Duff Mansion House

08/12/2026

08/06/2026

Eunice and I met today with Dr. Smiddy, Larry Hobbs, and Creig Wilson at the cemetery on Kane Gap Road where Vastine Stickley is buried. Plans are being made to clear some of the trees, restore tombstones, and provide easier access to the cemetery.
The community of Stickleyville was named in remembrance of Mr. Stickley. Anyone who would like to donate toward the restoration of the cemetery, either monetary, labor, or use of equipment, please contact me (Mary Ruth Laster). Your support will be greatly appreciated.

08/04/2026

New roof for the Duff Mansion House!

07/20/2026

See a Turkey? Let Us Know!

DWR wants your help with our annual Turkey Summer Sighting Survey, which runs from July through August 31. This survey, also known as the brood survey, has been ongoing in Virginia since the early 2000s and is one of our best indicators of annual turkey reproduction, and we’re looking to increase the amount of area surveyed. By incorporating observations from the public, we can expand our understanding of statewide turkey populations. If you see wild turkeys, whether it’s from your porch, your truck, your trail camera, or that one spot where they always seem to be minding everyone’s business, please report your sighting at the link in the comments.

We appreciate everyone who has participated in our wild turkey survey in the past, and we need your help again this summer.

📷: DWR Staff

06/24/2026

🚨 15 historic sites have been designated as Commonwealth landmarks! Among the 15 places recently listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register after the Board of Historic Resources' June quarterly meeting are a mid-1800s Greek Revival-style manor in the Commonwealth’s northern region that also functioned as one of Frederick County’s earliest public schools; a Richmond facility built in 1930 to house and care for the permanently disabled that has remained the only institution of its kind in the state; and a sprawling historic district in Halifax County encompassing resources that represent the quintessential pastoral farming community in Southside Virginia. To learn more about each property, check out the 🔗 in the comments.

06/22/2026

Happy Father's Day!

Daniel and Rebecca Boone had 6 sons, last of which was Nathan Boone. Nathan and his wife Olive settled this property after trading with Robert Hall. Nathan missed out on the initial land grants from the Spanish in 1799, as he returned to Kentucky to marry Olive. The couple arrived early 1800 and traded a horse, a bridle, and a saddle for the acreage along the Femme Osage Creek.

Daniel and Nathan's brother-in-law William Hays signed the trade as witnesses. In a much later interview with historian Lyman C. Draper, Nathan recalls that "...when I was married, it grieved the old colonel that he had nothing to give me and my wife with which to start our new life." Daniel's presence at this property shows his investment in his youngest son's future and family.

As a grandfather, Daniel and Rebecca took special care of Nathan's children. In 1809, they temporarily moved to St. Charles to be with James, Nathan's son who was schooling in the city. James had gotten homesick and the grandparents "...took a room at St. Charles, and kept house there for some time and made a home for little son James."

These little windows into the family life of the Boones help sketch out the character of Daniel Boone.

What memories do you share of relatives in your life?

Quotes from My Father, Daniel Boone, edited by Neil Hammon

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05/08/2026

The Duff Mansion House needs a new roof. Anyone who would be willing to help with the expense would be deeply appreciated.