Belmont Country Club History

1799-1802

1799-1802

Manor House was erected by Ludwell Lee, son of Richard Henry Lee, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Ludwell Lee served as aide-de-camp to General Lafayette in the campaign of 1781. He acquired the Belmont property through his first wife, Flora Lee, who inherited the land through their common grandfather, Thomas Lee of Stratford. The house ranks in quality with the five-part mansions of Washington, Baltimore, and Annapolis, as well as Woodlawn in Fairfax County. No name, however, has been associated with its design. The composition is characterized by fine detailing inside and out.

1825

1825

General Lafayette donates elaborate mantels during a visit to the home, originals still exist today

1836

1836

Following Ludwell Lee’s death in 1836, Belmont was sold to Miss Margaret Mercer, daughter of a former Maryland governor, who operated a school in the house.

1851

1851

Property acquired from Miss Mercer’s heirs by George Kephart, who also owned Coton, the plantation of Ludwell Lee’s cousin, Thomas Ludwell Lee, located across from the Leesburg Turnpike from Belmont.

1887

1887

Belmont purchased by Frederick M. Staunton, former governor of Kansas.

1907

1907

Mr. & Mrs. John Scott Ferguson of Pittsburgh acquired Belmont and engaged Pittsburgh architect T. Kent Roberts to modernize the building. His work resulted primarily in the enlarging of the rear wing, the remodeling of the terminal wings, and the improvement of the physical plant.

1915

1915

Belmont purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. McLean, Washington socialites. Mr. McLean was the son of the owner-publisher of the Washington Post. Mrs. McLean (Evelyn Walsh) is best remembered as being an owner of the famous Hope Diamond.

1931

1931

During the McLean ownership, Belmont became noted as a fine horse farm. However, the Depression caused the horses to be auctioned.

1932

1932

Whole estate sold to Patrick J. Hurley, secretary of war in the Hoover administration.

1943

1943

The Hurleys sold Belmont and its contents to the late George C. Clarke, a Washington D.C. attorney.

1969

1969

Belmont was purchased by the IBM (International Business Machines) Corporation but was never used.

1974

1974

Mr. & Mrs. George Clarke retained a life interest in the house, but this interest was given up when the widowed Mrs. Clarke vacated the house.

1976

September 21

Listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register.

1980

February 8

Listed on the National Register of Historical Places.

1995

1995

Purchased & restored by Toll Brothers, Inc.

2001

September

Belmont Country Club opens.

2002

2002

Arnold Palmer visits and plays 9-holes.

2019

2019

Purchased by Invited.