school research project and chose to compare the economic differences of the two families who owned Woodville Plantation and the Oliver Miller Homestead (located in South Park).
“The volunteers at Woodville asked if, when my project was completed, they could display it during one of their events,” Juliana explains. “I proudly wore a colonial costume, set up my posterboard, helped in giving a tour, and have been volunteering there ever since.”
She has enjoyed the crafts demonstrated during tours, such as watercolor painting, writing with quill and ink, and making sachets. “My favorite activity was when, on one oppressively hot summer day, my grandma sat with all the junior docents on the veranda and taught us how to cross stitch, and then we had some homemade lemonade.”
Her mother, also named Julianna, got involved at Woodville through her daughter’s Girl Scout troop, which completed its Silver Award project by cleaning up the plantation’s former herb garden. Mrs. Haag now serves as Woodville’s membership chairperson. “I have always emphasized the docents’ role in the community as patriots,” Mrs. Haag says. “By preserving and educating people about Woodville Plantation, we renew the ideas of our colonial ancestors concerning life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Her daughter also treasures the lessons she has learned about the colonial period. Julianna summarizes her volunteer experience as a junior docent with this thought: “Most importantly, I have come to possess a greater respect for our nation’s first veterans and their patriotism.”
In addition to the Sunday tours held May through October; appointments for private tours and school groups are available. Woodville is always in need of new members and museum aides and docents. For more information, visit www.woodvilleplantation.org for more information.
