A Property Worth Saving

Welcome to Merrybrook, the only known remaining home of civil war heroine Laura Ratcliffe. She lived here from 1869 until her death in 1923. The interior, out-buildings and lovely grounds still retain the atmosphere of earlier times. And we want to preserve that!

Our Mission

The Friends of Laura Ratcliffe was founded with the core mission of preserving her historic 19th century home, Merrybrook. Merrybrook holds a special place in Virginia history and was duly recognized on the National Historic Register in 2007. It was the former home of the Confederate spy, Laura Ratcliffe, significant for her heroism in saving Col. John Mosby's life and for providing valuable intelligence to Gen. J.E.B. Stuart in the early years of the Civil War.

However, given the ever-increasing toll development has taken on Virginia historic sites, our mission has also taken on the larger goal of assisting in the preservation of the rich history of our state. To that end, the Friends of Laura Ratcliffe organization seeks to use the assets of the house and grounds of Merrybrook to broaden and enrich students' and visitors' experience and understanding of the 19th century.

We are making every effort to keep Merrybrook intact and viable for the benefit of future generations, and for Virginia, and are asking the help of the broader community to achieve this goal.

2346 Centreville Rd
Herndon, VA 20171

"If you have something precious, you must guard it — or it will disappear." – WM