Interview with Ron Coffee, May 15, 2018

Partial Transcript: This is Chip Oakley and Ron Coffee sitting down to talk about, uh, Boxwood Manor.

Segment Synopsis: Ron Coffee talks about George Cushing, former owner of Boxwood Manor. He talks about the boxwoods and herb gardens at Boxwood Manor, as well as their donations of plants to other estates.

Keywords: Boxwood Manor; Boxwoods; Civil War; Cushing family; Cushings; Donations; Garden clubs; Gardening; George Cushing; Herb gardens; Herbs; Horticulturalists; Revitalization; Stuart Hall; Williamsburg (Va.)

Subjects: Boxwood.; Families.; Gardeners.; Gardens.; Manors.; Property.; Real property.

Partial Transcript: And the stones?

Segment Synopsis: Coffee talks about the sources of the various types of stones used in the construction of Boxwood Manor and its grounds.

Keywords: Boxwood Manor; Bridges; Civil War; Locations; Materials; Moving; Porches; Sources; Stones; Walkways

Subjects: Architecture.; Dwellings--Remodeling.; Dwellings.; Housing.; Manors.; Property.; Real property.

Partial Transcript: Can you tell, uh, a little bit about the--you, you, you have a lot to do with the history of the house, the grounds...

Segment Synopsis: Coffee discusses various building and remodeling projects he worked on at Boxwood Manor. He talks about an addition, moving chimneys, and creating a patio, among other projects. He discusses materials and techniques used in the construction and how trends in construction changed over time.

Keywords: 1960s; Additions; Bidets; Billiard room; Boxwood Manor; Builders; Carpeted; Carpeting; Chimneys; Coal; Conservation; Construction; Construction methods; Crown molding; Cushing family; Cushings; Doors; Drywall; Electricity; Employment; Fuse boxes; Gardens; Gas; Houses; Illegal; Improvements; Jobs; Lath and plaster; Mahogany; Master suites; Patios; Plaster on lath; Plaster on slats; Pre-fabrication; Preservation; Remodeling; Sheetrock; Stones; Tongue and groove; Trends; Wallpaper; Wood

Subjects: Architecture.; Dwellings--Remodeling.; Dwellings.; Housing.; Manors.; Property.; Real property.

Partial Transcript: But, uh, getting back to something else that we kind of skipped over I think was, uh, um, some of the gardening that they did in front of the house was pretty remarkable.

Segment Synopsis: Coffee talks about George Cushing, former owner of Boxwood Manor. He talks about the fig trees and herb gardens at Boxwood Manor, as well as their donations of plants to and from other estates. He talks about heirloom plants, and lists some of the plants and flowers grown at Boxwood Manor.

Keywords: Ancient techniques; Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate; Berries; Boxwood Manor; Boxwoods; Castilleja (Indian paintbrush); Control; Cushing family; Cushings; Diseases; Dogwood trees; Donations; Endives; Ferns; Fig trees; Figs; Fungus; Gardening; Genetically modified organisms (GMOs); George Cushing; Greens; Grounds; Heirloom plants; Herb gardens; Herbs; Horseback; Horticulturalists; Horticulture; Imported; Lilac bushes; Maple syrup; Maple trees; Mrs. Cushing; Mushroom hunting; Mushrooms; Plants; Stuart Hall; Vegetables; Vegetation; Virginia

Subjects: Boxwood.; Families.; Gardeners.; Gardens.; Manors.; Property.; Real property.

Partial Transcript: Well, Chip, what else are you thinking we talk about?

Segment Synopsis: Coffee talks about the sources of the various types of stones used in the construction of Boxwood Manor and its grounds.

Keywords: Boxwood Manor; Bridges; Civil War; Connections; Construction; Cushing family; Cushings; Deterioration; George Cushing; Locations; Materials; Networks; Patios; Quarry; Roof; Slate; Sources; Stones; Thickness

Subjects: Architecture.; Dwellings--Remodeling.; Dwellings.; Housing.; Manors.; Property.; Real property.

Partial Transcript: Hey Chip.

Segment Synopsis: Coffee talks about George Cushing, former owner of Boxwood Manor. He talks about the fig trees and herb gardens at Boxwood Manor, as well as their donations of plants to and from other estates. He lists some of the plants and flowers grown at Boxwood Manor.

Keywords: Ancient techniques; Boxwood Manor; Boxwoods; Castilleja (Indian paintbrush); Changes; Control; Cushing family; Cushings; Donations; Driveways; Fences; Fig trees; Figs; Gardening; George Cushing; Greens; Grounds; Herb gardens; Herbs; Horticulturalists; Horticulture; Imported; Mushroom hunting; Mushrooms; Plants; Remodeling; Stuart Hall; Vegetables; Vegetation; Virginia; Williamsburg (Va.)

Subjects: Boxwood.; Families.; Gardeners.; Gardens.; Manors.; Property.; Real property.

Partial Transcript: And I don't know, you know, if you, you look out front of the property, just look at the stones there.

Segment Synopsis: Coffee talks about the sources of the various types of stones used in the construction of Boxwood Manor and its grounds.

Keywords: Boxwood Manor; Bridges; Civil War; Construction; Found; Locations; Marble; Materials; Moving; Patios; Roof; Sandstone; Slate; Sources; State buildings; Stones; Terraces; Walkways

Subjects: Architecture.; Dwellings--Remodeling.; Dwellings.; Housing.; Manors.; Property.; Real property.

Partial Transcript: Can you give us some more history that you know about?

Segment Synopsis: Coffee talks about George Cushing, former owner of Boxwood Manor. He talks about the dogwoods, flowers, and other plants grown at Boxwood Manor.

Keywords: Blooming; Bluebells; Boxwood Manor; Castilleja (Indian paintbrush); Cushing family; Cushings; Diseases; Dogwood trees; Dogwoods; Ferns; Fungus; Gardening; George Cushing; Grounds; Horticulturalists; Horticulture; Imported; Plants; Spring; Variety; Vegetation

Subjects: Boxwood.; Gardeners.; Gardens.; Manors.; Property.; Real property.

Partial Transcript: Um, I don't know if you want to, uh, talk a little bit about the home now?

Segment Synopsis: Coffee discusses various building and remodeling projects he worked on at Boxwood Manor. He talks about an addition, moving chimneys, and remodeling a billiard room, among other projects. He discusses materials and techniques used in the construction and how trends in construction changed over time.

Keywords: Additions; Aluminum siding; Billiard room; Boxwood Manor; Brick; Bridges; Builders; Cedar shingles; Chimneys; Civil War; Coal; Conservation; Construction; Construction methods; Converted; Crown molding; Cushing family; Cushings; Custom-built; Doors; Eccentric; Employment; Flooring; Fuse boxes; Gas; Houses; Illegal; Improvements; Jobs; Locally-sourced; Mahogany; Marble; Matching; Materials; Oak; Original; Pre-fabrication; Preservation; Remodeling; Sheetrock; Shutters; Slate; Sliding walls; Stones; Storms; Sunrooms; Technology; Termites; Tongue and groove; Trends; Wood; Yellow poplar

Subjects: Architecture.; Dwellings--Remodeling.; Dwellings.; Families.; Housing.; Manors.; Property.; Real property.

Partial Transcript: I'm trying to think of some other stuff--some of the details about the house that we could, that we could cover.

Segment Synopsis: Coffee talks about how water was originally supplied to the house through wells, and then later septic systems. He discusses George Cushing's character and the gatherings held at Boxwood Manor.

Keywords: Boxwood Manor; Character; Cushing family; Cushings; Drinking water; Garden clubs; Gatherings; George Cushing; Gutters; Parties; Pipes; Running water; Septic tanks; Technology; Townspeople; Water; Water runoff; Wells

Subjects: Architecture.; Dwellings--Remodeling.; Dwellings.; Families.; Housing.; Manors.; Plumbing.; Property.; Real property.; Sewerage.

Partial Transcript: And I don't know, uh, Chip, is there anything else that, uh, you can think of that, uh--

Segment Synopsis: Coffee talks about the sources of the various types of stones used in the construction of Boxwood Manor and its grounds. He talks about the challenge of moving these enormous stones into place using the technology available in the 1940s-1960s. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Additions; Ancient techniques; Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate; Boxwood Manor; Bridges; Challenges; Challenging; Civil War; Construction; Cranes; Cushing family; Cushings; Equipment; Fitting; Found; Friends; Home; Locations; Logs; Materials; Moving; Mules; Sources; Stones; Technology; Weight

Subjects: Architecture.; Dwellings--Remodeling.; Dwellings.; Housing.; Manors.; Property.; Real property.