Lancaster County Landmarks - Mappy Monday

This map, hand drawn by Louise Palmer Strong, was enclosed in a letter to my husband's grandfather (and her first cousin) dated 24 Feb 1956. The map shows the location of Clifton, the Palmer home, in relation to other historic landmarks in the area. At the time photographers from National Geographic had just finished photographing the home for the April 1956 issue featuring several Virginia colonial homes.

Clifton was originally part of King Carter's land and probably served as a hunting lodge. His descendants sold the house and farm to James Armistead Palmer in 1843. Palmer died shortly after, but his daughter Maria Lee Palmer and son John Armistead Palmer grew up at Clifton. Louise Strong was John Palmer's daughter.

Source

Louise Palmer Strong (Clifton; Kilmarnock, VA) to William Meredith Smith, letter, 24 Feb 1956; digital image, privately held by Smith descendant, [STREET ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], Frederick, MD.