Summer Picnic and Hard Hat Tour at Menokin Plantation

Join us for the annual APT DC Summer Picnic, held at Menokin Plantation in Warsaw, Virginia! This event will be co-hosted by the Latrobe Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians.

About Menokin: Menokin is the former home of Francis Lightfoot Lee, signer of the Declaration of Independence. It is a National Historic Landmark and was documented in the 1940s by the Historic American Buildings Survey. The current project involves a multi-phase plan to stabilize the existing ruins, reconstruct a small portion, and creatively employ glass to provide the site with a restored sense of the scale of the original building. This project is currently in the stabilization and reconstruction phase of work. The picnic will include an optional hard hat tour of the project site.

Picnic: APT DC and SAH Latrobe will be serving typical picnic fare, cold sandwiches, chips, lemonade, water, soda, fruit, cheese, etc. At time of registration, please note any dietary restrictions. The event is BYOBooze, but we remind people not to drink and drive. Attendees are encouraged to bring significant others, children, and other guests. Small children left unsupervised will be given candy and a puppy. The site has some picnic tables but folks are requested to bring blankets or collapsing chairs to sit in as there may not be enough room depending on attendance. We also encourage attendees to bring lawn games and other activities.

Hard Hat Tour: A hard hat tour will be available of the ruin site. Those wanting to take the tour must bring their own hard hat and wear closed-toed shoes. A waiver will be provided and must be signed prior to entering the site. There will be an extended tour available to walk down to the visitor's center to see the work we've done to prepare down there with a stop at the Remembrance Structure. This structure is a place of contemplation to remember those who were enslaved on the property. The ruins are, unfortunately, not very accessible and are absolutely not wheelchair accessible. 

Children are encouraged to tour the site, but must have a hard hat and closed-toed shoes. Generally, the site is best for children 12 and up, though younger kids may participate on a case by case basis. Parents must sign a waiver for each child taking the tour and a parent must accompany each child under the age of 16. 

Please Note:

1. Members and guests of both APT DC and SAH Latrobe Chapter are welcome and encouraged to attend!
2. No transportation will be provided to and from this event. If you would like to offer your vehicle or request a ride to carpool, please email John_Sandor@nps.gov.
3. There are two portable toilets on site. We will have plenty of hand sanitizer available.
   
4. There are bugs, in particular ticks, and we recommend people wear long pants tucked into their boots and wear bug repellant. 

Photo credit: Menokin Foundation