George Washington Birthplace National Monument, National monument and plantation in Westmoreland County, Virginia, United States
George Washington Birthplace National Monument is a working plantation in Westmoreland County along the Potomac River where the first president was born in 1732. The grounds include a colonial-style memorial house, a farm with animals and gardens, and several trails along the shoreline.
John Washington settled the plantation in 1657. Augustine Washington built the birthplace house between 1722 and 1726 and later enlarged it to ten rooms; George Washington was born there on February 22, 1732. The house burned on Christmas Day 1779 and was never rebuilt. Virginia transferred the land to the federal government in 1882, and the Memorial House, designed by Edward Donn Jr., was constructed on the approximate site in 1931.
Staff dressed in period clothing show how families worked and lived on a tobacco plantation during the 18th century. Visitors watch wool being spun, fields being tended, and meals prepared using old recipes.
The main area with the memorial house and farm sits close to the parking lot and works well for families with children. The shoreline paths offer shaded sections and take about 20 to 30 minutes.
A small family burial ground on the property holds the graves of 32 Washington relatives from the 18th century. Among them rest the father and grandfather of the future president.
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