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Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) and Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) introduced legislation to designate the General George C. Marshall House in Leesburg, known as Dodona Manor, as an affiliated area under the National Park Service (NPS). This official designation would be the final step in the years-long effort spearheaded by the lawmakers to advocate for the evaluation and recognition of Dodona Manor as a unit of the National Park System. Designation as an NPS affiliated area would provide new resources to preserve and celebrate General Marshall’s legacy at the site, including technical assistance to support restoration efforts, accessibility improvements, and new programming.

“George C. Marshall was an American hero, playing a key role in the Allied victory in World War II and serving as an architect of one of the most significant foreign policy initiatives in our country’s history,” said Congresswoman Wexton. “Virginia is proud to be home to Dodona Manor, General Marshall’s estate, which has served as a uniquely important site to preserve and celebrate his remarkable contributions to our country. This legislation would bring greater resources to this historical site in our community and enable the George C. Marshall House to improve and expand its work.”

“General George C. Marshall shaped the future of our country from his home at Dodona Manor. It was there where he crafted foreign policy decisions that set the precedent for U.S. leadership for years to come. Designating Dodona Manor a National Park Service affiliated site will preserve the legacy of General Marshall and the generation-defining work done from his home in Leesburg, Virginia,” said Senator Warner.

“General George C. Marshall’s work while living at Dodona Manor shaped our country’s foreign policy for decades, making it a place of national significance with a rich history. Designating it as an NPS affiliated site would recognize General Marshall’s immense contributions and provide the resources needed to support restoration efforts, improve accessibility, and educate visitors on his great service to our country,” said Senator Kaine.

“We are extremely grateful to Representative Wexton and Senators Kaine and Warner for introducing this important legislation. Dodona Manor is much more than the former home of Nobel Peace Laureate George C. Marshall. Its rooms witnessed history. While living in the house from 1943 to 1959, General Marshall built and led the Army that won World War II, managed the creation of the Marshall Plan to restore hope and prosperity to war-torn Europe and provided counsel to Presidents Roosevelt and Truman. National Park Service designation will ensure preservation of this special place so we can share this history with generations to come,” said Thomas Greenspon, Chairman of the Board of Directors for The George C. Marshall International Center.

General Marshall led a lifetime of public service, serving as Chief of Staff to the Army during America’s entry into World War II, as Secretary of State, where he orchestrated the historic Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe following the war, and as Secretary of Defense after the onset of the Korean War. He bought Dodona Manor while serving as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army in 1941, and lived there until his death in 1959.

In November 2019, Congresswoman Wexton along with Senators Warner and Kaine sent a letter requesting that the NPS conduct a survey to determine whether the landmark would be suitable as an affiliated area. NPS agreed and released a survey of findings in September 2022 that concluded that the site “would be appropriate for designation as an affiliated area based on the preliminary analysis of this reconnaissance survey.”

In addition to this legislation, Wexton, Warner, and Kaine have formally petitioned the Director of the National Park Service to grant Dodona Manor secretarial designation as an affiliated area, which would allow the site to use NPS branding and provide some of the benefits that it would receive under legislative designation, although without the full funding and flexibility.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

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