Bel Air
Why it's listed
Bel Air is a brick house of one-and-one-half stories near Minnieville, Prince William County, Virginia. It sits on a high stone foundation and has small dormers, a large exterior chimney at the west end and a smaller one at the east. Tradition dates it to 1740, built over the basement of an earlier house, and it is thought to have been built by Captain Charles Ewell. The brickwork is mostly Flemish bond, with visible nineteenth-century rebuilding on the north front. Inside, a central hall plan, mid-eighteenth-century paneling and a removable wooden partition between the southwest room and the hall are notable. The property is best known for Mason Locke Weems, who married Frances Ewell in 1795 and moved to Bel Air around 1808 or 1809. Weems wrote a popular biography of George Washington that introduced the cherry tree story, and he was buried in the family cemetery. The house is a study in how a building changed over time.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to Mason Locke Weems, the first biographer of George Washington, who lived there for his last fifteen years and is buried in the family cemetery. It was thought to have been built by Captain Charles Ewell, whose family was related to Washington's mother. Architecturally, it shows structural evolution within a house measuring 38' x 51'.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 70000823, listed February 26, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | W of Rte. 640, Minnieville |
|---|---|
| County | Prince William County |
| Listed | February 26, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000823 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century |
| Architect / builder | Thought to have been built by Captain Charles Ewell |
| Areas of significance | Literature, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in excellent condition, unaltered, on its original site, and used as a private residence. The statement of significance notes the house stood empty for long periods after Weems's death. |
| Acreage | 225 |
| Coordinates | 38.64091, -77.36018 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 70000823.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15198191
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.