Olivet Chapel's $5 Land Deal

The current Olivet Chapel is the fourth Chapel built by the Episcopalians in Franconia. Two that were built on part of the Bush Hill estate in the 1850s were dismantled by Union troops during the Civil War in order to obtain wood for shelter and firewood. A third was built on what is now Bush Hill Drive near Westchester Street after the war, but failed to survive during difficult economic times.

The current Chapel was built on land purchased for $5 from William W. Boyce and his wife, Mary Ellen, just before Boyce died in 1890. The Boyces had lived at nearby Ashland since the end of the Civil War. Ashland was built in 1820. Boyce was a member of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina before the Civil War, then resigned to represent his home state in the Confederate Congress in 1861, although he had opposed secession. After the war, the Boyces moved to Fairfax County where he practiced law, and was required to make appearances before the United States Supreme Court.

Services are held each Sunday at Olivet beginning at 8 a.m. Drop by the Chapel some Sunday and experience the history of Franconia in a religious setting. Conjure up thoughts of the members of the surrounding Franconia farming community taking a break in their daily lives to count their blessings! A later trip to the Museum will show and tell you how they lived their lives.

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FRANCONIA REMEMBERS:
This is one of the Franconia Museum’s occasional articles highlighting the area’s history. If you would like for a friend to receive these FREE articles, contact us at franconia.museum.newsletter@gmail.com. Memberships are also encouraged, so that we can continue our work. The Museum is located in the Franconia Government Center, currently located at 6121 Franconia Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22310. The hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. The Museum is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, as approved by the Internal Revenue Service.