Oliver farmhouse on Gallows Road for sale for $1.65 million
The old Oliver farmhouse, on 4011 Gallows Rd., is on the market for $1.65 million, which raises the possibility the house could be torn down and replaced with infill development. The sales listing on the online site Home Finder says the property offers an “opportunity for up to four million dollar-plus homes.”
The 1.54-acre property is zoned R-3, which allows three houses per acre. The wood-frame house has four bedrooms, two full bathrooms, one half-bath, and several porches. Although it’s on busy Gallows Road, large trees provide some privacy. Originally built in 1932, the house has been added to and renovated, but the listing says it needs updating.
The house was built by Robert Stringfellow Oliver, who had purchased 89 acres in Annandale in 1926 and operated a dairy farm there, according to the website, “A Look Back at Braddock District.” That land is now the Broyhill Crest community.
That website recounts the story of how Oliver moved to the house on Christmas Eve, 1931, along with his wife, Charlene Byrd Oliver, their seven children, and 24 cattle from their farm in Shirlington. It says, “The cattle drive and move were so well planned that Mrs. Oliver was able to entertain as usual on the very next day, Christmas.” Robert Oliver had been a streetcar driver in Washington, D.C., before becoming a farmer. In addition to dairy cows, the family had pigs, chickens, work horses, and a vegetable garden on their Annandale farm.
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| This photo of the Oliver farm is from the “A Look Back at Braddock History” website. The original photo was provided by Gladys Oliver McElwee. |
12 responses to “Oliver farmhouse on Gallows Road for sale for $1.65 million”
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It would be such a shame to loose that house. It always brought a lot of character to the area. Replacing it with three mcMansions that no one will want in 5 years would be an absolutely waste. NOVA needs a major zoning code overhaul.
Thank you Andy, that was my grandparents house. I also lived there in the 60s for a year. I love that house.
Awesome shot of the old dairy farm.
Realize this is a long link, but it is a shot of the old Annandlae water tower that stood in the backyard of what is now a home in Sleepy Hollow Woods not far from Columbia Pike and the Masonic Lodge…
http://digitool1.lva.lib.va.us:1801/view/action/singleViewer.do?dvs=1327375064001~852&locale=en_US&show_metadata=true&VIEWER_URL=/view/action/singleViewer.do?&DELIVERY_RULE_ID=4&search_terms=annandale&adjacency=Y&application=DIGITOOL-3&frameId=1&usePid1=true&usePid2=true
This is my children great grand parents home where their grandfather was raised
This was where my grandfather was raised as well!!
Cari
I would love to hear more about your families lives on Annandale farms. Please contact me, [email protected]
I wish that I could afford to buy it. I have so many good memories as a child visiting my grandparents there. Most all of their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren would meet there on Christmas day. We had such a good time. Seriously, all the family needs to meet together at the house. It all started there. There is so much history/stories there. I still have dreams about being in the house. Anyway, thats just how I feel..
Is this Jeff?
I also have many great memories of that house. Not to many with my Grandfather, as he died when I was only seven, but many special memories with my Grandma. Christmas was so special there with all the cousins, aunts & uncles. I had the opportunity to live there with my Mom and four siblings for a year in 1966. We loved playing in the big red barn, catching frogs in the creek, and hanging out with my cousins horse that she boarded there. It was by far, the best year of my childhood. I drive by there often and at times I want to stop and ask to see it, but then I kinda want to remember it as it was. I will be crushed if it gets torn down!
I just had a chuckle when reading Gladys Oliver McElwee's post (your mother?) at the Look Back at Braddock site about going to Alexandria to the store. Depending on when Rob Oliver actually said this, the local store (in Annandale) was likely owned by his cousin, W.T.(Temple) Carrico,Sr., my grandfather.
prices that high i could get 500 horses