аÄÃÅ¿ª½±½á¹û

Wakefield Popes Creek Estate is Washington’s birthplace. Illustration by Benson J. Lossing & William Barritt – Wikimedia

Top 10 sensational Facts about the George Washington Birthplace National Monument

George Washington was America’s founding father as well as the first president of the country. Particularly, he presided over the convention that drafted the U.S. Constitution.

The George Washington Birthplace National Monument is a landmark that preserves the heart of Washington’s plantation and doubles up as the Washington Family Burial Ground.

This National Monument is found in the Northern Neck of Virginia. It covers 550 acres of the former Popes Creek Plantation. Additionally, it is the American ancestral home of the Washington Family and where George Washington was born.

It was established in 1931 through the efforts of the Wakefield national memorial association. They were further assisted by philanthropist John D Rockefeller Jr. As a national monument, it represents the origin of the founding fathers.  

Other attractions near the monument are a Colonial Revival farm, visitor centre, and historic structures. There are also picnic grounds and a public beach.

Here are a top 10 sensational facts about the George Washington birthplace national monument.

1. The monument’s first occupant was John Washington 

The Washington Family (1789–1796). Portrait by Edward Savage –

George Washington’s great grandfather John Washington was the first occupant to settle in the Virginia area in about 1664.

His grandson, Augustine, married his second wife Mary Ball who are the parents of George Washington. George Washington was born on February 22, 1732.

The house that he was born in and where he spent the first three years of his life was built by his father Augustine. Unfortunately, the house was destroyed by fire in 1779. This was after the family had moved to Mount Vernon in 1735.

The thirty-two graves of the Washington family members are at the bridges creek cemetery plot, including George’s half-brother, father, grandfather and great grandfather.

2. The land where the George Washington monument is used to be a colonial tobacco plantation

The monument was a site for a colonial tobacco plantation developed by his grandfather John Washington in the mid-17^th century.

His grandfather cultivated tobacco on his several plantations, as his ancestors had done.

The monument was restored, planted and maintained with farm buildings, groves of trees, livestock, gardens and crops of tobacco and wheat to represent the environment Washington knew as a boy.

3. The monument was restored to keep the memory of the founding fathers

The idea to set up a monument emerged from more than a century of effort to memorialize the first president of the United States.

This was done by his family, the local people, state, advocates, women activists and an emerging federal preservation community.

They needed a monument that would pay tribute to one of America’s founding fathers, George Washington.

4. The George Washington Birthplace National Monument was restored in 1858

Memorial House at the birthplace site of George Washington. The foundation outline in the foreground is believed to be the actual location of Washington’s boyhood home, which burned down in 1779. Photo by James G. Howes –

The commonwealth of Virginia in1858 acquired the property to preserve the site and the cemetery where the founding fathers were born.

Unfortunately, this plan was stalled after the civil war began. Thus, there was a shortage of revenues. The state of Virginia then decided to donate the land to the federal government in 1882.

Subsequently, the Wakefield national memorial association was formed in 1923 to restore the property. It was authorized by Congress as a national monument in 1930.

This was followed by a grant donated to the monument by John D. Rockefeller Jr to acquire and transfer the land to the federal government.

5.  Another landmark was rebuilt to represent a typical upper class

Memorial House at the birthplace site of George Washington, Photo by James G. Howes –

The Memorial House was built to represent a typical upper-class house of the period of the original construction.

It was constructed of handmade bricks from local clay. This house has a central hallway and four rooms on each floor. Each of the rooms is furnished with the style that was popular in the 1730 to1750 period.

Some of the furnishings in the house 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.

6. The park was officially opened to the public in 1932

In 1930 the public park was established and in 1931 a memorial house was built in historic style. This was done to mark the site and to represent an 18th-century tobacco plantation.

It was then opened officially in 1932 during the great depression. The park and the memorial house were officially opened by the national park service which marked the 200^th anniversary of George Washington’s birth. 

7. Visitors are allowed to visit the site and see the burial grounds

Cemetery at George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Virginia. Photo by Fredlyfish4 –

The park offers a lot of different activities to the visitors which include hiking trails and picnic grounds. There are restorations of candle and soap making.

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 are costumed re-enactors demonstrate candle- and soap-making.

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.

There are different artefacts in the monument that were recovered from the burned down house such as bowls wine bottles and keyhole plates just to name a few

A 15-minute film depicting Washington family life is shown in a theatre at the Visitors’ centre.

8. It is the area where three future presidents were born and where two brothers signed the declaration of independence

The monument is of very key interest because of the history it carries.  Upon your visit, you will learn that it was the birthplace of three United States presidents and the only two brothers to sign the declaration of independence.

The two brothers were Richard Henry Lee (a politician, merchant and planter) and Francis.  

9. Several slaves were employed to work at the tobacco plantation

Photo by Ken Lund –

The park and the monument are also a representation of the dark past that the United States went through.

when George’s grandfather owned the farm, he had several slaves working for him on the tobacco plantation. others did cooking, household chores farming, weaving and woodwork.

The park keeps such memories alive by keeping the inventories and wills. They show the names and monetary value of the enslaved people who worked for Washington.

Visitors also get educated about the institution of slavery at the pope’s creek plantation. Likewise, they are provided with a bulletin about the issues surrounding slavery.

10. The house that George Washington was born in was destroyed by a fire in 1770

A lot of visitors come to the park expecting to see the house where George Washington was born. Unfortunately, the original house was destroyed by fire in 1770. What is there today is a replica.