The House That Built Me

Our fifth home in our series of

"The House that Built Me"comes from

Jennifer of The Prairie House Primitives

Jennifers says...

"In 1978 an excited little girl who loved horses more than anything in the world
embarked on a journey from the plains of Oklahoma to the beautiful rolling hills
country of Middleburg, Virginia. As our car wound through the hills and curves
of historic Loudoun County en route to our new home I remember my nose pressed
against the glass in awe of the magnifiscent stables, the miles of horse
fencing, and the most glorious horses my young eyes had ever seen.
The house that built me was my dream come true.

It wasnt so much the house per say...it was everything that came with it. Our
new home was smack dab in the middle of the biggest horse country in the United
States. It was home to some of the biggest hunter/jumper, flat track, and
steeplechase trainers in the country.

I wasted no time at all begging my parents to buy me my first pony... from then
on it was nothing but horses, horses, horses! When i wasnt riding, I was
grooming, or cleaning barns. I lived horses, breathed horses, and dreamed
horses. At the tender age of 12 became a working student for a well known
trainer and worked every day of my summer vacation. I rode with Olympians and
learned from some of the best...

The house that built me taught me about discipline,hard work and that dreams can come true...
And although I didnt know it at the time this place that built me also created a love of something else...history.
Our farmhouse was built during the Civil War and sat on the SnickersvilleTurnpike, which was
the first toll road in the United States. In the early 1800's the area was
discovered by well to do Pennsylvanian William Mount who named the small town
after him-Mountville. In 1817 the town post office was open for business. It
still stood on our property when we purchased it over 150 years later. Inside
the old post office were the orginal mail counters...in later years a general
store was added to the post office. There were still old tin advertising signs
hanging on the wall that I sure wished I had kept!

My brother and I loved to explore and not long after wemoved in we found an old
rock pile that contained some old slave shackles...It was rumored
that a confederate treasure was buried in the woods adjacent to our house and we logged alot of miles looking for it!!!
The house that built me was home to my dreams and although it wasnt til years
later I realize I am blessed that it also gave me a love of history and all
things old and worn..."

A big thank you to Jennifer for sharing with us the house that built you!