"This is the third (and last) volume of historic homes and plantations and the families who once lived and loved within within their walls, around Middleburg, Virginia. It also wanders into hidden places, old churches, mills, schools, landmarks and quiet byways rimmed by rock walls, which surround this beautiful lush valley called the Piedmont. Audrey Windsor Bergner loves this area and that love is apparent as she tells of people who created homes in a wilderness and families who survived everything from Indian raids and Revolution to Civil War. The last heartbreakingchapter of its history, and the years which followed, left an indelible imprint upon its soul, assuaged in part by the advent of Northern horse lovers and breeders in the early part of the 20th century. They were followed by a host of diplomats, ambassadors, statesmen, politicians, and wealthy entrepreneurs in the mid 20th century who restored its countryside and many of its old plantations. That blending of culture and customs, of Southern aristocrats and hardworking farmers with Northern politicians and wealthy businessmen, found a meaning ground in finely bred horses and traditional Hunts. The result was a uniquely rich colorful tapestry, in a place now known as "The Heart of Virginia Hunt Country." But more and more of its countryside is encircled by subdivisions and shopping centers, fields where cows grazed and corn grew lush in summer sun disappear, seemingly overnight. And a fear arises that much of its history will soon be forgotten. Well researched and beautifully photographed, this delightful book joins the first two volumes in capturing and preserving thirty more fine old plantations and hidden places, as well as the people and ever intriguing history of the Virginia Piedmont.