Bringing Back Sligo

Breathing new life into an Italianate home in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Bringing Back Sligo
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  • Monthly Archives: July 2019

    • It Was an Interesting Night…Part II

      Posted at 7:48 pm by Lauren Tepaske, on July 31, 2019

      Man, the more I think about it the more this may be a three parter…

      So, where were we?  Marcus and I were invited to be a part of the paranormal investigation at Sligo.  It was a no-brainer for me and I immediately said “yes.”  Marcus wasn’t as into the whole thing and opted out.  Damn that logical, engineer brain of his.  We did have one mutual concern though and that was we didn’t want our house to be known as “haunted” and people find out and try to get into into it.  Once we talked it over with the paranormal team we all agreed to do this with complete secrecy.  And now I’m writing about it so, secret’s out.

      Alright, so the day of the investigation the team arrives around 6:00 in the evening and start walking through the house.  On the paranormal team were Carl, Paula, and Paris.  On my “team” were my mom (hi mom!) and my ride or die biatch, Lori.  The two women from the paranormal team were particularly sensitive and I noticed a few times there were some areas of the house that appeared to affect them as they whispered back and forth.  Meanwhile, as we all walked through the house, questions were asked about its history and eyebrows were raised as I gave information such as its use as a small pox hospital.

      Once our tour of the main house was over we stood outside and chatted a bit about what Paula and Paris had felt or seen.  It was hard for them to articulate but it coincided with what I had been told by a previous resident of the house.  To touch on that a little, I haven’t written about what the previous resident told me because it isn’t my story to tell.  With that being said, I was excited for the night’s adventure to find out if I could validate their story.

      Almost immediately at least one experience of the previous resident was validated.  The two women had seen two “elemental energies” peaking out from the attic.  From my very rudimentary knowledge of the paranormal, “elemental energy” is less the energy of a person who passed and more of a natural energy of the surroundings.  It is known to be very impish or childlike in nature.  The very presence of these energies and the room in which they were seen lined up exactly with the previous resident’s story.

      Up to this point, everything was being discussed in front of our girls who listened, eyes wide.  I thought it was a very natural conversation to be having but Marcus was less than thrilled.  I have to admit, our youngest can be difficult challenging impossible and it was right to be concerned how she would eventually react to all of this knowledge.  He and the girls left after that with the youngest believing our conversation was about another person’s house.  Crisis averted.  (Funny side story:  That day I asked the girls what they thought a person should wear to a ghost hunt.  The oldest, and more pragmatic of the two, suggested all black.  The youngest suggested I wear a sheet with eyes and a mouth cut out so I would fit in better.  She then wanted me to be sure to take a picture with the ghost.  So, quite honestly, I don’t know if she was as affected by all of the ghost talk or not.)

      Anyway, after a break for dinner we all regrouped and the task of setting-up for the investigation began.  I never asked if what the paranormal team use for their investigations is proprietary or not so I will assume that it was and leave out detailed information.  Since I used to be an avid “Ghost Hunters” watcher I was feeling pretty confident in my skills and knowledge.  That’s pretty much where it ended though because the second we stepped into Sligo all confidence was lost.

      The first area of the house we wanted to investigate was in the aforementioned second floor room where Paula and Paris had seen the elemental energies.  My heart was pounding, my hands were sweaty (also because it was no less than one million degrees upstairs), and I really wanted to look up towards the attic but was too chicken shit to do so.  Paula and Paris both took turns trying to get the spirits to communicate with various methods but with very little success.  After some time, we went back downstairs.

      Once downstairs Carl told us we had a lot of orb activity that he could see on the monitor he was watching plus he was hearing footsteps from the porch through the foyer.  The next room we chose to look in was on the first floor and judging by the monitor, heavy with orb activity.  I was using a device to detect cold spots and at one point Paris asked me to hold still.  Paris, Lori, and I were all very intently looking at it when I had the distinct feeling that someone was almost cheek to cheek with me as if part of the group, viewing the screen.  I turned my head expecting to see Lori but she was a at least one foot away.  That was my first personal and inexplicable experience of the night.

      From the first floor we made our way to the basement into one room in particular that had seriously affected Paula and Paris when first touring the house.  We conducted an electronic voice phenomenon (EVP) session which consisted of Paula, Paris, my mom, and myself standing in complete silence as someone asks questions.  After about a minute of asking questions, the session ended and we played back the recording to listen for any abnormal noises.  About 10 seconds into the recording a very distinct, male voice can be heard saying “Here we go.”  There were not any men in the basement at that time.

      Posted in Haunted, Life, Main House | 2 Comments
    • It Was an Interesting Night…Part I

      Posted at 10:07 pm by Lauren Tepaske, on July 30, 2019

      You’re going to have to excuse me and whatever I write because I didn’t get home until 3:00 in the morning and didn’t fall asleep until almost 4.  I was feeling a little wired and anxious over the night’s events and needed about an hour to crawl into bed and decompress which is why it took an hour to fall asleep.  Then, the kids, having a wanton disregard for my comfort, were awake and running into my room around 7 excited to see if I had survived the night.

      I had survived the night though I felt totally hungover.  I think it was a combination of a lack of sleep, dehydration, and (dare I say?) getting older.  I texted my girlfriend who was with me last night, “Is this a sign of aging? *crying emoji crying emoji crying emoji*” and she said it was because she’s usually the voice of reason.  Then we reminisced about how when we were in our 20s we could drink out butts off, go to bed well after 3:00 in the morning, and wake up feeling less crappy.  I don’t necessarily miss those days but I do miss having a little more resiliency.

      By this point, two whole paragraphs in, you’re probably wondering what the heck am I talking about?  So, I shall tell you.  A few months ago I posted on Facebook that every now and then a picture I thought I took at Sligo would not be in the gallery on my phone.  It was a semi-sarcastic/semi-serious post because it is true.  The few times a pictures has gone missing it has always only been pictures I have taken at the house.

      Anyway, the next morning I woke-up to a message from the head of a paranormal investigation team who asked for me to call him.  I did and we talked and I told him the few things I knew about the house and alluded to some experiences I knew others had.  Eventually, and over the course of a month or so, we set-up a time for he and his team to come out and investigate Sligo.  And, the best part out of all of that?  Marcus and I were invited to tag along…

      To be continued…(and yes, I have a very devilish grin right now because I just know there are are a few of you who are probably freaking out reading this).

      Posted in Haunted, Life, Main House | 2 Comments
    • One Year Anniversary

      Posted at 7:32 am by Lauren Tepaske, on July 27, 2019

      Can you believe it?  Our one year anniversary from when I started writing this blog has come and gone and I did nothing to recognize it!  One year ago we were still getting numbers from contractors on exactly how much it would cost to restore the place.  The numbers came in a little (who am I kidding?) a lot higher than we expected and it resulted in us refinancing almost one year later and depleting my retirement account along with what little we had saved up in the girls savings account (we owe them) but we’re making it work.  Somehow.

      Despite the stress that is finances we’re still alive and surprisingly still married.  Equally surprising is the fact that we still have two children because it’s summer and I’m barely hanging on by a thread.  As far as I can tell we also still have the love and support of our family and friends who I think understand that our lives have been consumed by all things Sligo, and children, and activities, and sometimes sleeping (just to start it all over again the next day).

      While I have grow accustomed to the current state of Sligo I forget exactly what it looked like one year ago.  How Marcus ever saw this literal “diamond in the rough” I’ll never know.  I remember my jaw dropping when I first stepped foot inside the house.  It was, and still is, so overwhelming and I just did not understand why he thought the house was so amazing.  I suppose it’s a lucky thing he did (though more for you than for me, I think).

      I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read what I write and I especially appreciate the words of encouragement and praise.  I realize that, with my writing, you can never be too sure what you’re going to get.  Sometimes it might be silly or sarcastic or sad or simply statistical (alliteration, what?!).  No matter which “me” you get I hope you continue on our journey with us.

       

      Posted in Life | 0 Comments
    • How’s the Cottage Coming Along?

      Posted at 2:21 pm by Lauren Tepaske, on July 20, 2019

      The other night I had a dream in which both my sister-in-law and I shaved our heads bald.  I texted her and told her about it and gave my own, uneducated psychological diagnosis for the dream which was “we’re losing our shit.”  The funny thing was, even though she had shaved her head she still looked gorgeous with long, flowing locks.  I, on the other hand, looked like Gollum.  I’m not trying to make this into a pissing match but, I think it means I’m legit going crazy.

      So, to catch you all up:  We moved-in with my mom last August (hi, mom!).  We decided the best course of action would be to renovate the Cottage and move-in while the Main House was being renovated.  I think the logic there was the Cottage is significantly smaller and therefore should take less time to fix-up.  So, our first, self-imposed deadline to be moved into the Cottage was before Christmas.  Then it was after Christmas.  Then, I think it was Easter.  Then it was the end of July…

      fake smile

      Me, whenever someone asks how the renovations are going and when we’re moving into the Cottage.

      In retrospect, when we purchased the property, the Cottage was in a worse state than that of the Main House.  A portion of the roof was gone and the house had been open to the elements for years.  Obviously, the entire roof needed to be replaced plus we had to replace an entire wall and flooring on both the first and second floors.  Animals had made a home in it and it had signs of people staying in it as well.  In other words, it was in really bad shape and while we Marcus has certainly come a long way in the repairs it still remains uninhabitable.

      Anyway, as time has gone on and the renovations of both the Cottage and the Main House have begun to pace each other, it occurred to me that we might as well wait and simply move into the Main House when it is ready.  The conversation was had about a month or so ago when I mentioned that it might be better for the family if we didn’t have to move, what would essentially be, three times in one year.  Yesterday, after working in the ungodly heat which I suppose is what brought about the following epiphany, Marcus  mentioned he thought it might be better for the family if we didn’t have to move, what would essentially be, three times in one year.  Huh.  That sounded familiar.

      I have yet to really finesse the fine art of letting the man think he makes all of the wonderful decisions in the family so instead of saying “That’s a great idea!” I said something more like “Oh, funny, because I said the same exact thing not that long ago” followed by an accusatory eyebrow raise (my humility is a work in progress).  Despite it totally being my idea to begin with but Marcus getting the credit for it (dang it, there I go again) we are now on the same page and will be staying with my mom until the Main House is completed.

      When asked if she would be alright with us continuing to live with her all my mom had to say was she was definitely going to be buying her rather skittish dog a set of noise canceling headphones.

      Posted in Cottage, Life, Main House | 0 Comments
    • Sligo as a Hospital

      Posted at 7:39 pm by Lauren Tepaske, on July 18, 2019

      To continue our lecture on the fact and fiction of Sligo we now turn to the hospital stories.  If you read the Works Progress Administration (WPA) report or any other articles regarding the house you will find that the previous home at Sligo was a Revolutionary War hospital, a hospital for the local Gunnery Factory, a smallpox hospital, a Civil War hospital, a hospital just for the sake of being a hospital, and a doll hospital because, why not?  That last bit isn’t true, just so you know (sarcasm can be hard to get across when writing).

      I have found a few definitive instances of Sligo being used as a smallpox hospital.  According to Quinn, in 1790 and 1792 the sick were quarantined at Sligo and attended to by a Dr. Brooke and Dr. Kerr (The History of the City of Fredericksburg Virginia, p. 66).  Also, Deaderick did use a legitimate source in her WPA report for Sligo when she cited Council Minutes from 22 June 1796:  “…the Overseers of the Poor be requested to rent the house at ‘Sligo,’ at present occupied as a hospital, to be used as such for one year, and that Dr. Kerr be requested to attend the said hospital when it shall be necessary” (WPA, Sligo – Site, 2 June 1937).  In a few of the reports it states that the house is unoccupied before being commissioned as a hospital and I am not sure what that means exactly.  It does, however, confirm my belief that some people owned the land but never lived there (that’s a post for another day as it is still very much a work in progress as I try to determine who was who and where and when and why and sometimes how).

      A third instance of the house being used as a hospital comes from the City of Fredericksburg’s Historic Court Records archive online (https://www.fredericksburgva.gov/998/Historic-Court-Records) and is written as follows:

      A notice issued this morning calling all the magistrates together to fix upon a site proper for the establishment of an hospital for the diseased with the smallpox, when it was unanimously agreed (present: Robert Lewis, Mayor; William Gordon, Recorder; William J. Roberts; John Hart; and, William Allen, J.P.) that the house now unoccupied belonging to John Ferneyhough near the banks of the Rappahannock below the Hazle Run be immediately prepared for the reception of the sick – that a guard of two men be employed to watch night & day alternately to prevent any communication with the neighborhood & town & to prevent all intercourse with the hospital unless it be by the nurse, physician & those who furnish diet to the sick. At a meeting of the Common Hall yesterday (Present: Thomas Goodwin; William Gordon; Robert Parrott; Henry T. Phillips; Robert Mackay; Joseph Walker; Charles Austin; and, Robert Ellis) to take into consideration the propriety of providing by appropriation for the sick & diseased with the smallpox in the natural way. It was ordered that one hundred dollars be set apart for the purpose & that the Mayor be directed to draw for the same at his discretion for the above purposes.

      I have yet to confirm if the house was truly used as a hospital during any of the wars it has witnessed.  During the Civil War in particular, I find it hard to believe that it was used as a hospital because the Union soldiers looted and ransacked the property after the Ferneyhoughs fled.  It’s also really only speculation that it was a doll hospital however, there were approximately nine little girls (perhaps more) born and raised at the property so one could assume it admitted quite a few injured dollies.  So, despite the concrete evidence for some of the mentions of the house as a hospital, it is safe to say that Sligo has seen it’s fair share of sickness and sadness.

      Posted in Grounds, History, Hospital, Main House, Wars | 1 Comment
    • Clearing Up Some Dates

      Posted at 8:18 pm by Lauren Tepaske, on July 17, 2019

      I had an interesting online encounter the other day when I corrected a gentleman about the history of Sligo. What made it interesting is that he was refuting what I was saying by quoting my own, incorrect, material which he had retrieved online from the Department of Historic Resources (DHR). It was the very first form I had filled out in order to start the nomination process for getting Sligo on the National Historic Registry and unfortunately, it was a little less than accurate.

      In the end, I was irritated because it was my fault the incorrect information was out there (though for a brief second I was irritated because I felt like I was being mansplained by having a complete stranger tell me about my house). While I still have yet to fully embrace the idea of living in the house I have come to feel a bit protective of Sligo, it’s people, and the history. What is most important to me, though, is getting the history right which has proven to be a lofty goal.

      In the beginning all of the information I had of the house came from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) of Virginia Historical Inventory. In a nutshell, the WPA was a program meant to employ men and women until the economy recovered from the Great Depression. One of the smallest branches of the WPA was the Historical Records Survey whose official mission statement was the “discovery, preservation, and listing of basic materials for research in the history of the United States” (taken from Wikipedia and if my college professors knew I used it as a source they would die).

      Sligo’s WPA report was written by Nettie Moore Deaderick in 1937 and her bibliography lists various persons of Fredericksburg and Deed Books. So, while the information Deaderick retrieved from the Deed Books are certainly valid, I have to take with a grain of salt what statements were given by folks who had simply lived in the area for a long time. It’s through the WPA that I was given misinformation such as the house burning down in 1863 and, who can forget, the infamous skeleton in a cage. In my haste and excitement to get the nomination started I didn’t take the time to fully appreciate what the WPA reports were and how accurate, or inaccurate, they might be.

      So, to clear just a few things up: The house burnt down in 1888 and was promptly rebuilt, with construction likely ending in 1889. This was confirmed by the discovery of a newspaper article as well as the inscription carved into the brick of the foundation and an interior brick of the basement. There have only been two dwelling homes on the site, the first one built circa 1760 (this is according to the City of Fredericksburg’s records and I have yet to verify it though Mutual Assurance Society maps of the early 1800s show a single-story structure in the same shape as the current house) and the second house was built in 1889 (as previously stated so remember that date because there may be a pop quiz later).

      While I have much more to write in order to clear-up a few of the details of the house I will leave it at this for now. Supposedly, blog posts should never reach more than 600 words and I am rapidly approaching that number. I tend to give more information than necessary like when someone asks for directions and I give them more landmarks than actual directions because I’m trying to be helpful but in reality I’m just making the situation more confusing for the driver of the car, crap I’m over 600 words.

      Posted in History, Life | 1 Comment
    • Recent Posts

      • Preoccupied December 20, 2021
      • The “Haunting” of Sligo August 4, 2021
      • Rehabilitation Tax Credits April 27, 2021
      • Put Me in Blogger Jail April 6, 2021
      • Virginia Historic Registry and the National Landmark Registry August 6, 2020
      • My Good Boy, Axel July 14, 2020
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