"07 Original Birthsite" by U.S. National Park Service , public domain
![]() | George Washington BirthplaceNational Monument - Virginia |
The George Washington Birthplace National Monument is located in Westmoreland County, Virginia, United States. This site was developed in the mid-17th century as a colonial tobacco plantation by Englishman John Washington. A member of the assembly, he was a great-grandfather of George Washington, general and the first United States president. George Washington was born in this house on February 22, 1732. He lived here until age three, returning later to live here as a teenager.
The monument (referring to the house, property and memorial complex) and its preceding plantation, which eventually would be called Wakefield, are located at the confluence of Popes Creek and the larger Potomac River, and is representative of 18th-century Virginia tobacco plantations. The area has been restored, planted and maintained with farm buildings, groves of trees, livestock, gardens, and crops of tobacco and wheat, to represent the environment Washington knew here as a boy.
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Map of the U.S. National Park System. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).

Map of the U.S. National Park System with Unified Regions. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).

Map of the U.S. National Heritage Areas. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
https://www.nps.gov/gewa/index.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Birthplace_National_Monument
The George Washington Birthplace National Monument is located in Westmoreland County, Virginia, United States. This site was developed in the mid-17th century as a colonial tobacco plantation by Englishman John Washington. A member of the assembly, he was a great-grandfather of George Washington, general and the first United States president. George Washington was born in this house on February 22, 1732. He lived here until age three, returning later to live here as a teenager.
The monument (referring to the house, property and memorial complex) and its preceding plantation, which eventually would be called Wakefield, are located at the confluence of Popes Creek and the larger Potomac River, and is representative of 18th-century Virginia tobacco plantations. The area has been restored, planted and maintained with farm buildings, groves of trees, livestock, gardens, and crops of tobacco and wheat, to represent the environment Washington knew here as a boy.
George Washington Birthplace National Monument is located in the Northern Neck of Virginia. It encompasses 551 acres of the former Popes Creek Plantation, the American ancestral home of the Washington Family where George Washington was born. In addition to a Colonial Revival farm, burial ground, visitor center, and historic structures, the park also has picnic grounds and a public beach.
George Washington Birthplace is located two miles from Virginia State Highway 3 on Virginia State Route 204. The park is located 38 miles east of Fredericksburg, 11 miles west of Montross, and 10 miles west of Colonial Beach.
Visitor Center open Wednesday through Sunday
The Visitor Center is open Wednesday - Sunday from 9:30 - 4:30. On Mondays and Tuesdays, there are no park staff to assist visitors.
Located along the Potomac River, George Washington Birthplace National Monument is 38 miles east of Fredericksburg, Virginia and is accessible by travel over Virginia routes 3 and 204.
Overlook of Popes Creek
View of Popes Creek
View of Popes Creek
Memorial House Museum and Colonial Kitchen
Brick Memorial House Museum and Wooden Colonial Kitchen
Historic Area landscape of the Memorial House and Colonial Kitchen
NPS Geodiversity Atlas—George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Virginia
Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. [Site Under Development]
shoreline bluff
Archeology of George Washington’s Birthplace
The rudimentary start of modern historical archeology had its start at George Washington Birthplace National Monument 130 years ago. Archeology there has made significant contributions to both the prehistoric and historical archeology of the Chesapeake region.
A man in a trench.
Designing the Parks: Learning in Action
The Designing the Parks program is not your typical internship. Each year since 2013, this program at the Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation has introduced a cohort of college students and recent graduates to NPS design and planning professions through projects related to cultural landscape stewardship. In the internships, made possible by partner organizations, participants focus on an in-depth project that directly engages with a national park unit.
A group of young people stand on forest trail and listen to two maintenance employees
Melting the Amber: Northeast Region Launches Innovative Historic House Pilot
A historic house can be like an ant trapped in amber. What was once alive and growing is sealed in a single sepia-tinted moment. What if we could melt the amber?
Park employees stand on the porch of Thomas Edison's home, Glenmont
Fossil Discovery in the Shadow of Washington’s Birthplace
An active paleontological resource monitoring program in place at George Washington Birthplace National Monument has led to the discovery and recovery of two important fossil dolphin skulls. An emergency response team supported the field collection of the fossils which were “at risk” to rapid weathering and erosion. The specimens have been transported to the Calvert Marine Museum for preparation, curation and study.
two people carrying a fossil through shallow water to a small boat
Herbert Hoover's National Parks
Herbert Hoover is not thought of as one of our better presidents, but he made lasting contributions in the national parks he established. During Herbert Hoover's presidency from 1929 to 1933, the land designated for new national parks and monuments increased by 40 percent.
Sepia photo of Herbert Hoover standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon.
Coopers: The Backbone of Virginia's Tobacco Economy
In colonial Virginia, the world of gentlemen relied on working-class craftsman to make goods that contributed to success. Barrel makers (coopers) in particular played an important role in the economy because of the goods they made.
Coopers shop drawing
The Colonial Revival Movement at George Washington Birthplace
The women of the Wakefield National Memorial Association began to develop Washington's Birthplace during the Colonial Revival movement.
Construction of the Colonial Kitchen and the Memorial House Museum
Spot the Difference!
Discover how the Birthplace Monument has changed over time.
1930s image of family in front of the Birthplace Monument
Find and Color Chesapeake Bay
Discover the waterways that were used as highways during George Washington's life.
Chesapeake Bay Illustration
Johnny Cakes or Hoe Cakes
Whether you know them as Johnny Cakes or Hoe Cakes, it seems as if everyone had a favorite recipe for these pan-fried corn cakes – General Washington even served them at Mount Vernon. Where do the curious names come from?
Round, stiff, pancake-looking patties with irregular edges.
Monumental Changes
Chosen as a symbol to remember the birthplace of George Washington, the obelisk was transformed based on changing memorial architectural design.
Pre-1930 photo of the 1896 obelisk design
George Washington Spy Code
General George Washington used spy codes to send important messages to his officers. Use a spy code from Washington's papers to decipher important words in a letter from him to the Marquis De Lafayette concerning trapping Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown.
Spy Glass Illustration
Reducing Erosion with Native Plants
One of the major goals of George Washington Birthplace National Monument is to protect the unspoiled landscape of the park so as to enhance the historical context of the stories told here. Maintaining the landscape, however, often means working against natural forces such as erosion. Erosion is an especially difficult challenge, as it is constantly reshaping the land.
Native plants in sand near water
George Washington's Birthday
Learn about the date of George Washington's birthday and how it has been celebrated and honored throughout the centuries.
Popes Creek and the Potomac River
Colonial Gardens
Plants used for eating, dyeing cloth, seasoning food, as well as for curing various ailments were cultivated at plantations like the Pope's Creek Plantation that George Washington was born on.
Colonial Revival Garden
Series: Festive Foods of the Fort
Special holiday foods made life at Fort Stanwix/Schuyler a little more tolerable during the cold winters of the American Revolution. Learn more about the ones that might've been seen and tasted here.
A table spread of food, including a cheese wedge, a large meat pie, pasties, and apples.
Series: National Park Service Geodiversity Atlas
The servicewide Geodiversity Atlas provides information on <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geoheritage-conservation.htm">geoheritage</a> and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geodiversity.htm">geodiversity</a> resources and values all across the National Park System to support science-based management and education. The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1088/index.htm">NPS Geologic Resources Division</a> and many parks work with National and International <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/park-geology.htm">geoconservation</a> communities to ensure that NPS abiotic resources are managed using the highest standards and best practices available.
park scene mountains
Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 12, No. 1, Spring 2020
All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul>
two people standing outdoors near a fossil tree base
Arno Cammerer at George Washington's Birthplace
Arno Cammerer played an important role in the development of George Washington Birthplace. He served as the Director of the National Park Service from 1933 to 1940.
Arno Cammerer sitting at a desk with a paper in his hand looking at the camera
The Birthplace History: Becoming a Park
The land that the park tells stories about is complex and has many layers. The years following the dedication of the park, many have grappled with a landscape that was imprinted with Colonial Revival architecture and modern understanding of the land that Washington was born on. Read about the intricate details of the development of this area.
Volunteer Story: The Robinsons
Rhonda, Tabitha, and Abigail Robinson have served at George Washington Birthplace for the past 10 years. They interact with visitors by sharing a variety of colonial tasks and crafts as living history interpreters.
Rhonda, Tabitha, Abigail Robinson
Volunteer Story: The Northern Neck Master Gardeners
The Northern Neck Master Gardeners have volunteered at George Washington Birthplace National Monument for more than 20 years. They maintain and refurbish the Colonial Revival Garden.
group of people working in colonial garden
Commemoration at the Birthplace
View then and now images of the memorial to George Washington at his birthplace. In the late 1920s, a group of women formed the Wakefield National Memorial Association to commemorate the landscape.
man with back to us looking at the construction of a builiding
Veteran Story: William Ethridge
William Ethridge served for 21.5 years in active service and reserve for the U.S. Army. He now works at George Washington Birthplace National Monument.
portrait of soldier in US army uniform
Veteran Story: Andrew Therrien
Andrew Therrien served with the United States Marine Corps as a radio operator in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He now works as the Agricultural and Livestock Coordinator at George Washington Birthplace National Monument.
ranger wearing NPS uniform standing on grass in front of a calm river
Veteran Story: Max Farrington
Max Farrington served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1958. He now works at George Washington Birthplace National Monument a the Park Custodian.
soldier in Army unifrom
1930s Virtual Tour of the Birthplace
View images of the park from the 1930s.
visitors walking in
Colgate Morgan Horse Farm
In 1969, George Washington Birthplace National Monument dedicated the Colgate Morgan Horse Farm. This was an endeavor to help provide horses for mounted rangers.
black and white image of four Morgan horses in a fenced in area
George Washington Birthplace Online Scavenger Hunt
Explore George Washington Birthplace National Monument through a virtual scavenger hunt. Use the website pages to learn more about the park and the history found here.
Fossilization Challenge
Take a journey to become fossil. Can you survive the fossilization challenge and be discovered by a paleontologist?
fossil being extracted by Dr. Stephen Godfrey, Curator of Paleontology at the Calvert Marine Museum
The Westmoreland Slave Plot of 1687
Bacon's Rebellion of 1676 led to stricter laws against enslaved African Americans in Virginia. Several enslaved attempted to escape their bondage and a few attempted to kill their enslavers. The Westmoreland Slave Plot was the first conspiracy that did not involve white participants or supporters.
A Revolutionary Life: Washington's Birthday Through the Years
Nine short videos chronicle American history through the lens of George Washington's birthday and how it was (or wasn't) celebrated during critical points during his life.
graphic, illustration, bust of washington wearing a birthday hat
I&M Networks Support Resilient Forest Management
NPS Inventory and Monitoring Networks have been tracking forest health in eastern national parks since 2006. This monitoring information can guide resilient forest management and support parks in adapting to changing conditions through the actions described below.
Forest health monitoring
Managing Resilient Forests. A Regional Initiative
Forests cover tens of thousands of acres in eastern national parks and these critical resources face a range of interacting stressors: over-abundant white-tailed deer populations, invasive plant dominance, novel pests and pathogens, among other threats. The Resilient Forests Initiative will help parks address these issue collectively.
Forest health monitoring
Alexander Hamilton and George Washington
This article explores the relationship between Alexander Hamilton and George Washington.
Two painted portraits, one of George Washington, and the other of Alexander Hamilton.
Series: Managing Resilient Forests Initiative for Eastern National Parks
Forests in the northeastern U.S. are in peril. Over-abundant deer, invasive plants, and insect pests are impacting park forests, threatening to degrade the scenic vistas and forested landscapes that parks are renowned for. With regional collaboration, parks can manage these impacts and help forests be resilient. This article series explores tools available to park managers to achieve their goals.
Healthy forests have many native seedlings and saplings.
Resilient Forests Initiative - Managing Invasive Plants & Pests
Park forests are threatened by invasive plants and pests. Strategically tackling invasive plants to protect park’s highest priority natural resources and planning around forest pests and pathogens are important actions in managing resilient forests.
Forest Regeneration
Pollinators in peril? A multipark approach to evaluating bee communities in habitats vulnerable to effects from climate change
Can you name five bees in your park? Ten? Twenty? Will they all be there 50 years from now? We know that pollinators are key to maintaining healthy ecosystems—from managed almond orchards to wild mountain meadows. We have heard about dramatic population declines of the agricultural workhorse, the honey bee. Yet what do we really know about the remarkable diversity and resilience of native bees in our national parks?
Southeastern polyester bee, Colletes titusensis.
50 Nifty Finds #19: A Lens on History
Ezra B. Thompson was a well-respected commercial photographer, lecturer, government employee, and contractor. He was also the first employee to make motion pictures for the US government. His films and other media were shown everywhere from international expositions to local libraries with equal amazement. For more than 40 years he used his cameras to capture the spectacular and the ordinary. How is it then that his negatives ended up in an estate sale in the 1970s?
Old-fashioned van for E.B. Thompson's business