All of us have secrets and stories to tell; these memoirs, collectively, comprise our human history. Letters, diaries, and historical documents memorialize life stories and record legacies for future generations.
Every once in a while, through an extraordinary set of circumstances, the past collides with the future of a person and a place and they become inextricably intertwined. Such is the case in the histories of several families who called Springfields home, and the juxtaposition of the lives of these families thus presents a challenge.
Architect Gail Babnew, inspired by her love of history and her aspiration to discover stories untold, accepted the challenge, dedicating the last ten years of her life to researching and writing the unique and fascinating history of lives intertwined at her home in Gordonsville, Virginia. Called Springfields, it is one of the state's most historic and beloved farms.
Springfields' Memoirs is a delightful documentary on the farm's history from the eighteenth to the twenty-first century. It chronicles Springfields' origin, establishment, and chain of title, as well as the mysteries, legacies, and legends left behind by those who previously lived on or visited the land, including generals, explorers, industrialists, and US presidents.
Comprehensive, compelling, and full of surprises, Springfields' Memoirs is a must read for anyone interested in history or historic preservation, particularly those with Old Dominion roots.
About the Author: Gail Babnew is a successful architect, wife, and mother whose past, present, and future are deeply rooted in Virginia. Born in Washington, DC, she spent her childhood on her family's horse farm in Middleburg, Virginia, launched a career in Los Angeles, and returned home to Virginia to reside at one of the state's most historic and beloved farms-Springfields.
A strong proponent for the restoration and preservation of historic properties, Babnew, upon her family's acquisition of Springfields, dedicated herself to investigating the farm's history and telling her story. She spent the past ten years researching Springfields' past and discovered many of the farm's mysteries, legacies, and legends, which she shares in her debut book, Springfields' Memoirs.
Babnew is a fourth great-grandniece of President James Madison and serves as co-chair of the Madison Cabinet at Montpelier and as a director of the National Society of Madison Family Descendants. Her love of history, heritage, and home is evident in her expertly researched and evocative story.
