Federal investment will protect the 1757 Culpeper County landmark and expand public access

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Federal investment will protect the 1757 Culpeper County landmark and expand public access

STEVENSBURG, VA – SEPTEMBER 23, 2026 — Historic Germanna has been awarded $708,870 through the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund Semiquincentennial Program for “Salubria Rehabilitation and Public Access.”

The three-year project will protect vulnerable historic materials, address drainage and moisture concerns, improve visitor safety, and create an ADA-accessible entrance. The work will also make it possible to reopen Salubria’s second floor, which is currently closed because of safety concerns.

“This award represents a tremendous investment in Salubria’s future and recognizes the importance of this historic place well beyond our region,” said Jennifer Hurst-Wender, Executive Director of Historic Germanna. “It will allow us to protect the house while preparing Salubria to welcome more students, residents, and visitors.”

Built in 1757 for the Reverend John Thompson and his wife, Butler Brayne Spotswood Thompson, Salubria is an exceptionally intact example of mid-18th-century Georgian architecture in Virginia’s Piedmont. Its surviving original features preserve evidence of colonial craftsmanship and domestic life, including the skill and labor of the free and enslaved people who shaped and sustained the property.

The award comes as the nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of American independence. Salubria is a connection to Virginia’s founding era and a place where visitors can encounter a fuller history of the region and its people.

Since 2024, Historic Germanna has offered seasonal open hours at Salubria from Memorial Day through Labor Day, expanding access beyond prearranged tours. The grant will build on those first three seasons and help establish Salubria as a more active public resource and heritage tourism destination for Culpeper County and the surrounding region.

The new award also builds on earlier support from the National Park Service and the Roller-Bottimore Foundation, which funded Salubria’s Historic Structure Report, updated National Register documentation, paint analysis, and early preservation work. Together, these efforts have established a clear path for the property’s preservation and public use.

The public can experience Salubria during the second annual Salubria Oktoberfest and History Faire on October 17, 2026. The event will feature history, food, music, demonstrations, and activities on the historic grounds. A new permanent exhibition will also debut late this fall, sharing recent research and introducing visitors to how we know what we know about Salubria.

About Historic Germanna
Historic Germanna inspires understanding and engagement in the Germanna region through archaeology, education, genealogy, and preservation. The organization stewards historic and natural resources in Culpeper, Fauquier, and Orange counties, including Salubria, Siegen Forest, the Fort Germanna and Enchanted Castle archaeological site, Hitt Farm, and its Fort Germanna Visitor Center campus. For more information, visit www.germanna.org.