Around 1847 and at the age of 50, William “Extra Billy” Smith (1797-1887) purchased a house with land just off Culpeper Street on the south side of Warrenton, Virginia. He set about greatly enlarging the house which he named Monte Rosa. It would later be renamed Neptune Lodge by James Kerfoot Maddux (1853-1930) who purchased the property in September, 1895. Maddux in his own right was also a prominent member of the Warrenton community. Mr. Maddux renamed the property in honor of one of his racehorses. The original property was located in the southern portion of the Town of Warrenton, with parts of it extending outside of the town’s limits. It included the Governor’s mansion, stables, an assortment of other farm related structures and approximately 220 acres of fields and woods. Today the property is in the heart of the Historic district of Warrenton and includes approximately seven acres of land consisting of the Governor’s mansion, stables, Extra Billy’s “office building”.

Monte Rosa is a notable historic home for multiple reasons:

It was built by a prominent attorney, a member of the House of Representatives and the two time and Civil War Governor of Virginia;
The house was originally built in an architecturally significant Italianate style and later converted to a Colonial style; while the large brick stables were and remain in the Italianate style’;
The property was used to operate US mail routes critical to a growing nation;
The property hosted and served as a command center by both Union and Confederate forces throughout the Civil War;
William “Extra Billy” Smith was a prominent Virginian and national figure and notable dignitaries of his time visited and worked from the property.

The Town of Warrenton was incorporated on January 5, 1810 and named for General Joseph Warren, a Revolutionary War hero. After a land grant from Richard Henry Lee, it became the Fauquier County seat. The original house was constructed about 1847–1848 on the south side of Warrenton. It is three story, brick and stucco structure and approximately 5,848 sq. ft. The house has a slate gable roof and side-passage floor plan. In the back of the main structure is a copper roof covered promenade that leads to a two-story brick smoke house. The house has sustained several periods of alteration. It was originally built in the Italianate architectural style with a sweeping front steps leading to the front door on the second floor. Today it now manifests the proportions and details of the Colonial Revival style with the main entrance now being on the ground level. Also on the property is an architecturally significant Italianate style brick stable (c. 1847) also built by Extra Billy to house his U.S. postal service; the aforementioned two-story brick smokehouse; and a two-story single-pile dwelling that dates from the late-19th century and is known as Extra Billy’s Office.

The original house was built in the Italianate style in the 1840s, as shown (to the left) in a promotional brochure produced for the failed South Warrenton development project. The original structure had a large ornate staircase that entered the house at the piano noble level (second floor). The Smith Mansion became well known for stylish entertaining as both Elizabeth and William Smith were heralded as being excellent hosts. Many notable and prominent figures in his business and political world came to Monte Rosa.

Substantive architectural modifications to the house, mostly completed by Maddux, change the appearance of the structure to its current Colonial Revival style.

The entrance was moved to the first floor and a welcoming entrance foyer with a crystal chandelier and stairway was established. Also, a grand copper roof, two-story Doric portico over the entrance at the front of the building was attached. The inserted black and white photograph above shows the house around Maddux’s ownership and after the noted architectural changes, while the color photograph below shows the house during the Macdonald’s tenure (1987 to current).

At the same time that Monte Rosa was being built, Extra Billy erected a large brick stable in a matching Italianate style and complete with a dominant central cupola.

The Italianate style of architecture was popular to Smith as it was similar in style to Smith’s childhood home Mt. Ecentric.

Monte Rosa, William “Extra Billy” Smith’s Italianate Brick Stable.

The Stable is considered to be a singular and exceptional example of a stable in this style in Virginia. The brick stable (shown to the left) is built in four sections measuring 164 feet in length. It has a central three-bay section with a pyramidal copper roofed cupola. A solid stone wall and slate roof horse barn was also constructed to the east of the main barn at some point. In 1991, the owners of Neptune Lodge, Michael and Kay Macdonald, promoted the listing of both the house and stable on the National Register of Historic places.

Smith and his society wife (married 1820), Elizabeth Hansbrough Bell, had eleven children. The house was central to the Smith family, their businesses and was the backdrop of State and National politics of the times. As a result, it was his private residence as well as the headquarters for his various business interests. Often Extra Billy’s business and political work required him to be gone for extended periods of time. While away, Elizabeth Smith saw to the day-to-day running of the property and his estate. The large Italianate brick barn Extra Billy built to the rear of the property housed his postal route horses and equipment, while a separate standalone building, still on the property, served as his office. Monte Rosa is historically significant due to its nexus to national and state politics and governance, 19th century modes of communication through his postal service routes, the Civil War and its architecture. Because of its central geographic location, often Monte Rosa served as the hub to numerous Civil War battles that occurred all around. Moreover in addition to Governor Smith and all of the politicians he hosted while in residence, the house hosted countless other prominent figures during the Civil War that included, amongst others, Major General Pleasanton, General Lee, Brigadier General Custer, General James McDowell and President’s Polk and Pierce (see Section 3.4).

During the Civil War, Warrenton changed hands 67 times, second only to Winchester, Virginia, but after 1862 it was primarily in Federal hands, with the nearby Rappahannock River serving as the dividing line between the forces. During the war the Town of Warrenton functioned as an occupied town with most of the large homes and churches were used as hospitals by both sides when they were in control of the area. During this time Monte Rosa housed the leadership of the occupying force at the time and served as a command center from which war efforts were directed and troops dispatched. Both Union and Confederate troops camped on the grounds of Monte Rosa as their leaders stayed in more welcoming accommodations at Monte Rosa.

In a 1919 article in the Town & Country Almanac and Handbook of Information published by Joseph A. Jefferies about Monte Rosa, Mr. Jefferies recognizes the historical importance of Monte Rosa and muses, I like to think of the many distinguished guests who have been entertained at “Monte Rosa,” later “Neptune Lodge” and have enjoyed its atmosphere, its history and great attraction…I also like to think of the many more who undoubtedly will enjoy the generous hospitality of its present owner, for it is well known that Neptune Lodge has fallen into hands that will cherish its history and value it for all that it stands for.

Grand staircase with prints of the Civil War battles that Governor William “Extra Billy” Smith was active.

Photographs, letters and prints of prominent persons that have historical relevance to the house hang in the entrance.