The Wandering Adventurers: Fredericksburg April 2

April 2

Today is all about George Washington and his family. I love US history so this is right up my alley. We started off with a trip out to George Washington’s boyhood farm at Ferry Farm. They have been doing archeological work here for the last ten years and in 2008 discovered the outlines of the foundation. They found the upper most layers of dirt with the remnants of the Civil War and the lower levels from George Washington’s family. The family moved to the 600 acre farm when George was 6 years old and George lived here until he was twenty. The museum had copies of some of his actual school work. He had copied the “Rules of Civility“ in very fine handwriting. It amazes me that they would have originals of his school work! His father died when he was eleven but the family stayed on the farm. In learning about his childhood we begin to understand him as a man of such high integrity and honor. We could see the labs where they are doing the archeology work. They must have been elated with their discovery. They have an excellent idea of what it must have looked like and plans are being made to reconstruct the home.

Recently Discovered Foundation of Ferry Farm
George Washinton's Boyhood Farm

We went back into town to see the home that George Washington bought and remodeled for his mother, Mary. She moved in when she was 64 and lived there until her death at 81. Each room has an object that belonged to her. The path through her lovely garden took her to her daughter’s estate. George was here often to visit his mother. It was from this home that he left for his inauguration after receiving his mother’s blessing.

Mary Washington's Home

Mary's Washington's Lovely Garden

Kenmore Plantation and gardens was our last stop. Kenmore was the home of Col. Fielding and his wife Betty Washington, George’s younger sister. The large piece of property was next door to Mary Washington’s and they must have walked the path to visit often. The colonial manor house was built in 1775 and is known to have the most elaborate decorative plaster work on its ceilings and fireplace mantles in colonial America. It was done by an unknown artist they referred to as “plaster man.” He also did work at Mt. Vernon. We learned a little bit about the artistry of plaster work while on the tour. It was lovely and survived the Civil War when it was used as a hospital. We also saw Fielding’s office building downtown. What an experience to visit so many places connected to George Washington and his family: his boyhood farm, Mt. Vernon, his sister Betty’s home, his mother Mary’s home and his brother’s tavern. Wow! It really put us back in time with our wonderful tours guides dressed in costume bringing it all to life. With baths only in July and August, women set to menial tasks but keeping their hands busy, slavery front and center, “the necessary chair” with its contents going who knows where, and disease basically untreatable, it wasn’t all peaches and cream.