The Daniel Harrison House, also known as Fort Harrison, is the oldest house in Dayton, Virginia and one of the oldest in Rockingham County. The two-story stone house was built about 1749 by Daniel Harrison, first settler of Dayton.
A brick wing was added sometime between the 1830s and the 1850s by owners John and Sarah Allebaugh, who raised 10 daughters here. The original house was remodeled during the 1850s to make it more modern and stylish, with details like enlarged windows and a new staircase.
The nineteenth-century summer kitchen has been reconstructed and is open for viewing.
Owners of the Daniel Harrison House |
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The house was last occupied in the 1960s. It was bought in 1977 by Fort Harrison, Incorporated, a non-profit organization formed to restore and maintain it. Restoration work began in 1978. The restored house was opened to the public in 1982.
The Daniel Harrison House is open to visitors every weekend from May through October, and for groups by appointment.
Directions: From Harrisonburg, take Route 42 south. Travel 3 miles and look for signs on the right side at the first traffic light. Turn right and then the first left, Fort Harrison is on the right side.
For information about the Daniel Harrison House or membership in Fort Harrison, Incorporated, contact:
| Fort Harrison, Inc P.O. Box 366 Dayton, VA 22821 (540) 879-2280 |
Jacqueline Buchanan Office: 540-879-2280 Home: 540-879-2272 e-mail: gatewood10@aol.com |
