George Washington Birthplace National Monument

Last updated
George Washington Birthplace National Monument
Geo Washington birthplace.jpg
USA Virginia relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Location Westmoreland County, Virginia, U.S.
Nearest city Colonial Beach, Virginia, U.S.
Coordinates 38°11′8″N76°54′59″W / 38.18556°N 76.91639°W / 38.18556; -76.91639
Area661.7 acres (267.8 ha) [1]
EstablishedJanuary 23, 1930 (1930-January-23)
Visitors130,647(in 2011) [2]
Governing body National Park Service
Website George Washington Birthplace National Monument
George Washington Birthplace National Monument
NRHP reference No. 66000850 [3]
VLR No.096-0026
Significant dates
Added to NRHPOctober 15, 1966
Designated VLROctober 18, 1983 [4]

The George Washington Birthplace National Monument is a national monument in Westmoreland County, Virginia, at the confluence of Popes Creek and the Potomac River. It commemorates the birthplace location of George Washington, a Founding Father and the first President of the United States, who was born here on February 22, 1732. Washington lived at the residence until age three and later returned to live there as a teenager.

Contents

History

Foundation outline in the foreground marking Washington's birthplace near the memorial house (right rear) Geo Washington birthplace3.jpg
Foundation outline in the foreground marking Washington's birthplace near the memorial house (right rear)
Wakefield Popes Creek Estate, Washington's birthplace George Washington's birthplace (1856 engraving).jpg
Wakefield Popes Creek Estate, Washington's birthplace
Map of George Washington's birthplace Geo Washington birthplace map.png
Map of George Washington's birthplace

17th18th centuries

John Washington, George Washington's great-grandfather, settled this plantation in 1657 at the original property on Bridges Creek. [5] The family acquired expanded land to the south toward nearby Popes Creek.

Prior to 1718, the first section of the house was built. His father enlarged it between 17221726. He added on to it by the mid-1770s, making a ten-room house known as "Wakefield". This house, which George Washington in 1792 would describe as "the ancient mansion seat," [6] was destroyed by fire and flood on Christmas Day 1779, and never rebuilt. [7]

George Washington was born in the house on February 22, 1732. Thirty-two graves of Washington family members have been found at the Bridges Creek cemetery plot, including George's half-brother, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

Washington's father held slaves and had them cultivate tobacco on his several plantations, as his ancestors had done.

19th century

In 1858, the Commonwealth of Virginia acquired the property to preserve the homesite and cemetery. In 1882, however, Virginia donated the land to the federal government following the Civil War.

20th century

The Wakefield National Memorial Association was formed in 1923 to restore the property. In 1930, the grounds were authorized by Congress as a U.S. National Monument. In 1931, the Wakefield Association received a grant from John D. Rockefeller Jr., to acquire and transfer a total of 394 acres (1.59 km2) of land to the Federal government.

Since the exact appearance of the original Washington family home is not known, a Memorial House was designed by Edward Donn Jr., representing similar buildings of the era; it was constructed on the approximate site in 1931. The actual location of Washington's boyhood home is adjacent to the memorial house and its foundation is outlined in the ground by crushed oyster shells.

The Memorial House represents a typical tobacco plantation of the period of the original's construction. The Memorial House is constructed of bricks handmade from local clay. It has a central hallway and four rooms on each floor, furnished in the 17301750 period style by the Wakefield National Memorial Association. Furnishings include an 18th-century tea table believed to have been in the original house. Most of the other furnishings are more than 200 years old. [7] At the entrance to the grounds, now maintained and operated by the National Park Service, is a Memorial Shaft obelisk of Vermont marble; it is a one-tenth scale replica of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.

The park and Memorial House were opened by the National Park Service in 1932, on the 200th anniversary of George Washington's birth.

21st century

Blacksmith shop WashingtonBirthplaceBlacksmithShop.jpg
Blacksmith shop
Artifacts at Visitors Center Geo Washington birthplace artifacts.jpg
Artifacts at Visitors Center

In the 21st century, the Monument is part of the National Park Service's ongoing efforts to interpret historical resources. [8] In addition to the Memorial House, park facilities open to visitors include the historic birthplace home area, Kitchen House, hiking trails, and picnic grounds. In the Kitchen House, costumed re-enactors demonstrate candle- and soap-making. [7]

A colonial herb and flower garden has been planted with herbs and flowers common to Washington's time, [7] including thyme, sage, basil, and flowers such as hollyhocks, forget-me-nots, and roses. Typical trees and bushes of Washington's time have also been added to the landscaping. The Colonial Living Farm has a barn and pasture and raises livestock, poultry, and crops that were typical in the 18th century and using farming methods that were common at the time.

Visitors may also tour the Washington family Burial Ground, which contains the graves of 32 members of the Washington family, including George Washington's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Replicas of two original gravestones are visible, along with five memorial tablets placed here in the 1930s.

The Visitors' Center contains artifacts recovered from the burned-down Washington house, including a bowl, clay figurine, wine bottle seal belonging to Augustine Washington, wine bottle, and keyhole plate.

A 15-minute film depicting Washington family life is shown in a theater at the Visitors' Center.

Directions

The Memorial House interior - the tea table is from the original house Geo Washington birthplace2.jpg
The Memorial House interior the tea table is from the original house

The George Washington Birthplace National Monument is 38 miles (61 km) east of Fredericksburg, Virginia, located on the Northern Neck. It can be reached via VA Route 204, the access road to the site from VA State Route 3.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sherwood Forest Plantation</span> Historic house in Virginia, United States

Sherwood Forest Plantation Foundation is located on the north bank of the James River in Charles City County, Virginia. The main plantation house, built in 1730, was the home of the tenth president of the United States, John Tyler (1790–1862) for the last twenty years of his life. It is located on State Route 5, a scenic byway which runs between the independent cities of Richmond and Williamsburg. The house is located approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the river. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westmoreland County, Virginia</span> County in Virginia, United States

Westmoreland County is a county located in the Northern Neck of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 18,477. Its county seat is Montross.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montross, Virginia</span> Town in Virginia, United States

Montross is a town in Westmoreland County, Virginia, United States. The population was 553 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Westmoreland County. Located in the historic Northern Neck of Virginia, Montross is near the George Washington Birthplace National Monument and the Stratford Hall Plantation. The town's slogan is return to the village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Neck</span> Region in Virginia, United States

The Northern Neck is the northernmost of three peninsulas on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Potomac River forms the northern boundary of the peninsula; the Rappahannock River demarcates it on the south. The land between these rivers was formed into Northumberland County in 1648, prior to the creation of Westmoreland County and Lancaster County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westover Plantation</span> Historic house in Virginia, United States

Westover Plantation is a historic colonial tidewater plantation located on the north bank of the James River in Charles City County, Virginia. Established in c. 1730–1750, it is the homestead of the Byrd family of Virginia. State Route 5, a scenic byway, runs east–west to the north of the plantation, connecting the independent cities of Richmond and Williamsburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stratford Hall (plantation)</span> Historic house in Virginia, United States

Stratford Hall is a historic house museum near Lerty in Westmoreland County, Virginia. It was the plantation house of four generations of the Lee family of Virginia. Stratford Hall is the boyhood home of two Founding Fathers of the United States and signers of the United States Declaration of Independence, Richard Henry Lee (1732–1794), and Francis Lightfoot Lee (1734–1797). Stratford Hall is also the birthplace of Robert E. Lee (1807–1870), who was General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate States during the American Civil War (1861–1865). The Stratford Hall estate was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960, under the care of the National Park Service in the U.S. Department of the Interior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park</span> American Civil War battlefields in Virginia

Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park is a unit of the National Park Service in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and elsewhere in Spotsylvania County, commemorating four major battles in the American Civil War: Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness, and Spotsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Washington</span> English-born planter and politician (1633–1677)

John Washington was an English-born merchant, planter, politician and military officer. Born in Tring, Hertfordshire, he subsequently emigrated to the English colony of Virginia and became a member of the planter class. In addition to serving in the Virginia militia and owning several slave plantations, Washington also served for many years in the House of Burgesses, representing Westmoreland County. He was the first member of the Washington family to live in North America and was a paternal great-grandfather of George Washington, the first president of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Augustine Washington</span> American planter and merchant (1694–1743)

Augustine Washington Sr. was an American planter and merchant. Born in Westmoreland, Virginia, he was the father of ten children, among them the first president of the United States, George Washington, soldier and politician Lawrence Washington, and politician Charles Washington. Born into the planter class of the British colony of Virginia, Washington owned several slave plantations, from which he derived the primary source of his wealth. He also speculated in land development and owned an iron mine. Although Washington never sat in the House of Burgesses, as did his own father and son, he served in various government positions in the counties where he owned land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Popes Creek (Virginia)</span> Stream in Virginia, USA

Pope's Creek is a 5.3-mile-long (8.5 km) tidal tributary of the Potomac River in Westmoreland County, Virginia. The George Washington Birthplace National Monument lies along the north side of Popes Creek. Popes Creek landing is located at 38°11′29″N76°54′16″W.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial</span> 1000 acres in Virginia (US), affiliated area of the National Park Service

Red Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial, also known as Patrick Henry's Red Hill, in Charlotte County, Virginia, near the Town of Brookneal, is the final home and burial place of Founding Father Patrick Henry, the fiery legislator and orator of the American Revolution. Henry bought Red Hill Plantation at his retirement in 1794 and occupied it with his wife, Dorothea, and their children until 1799, the year of his death. In addition to the main house, Henry used another building as his law office. There were also dependencies and slave quarters on the working 2,930-acre tobacco plantation. The plantation was located on the Staunton River for transportation.

Augustine Washington Jr. was an American planter, military officer and politician best known for being the half-brother of George Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Augustine Washington</span> American planter and politician (1736–1787)

John Augustine Washington Sr. was an American planter and politician best known as the younger brother of George Washington and the father of Supreme Court Justice Bushrod Washington., he was also the grandfather of John Augustine Washington Jr

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia State Route 204</span> State highway in Westmoreland County, Virginia, US

State Route 204 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as Popes Creek Road, the state highway runs 1.73 miles (2.78 km) from SR 3 near Potomac Mills east to George Washington Birthplace National Monument in northwestern Westmoreland County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenmore (Fredericksburg, Virginia)</span> Historic house in Virginia, United States

Kenmore, also known as Kenmore Plantation, is a plantation house at 1201 Washington Avenue in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Built in the 1770s, it was the home of Fielding and Elizabeth Washington Lewis and is the only surviving structure from the 1,300-acre (530 ha) Kenmore plantation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Popes Creek (Virginia)</span>

Popes Creek is a small tidal tributary stream of the Potomac River in Westmoreland County, Virginia. The George Washington Birthplace National Monument lies adjacent to Popes Creek estuary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Menokin</span> Historic house in Virginia, United States

Menokin, also known as Francis Lightfoot Lee House, was the plantation of Francis Lightfoot Lee near Warsaw, Virginia, built for him by his wife's father, John Tayloe II, of nearby Mount Airy. Lee, a Founding Father, was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. Menokin was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blenheim (Wakefield Corner, Virginia)</span> Historic house in Virginia, United States

Blenheim is a historic home located near Wakefield Corner, Westmoreland County, Virginia. It was built about 1781, and is a two-story, three-bay, Late Georgian style brick dwelling. It has a gable roof and two-story, frame wing. The house was built by the Washington family to replace the original family house at Wakefield soon after it burned on Christmas Day, 1779. The house was built for William Augustine Washington, the son of George Washington's half-brother Augustine Washington II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Augustine Washington</span> American politician

William Augustine Washington was a Virginia planter and officer who served one term in the Virginia House of Delegates representing Westmoreland County, as well as terms as colonel of the county militia and as the county sheriff, before moving to the newly established District of Columbia. The son of the half-brother of President George Washington, he was also one of the seven executors of the former President's estate.

References

  1. "Listing of acreage – December 31, 2011" (XLSX). Land Resource Division, National Park Service. Retrieved 2012-05-14. (National Park Service Acreage Reports)
  2. "NPS Annual Recreation Visits Report". National Park Service. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
  3. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010. Retrieved 2013-07-16.
  4. "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  5. Marquis, A.N. Company. Who's Who In America, vol. 1:Historical Volume (1607-1896), revised ed., Marquis, A.N. Company., 1967.
  6. Washington, George, Writings, XXXII, p. 29
  7. 1 2 3 4 George Washington Birthplace, National Park Service brochure (1999)
  8. Seth C. Bruggeman, Here, George Washington Was Born: Memory, Material Culture, and the Public History of a National Monument (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2008).