Graffiti at Blenheim House
In Fairfax, VA, down a long, gravel driveway, sits a home. It looks like any other historic home, but this home has a secret within and upon its walls. Blenheim House holds the collective memory of 125 Union soldiers who left their mark on the home through the use of graffiti. There are signatures, pictures, and stories recorded from the years of 1862 and 1863. This Confederate home was commandeered by the Union Troops in July of 1861 after the Battle of the First Manassas. It was used to house soldiers and, at times, was used as a hospital.
There are layers of signatures. The colors and brilliance reflect the different mediums used to create the signatures. Amos Phillips's signature appears as a faint shadow in the background of a more brilliant signature.
A juxtaposition of Blenheim as it looks now, and as it might have appeared then. What similarities or differences do you observe?