McLean's historic Hickory Hill was built upon land that was part of a land grant of 2862 acres taken out by Thomas Lee in 1719 from the Northern Neck Proprietary. But it wasn't until ca.1870 that George Franklin Means Walters, the owner of 88 acres of the former grant, built the house near Langley Fork facing Chain Bridge Road. It was he who named the house Hickory Hill after the stately old hickory trees that once lined his semicircular driveway. Only a portion of the original 88 acres remain with the house today. Over the succeeding decades nine different families have resided at Hickory Hill: Walters, Speer, Fitch, Lyon, Rocca, Jackson, Kennedy (JFK), Kennedy (RFK) and Dabbiere. Each family has its own separate story and has put its stamp of change or "improvements" to the property to fit their lifestyles. Today's house bears little resemblance to the residence Walters built after the Civil War. Even though the original house may no longer be recognizable, Hickory Hill majestically remains as a historic landmark for McLean, Virginia and the nation.
