University of Virginia Library

SANTEE

Santee, familiarly known as "The Gordon Place" was originally
one of the many Fitzhugh country seats and is one of the most
interesting places in Caroline. The house was built by Battaile
Fitzhugh in 1807 and is about one-half mile distant from Prospect
Hill. Here, as at Prospect Hill, are the same masses of boxwood,
locust, poplar linden and walnut trees and the same symmetrical
hollies guarding the entrace. Here too are the bridal wreath,
honeysuckle, summer lilacs, phlox, clematis, calycanthus, wild
roses, mimosa, flowering quince, euonymus and privet hedge.
The old rose garden and the grape vine arbor are haunted with
that indefinable something which cannot be put in words or set
to music. Dora C. Jett in Historic Gardens of Virginia, from
which the foregoing is taken, says: "It was in the grape vine dell
probably that Patsy, the beautiful daughter and only child of
Battaile Fitzhugh, plighted her troth to Samuel Gordon, of
historic Kenmore. `I love you,' said Patsy, `but I cannot leave
Santee' and ever since that time the place has been owned and
occupied by members of the Gordon family. Today the grandson
of the late Robert V. Gordon holds sway over the old homestead."

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Present House on The Neck Plantation