Merrybrook
National Register of Historic Places

Merrybrook

Herndon, Fairfax County, Virginia
Listed
April 25, 2007
Type
Building
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
07000362

About this property

Merrybrook is the only known remaining home of American Civil War Confederate spy Laura Ratcliffe. The house is located south of Herndon, Virginia, in Fairfax County, Virginia. She lived here from the earliest days of the Civil War until her death in 1923. The interior, out-buildings and grounds still retain the atmosphere of earlier times. In early March 2007, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources approved the current owner's application and placed Merrybrook on the Virginia Landmarks Register. The application to put Merrybrook on the National Historic Register is currently awaiting approval from the National Park Service. However, urban encroachment continues — the recent widening of Centreville Road was a near miss for Merrybrook, which still survives behind the trees.

Location

2346 Centreville Rd.
Herndon, Fairfax County, Virginia
38.95576, -77.40833

Categories

ARCHITECTUREMILITARY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Merrybrook

This page lists Merrybrook. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Merrybrook report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Frying Pan Meetinghouse
Industrial
1.1 mi
Floris Historic District
Listed
1.2 mi
Herndon Depot
Industrial
1.6 mi
Herndon Historic District
Listed
1.7 mi
Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery
Industrial
3 mi

Nearby Battles

Mosby's Raid at Aldie
1863Civil War
1.5 mi
Skirmish at Herndon Station
1863Civil War
1.5 mi
Skirmish at Dranesville
1861Civil War
3.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Merrybrook listed on the National Register?

Merrybrook was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 25, 2007.

What type of historic resource is Merrybrook?

Merrybrook is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Merrybrook?

The period of significance for Merrybrook is recorded as the civil_war era, specifically around 1923.

Can I research the history near Merrybrook?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Merrybrook will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Fairfax County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Fairfax County.

Explore FairfaxCounty ›

More historic places in Virginia

Browse all historic places in Virginia.

View Virginiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Virginia history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Virginiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Merrybrook will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report