Mary Washington House, Fredericksburg, Virginia

For 125 years, the public has been able to enter George Washington’s mother’s house on the corner of Charles and Lewis Streets in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

The house was saved by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, later renamed Preservation Virginia, which acquired the Mary Washington House and saved it from certain destruction. The house was slated to be disassembled for transport to the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition and then reassembled for display. It opened for tours in 1900.

The white frame house with black shutters is the original house (and a later addition added by Mary’s granddaughter) purchased by George Washington for his mother.

My guide, a young man with an encyclopedic knowledge of the house and its occupants, tells the group that Mary was very ill and lived across the Rappahannock River at Ferry Farm, the boyhood home of George Washington. She was too sick to take the boat to Fredericksburg.

George bought her a house in Fredericksburg to be closer to the doctor if she was ill again.

We enter a large room with a fireplace. This part of the house is an addition to the original home. On a table in the middle of the room is a teapot that belonged to Mary. There are several of Mary’s possessions throughout the house.

The next room was Mary’s bedroom, where she passed away at the age of 80 from breast cancer. Here, George came to receive his mother’s blessing for his presidency on her deathbed. It was the last time he saw her.

Our guide points out a painting on the wall given to Mary by George. He points toward the window where Mary’s trunk and Bible box are. He explained that the Bible box is where she kept the deeds and other important papers. If there was a fire, this box was the first thing out the door, along with the occupants.

Up the stairs, we come to two bedrooms: one over Mary’s bedroom, where George stayed many times, including his last visit.

Behind the house is Mary’s Garden, filled with colorful blooms and shrubbery.

The tour would not have been as interesting and informative if it wasn’t for our excellent guide.

For more information about the house and other Washington Heritage Museums, including Hugh Mercer Apothecary, Rising Sun Tavern, Mary Washington Monument Site, and St. James’ House, click here. For details on visiting Fredericksburg, click here.