This year marks the 210th anniversary of the historic Georgetown Pike. The Great Falls Citizens Association partnered with The Arts of Great Falls to create and sell an exceptional ornament to commemorate the milestone. It is the second in the series.
The image is of the historic Cornwell Farmhouse, which has overlooked Georgetown Pike almost from its inception (est. 1813). The construction of the house began in 1828 but took several years to complete.
Many years ago, Walt Lawrence of The Artists' Atelier on Walker Road in Great Falls photographed the home with two horses winter grazing in the snow. The image is printed on the ornaments with Lawrence's permission. It captures the site's essence and evokes nostalgia for the now-alternate view.
Only 200 of the memento ornaments are available, according to Winne Frost of the Great Falls Citizens Association, so supplies are limited. Display it as a holiday decoration or year-round as a window suncatcher.
The Pike is one of only four major Northern Virginia turnpikes built in the early 1800s that is still in use. In 1974, the Virginia Commonwealth recognized and designated the Pike as the first historic and scenic byway. In 2012, the National Park Service added the Pike to the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing it as a valuable roadway to protect.
Bill Canis of GFCA said that the proceeds from the ornament sale would go toward community programs. Frost named the old-growth restoration project behind the Grange Hall on the Pike. Plantings and materials are required for the understory areas, which will serve as a demonstration project for what people can do in their yards.
The Great Falls Citizens Association and The Arts of Great Falls are selling the ornaments at Hidden Springs Farm, 438 River Bend Road, on weekends through Dec. 3, and at the Great Falls Atelier, 765 Walker Road, Great Falls, throughout the holiday season for $20 each. See gfca.org to learn more about Georgetown Pike and Cornwall Farm.