James Monroe’s Oak Hill estate has historic roots. Some hope to preserve it as a Virginia park

ALDIE, Va. (AP) — The room where President James Monroe crafted part of his famed doctrine exudes a quiet, stately atmosphere.

Inside the enclosed west porch a few footsteps away, a quarried-stone floor marked by fossilized dinosaur tracks glimmers in the sunlight. Just around the corner, a portico built by enslaved African Americans looks out over rolling foothills stretching into the misty northern Virginia horizon, a captivating view untarnished by monied property developments bellying up nearby.

It’s an early morning at Oak Hill, where centuries of history are deeply rooted in Monroe’s Loudoun County estate. It’s the last home of a presidential Founding Father still in private hands, according to conservation experts.

That is, maybe, until now.

The DeLashmutt family, which has owned Oak Hill in the community of Aldie since 1948, hopes to convert its sprawling 1,240 acres (502 hectares) into a state park. A bill to that effect unanimously passed the House of Delegates last month but failed in the Senate.

The DeLashmutts, along with a nonprofit corporation, The Conservation Fund, hope Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin will revive the multimillion-dollar project by including it in his proposed amendment to the budget bill ahead of the General Assembly’s veto session. The governor has until Monday to submit his revisions.

“We’ve taken good care of it,” family matriarch Gayle DeLashmutt said, gazing up at trees in the garden during a recent tour of the grounds. “And I think it’s time to let somebody else do it.”

The DeLashmutt family, which is unrelated to the Monroes, is part of a long line of Virginians who have lived in Oak Hill. Other Founding Fathers’ homes in the state — Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, George Washington's Mount Vernon and Monroe's Highland estate — are owned by educational and historical institutions that open the estates' doors to the public.

The residence at Oak Hill has a complex heritage: At the top of a split staircase leading to the entrance sits a gifted bell from the decommissioned USS Oak Hill. Inside, elegant parlors feature fireplace mantelpieces made of decadent marble, a gift from Monroe's longtime friend, the Marquis de LaFayette, to thank first lady Elizabeth Kortright Monroe for saving his wife from the guillotine. On an interior windowpane, a young man with the last name of Fairfax, a family that previously owned the house, scratched his name and the date of his graduation from the Virginia Military Institute.

Gayle DeLashmutt’s daughter, India DeLashmutt, grew up on the estate, charging about on go-carts and sledding down steep hills in the same place that Monroe hosted first lady Dolley Madison more than 100 years earlier. Her father used to tell her stories about finding arrowheads in Little River, a tributary that streams through the property.

“There’s just this span of time, and this place can really represent it,” she said.

The estate also embodies the histories of the enslaved African Americans who built and cared for the property.

There is George Williams, an enslaved carpenter who constructed the main house in Oak Hill, according to independent researcher Emily Stanfill. And Natus Berryman, who lived at Oak Hill before being forced to move to the South, said Lori Kimball, another researcher.

Opening the estate to the public full time would allow people to learn more about their stories, Kimball said.

Donna Bohanan, chair of the Black History Committee at a Loudon County genealogical library, said it would also educate the public about the Indigenous people and tenant farmers who lived on and worked the land.

“I advocate for not just focusing on the great men of history or military history because that leaves out a lot,” Bohanan said. “By telling our more inclusive stories, we can start to see the connections between all of us as members of the human race.”

Loudoun County has allocated $22 million toward the roughly $52 million needed to support the project, while The Conservation Fund and other groups have raised another nearly $25 million. The family is selling the property for $20 million. The Conservation Fund says the state won't have to pay a dime toward the project.

The legislation for such an acquisition, backed by Democratic Del. Alfonso Lopez, passed unanimously in the Virginia House last month but stalled in the state Senate. During the final days of the session, Democratic Sen. L. Louise Lucas told reporters that she thought the bill was an excellent idea but expressed concern about long-term commitments from the state, even if it has no upfront financial obligation.

“That’s a lot of park for somebody to take care of," she said. "Those are the kinds of things you have to consider when you’re working on these budgets.”

Youngkin said Wednesday he was initially resistant to the project because he was not sure the business plan was fully fleshed out. But he said he felt less uneasy after touring the estate with Republican Del. Geary Higgins, whose district includes Oak Hill.

“We had a good visit, and I’m still trying to decide what we do,” Youngkin said. “No promises, but I’m open-minded.”

Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Gayle DeLashmutt poses for a portrait in the east parlor of the main house at Oak Hill in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Gayle and India DeLashmutt pose for a portrait in the east parlor of the main house at Oak Hill in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

A structure formerly used as a smokehouse at Oak Hill is seen Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Aldie, Va. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

The home where Joseph Jones, uncle of President James Monroe, resided at Oak Hill is seen Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Aldie, Va. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

A bench in the garden at Oak Hill is seen in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

The garden at Oak Hill is seen in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

The portico of the main house at Oak Hill is seen from the garden in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

The garden at Oak Hill is seen through the wrought iron railing on the portico of the main house in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

The lower dining room in the main house at Oak Hill, where the DeLashmutt family typically eat their meals, is seen Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Aldie, Va. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

A fossilized dinosaur track is seen in the quarried-stone floor in the west porch of the main house at Oak Hill in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

A fossilized dinosaur track is seen in the quarried-stone floor in the west porch of the main house at Oak Hill in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

The west porch of the main house at Oak Hill is seen in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

The dining room in the main house at Oak Hill, where President James Monroe crafted part of his famed Monroe Doctrine, is seen Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Aldie, Va. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

The former bedroom of first lady Dolley Madison in the main house at Oak Hill is seen Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Aldie, Va. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Etched writing is seen on a window of a bedroom in the main house at Oak Hill in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Gayle DeLashmutt points to etching on a window that was scratched by a member of the family that previously owned Oak Hill in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Marble details on the fireplace mantelpiece in the east parlor of the main house at Oak Hill are seen Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Aldie, Va. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

The west parlor in the main house at Oak Hill is seen in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

A historic chair upholstered with horse hair, a commonality for furniture during the 19th century, is seen in the east parlor of the main house at Oak Hill in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

The east parlor in the main house at Oak Hill is seen in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

A bell from the decommissioned USS Oak Hill is seen at the front entrance of the main house at Oak Hill, the privately owned former estate of presidential Founding Father James Monroe in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

The portico of the main house at Oak Hill is seen from the garden in Aldie, Va., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

FILE - A medical worker transports a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)