Lee-Jackson House Marker

Constructed in 1841 as the residence of Washington College President Henry Ruffner, the house later became home to several prominent figures in the institution's history. Margaret Junkin Preston, daughter of President George Junkin and a celebrated Southern poet, resided there from 1848 to 1857. Her brother-in-law, Thomas J. Jackson — later known as “Stonewall” — occupied a wing of the house from 1853 to 1857 while teaching at the Virginia Military Institute. Following the Civil War, Robert E. Lee and his family lived in the residence from 1865 to 1869 while awaiting completion of their permanent home next door. These associations earned the building its longstanding name, Lee-Jackson House.

In March 1957, the Rockbridge Historical Society, led by Leslie L. Campbell, presented Washington and Lee University with an 8-by-12-inch bronze plaque commemorating the house's association with Preston, Jackson, and Lee. University President Francis P. Gaines praised the memorial as “appropriate and impressive,” adding that it contributed “much to the charm of the campus.” The plaque remained prominently displayed on the building's exterior for decades.

In October 2018, the University's Board of Trustees renamed Lee-Jackson House in honor of Professor Pamela Hemenway Simpson, formally dedicating the building in May 2019. At the dedication, President William C. Dudley acknowledged the house's earlier occupants and emphasized that the renaming did not diminish their historical associations.

Sometime between 2019–2024, University officials removed the original plaque and replaced it with a marker identifying the building as Simpson House. The University made no public announcement concerning the removal or disposition of the original memorial. The Generals Redoubt has consequently been unable to establish a more precise removal date.

HERE LIVED
MARGARET JUNKIN PRESTON
1848 - 1857
“POETESS OF THE CONFEDERACY”
THOMAS J. (STONEWALL) JACKSON
1853 - 1857
ROBERT E. LEE
1865 - 1869
PLACED BY
THE ROCKBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
1957

At the 2018 dedication of Simpson House, formerly Lee-Jackson House, President William C. Dudley explained that “Naming this building for Pamela Simpson gives well-deserved recognition to the pioneering roles she played at Washington and Lee. Doing so does not diminish the other individuals with whom the house has been associated.”

Dudley also announced plans for a new memorial plaque, telling attendees, “I invite you now to enter Simpson House, where you may view a model of the plaque that will be installed in the lobby.”

Dudley's remarks made no mention of removing the existing Rockbridge Historical Society plaque, which was affixed to the exterior of the house beside its front door. The Generals Redoubt has been unable to locate any subsequent university statement acknowledging or explaining its removal.

In September 2026 correspondence with The W&L Spectator, Museum Director Matt Davis stated: “Our storage facility is not open to the public, nor do we make a list of our collections inventory available to the public.” He further explained that “the size and weight of some of these artifacts are not conducive to public viewing.” Regarding their future exhibition, Davis wrote: “It is possible that some or all of these artifacts will eventually be incorporated into temporary or permanent exhibits once the new museum is open, and we hope to have online databases and viewing rooms in the future.”

1. https://digitalarchive.wlu.edu/islandora/alumni-magazine-washington-and-lee-university-spring-1957

2. https://digitalarchive.wlu.edu/islandora/ring-tum-phi-march-19-1957

3. https://web.archive.org/web/20260228090409/https://www.wlu.edu/about-w-l/leadership/office-of-the-president/speeches-and-opinion-pieces/2018-19-academic-year/simpson-house-dedication-address

4. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=58692

5. https://web.archive.org/web/20260521134656/https://www.wlu.edu/about-w-l/leadership/office-of-the-president/messages-to-the-community/2018-19-academic-year/the-board-of-trustees-decision-regarding-building-names-on-campus

6. https://web.archive.org/web/20260521134656/https://www.wlu.edu/about-w-l/leadership/office-of-the-president/messages-to-the-community/2018-19-academic-year/the-board-of-trustees-decision-regarding-building-names-on-campus