George Washington's Fredericksburg Foundation

History of George Washington at Ferry Farm
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Ferry Farm was one of several farms owned by George Washington’s father, Augustine Washington. In the fall of 1738, Augustine acquired the 600-acre plantation that is located on the Rappahannock River and moved his family there. George was only 6 years old at the time of the move, and he resided at Ferry Farm until he was 20 years old. It was while living at Ferry Farm that he received his formal education and developed many of the characteristics that made him one of the most honored and admired men in American history.

The Washingtons’ early years at Ferry Farm were touched by adversity. Fall and winter of 1740 were especially difficult, as George’s sister Mildred died in infancy and the family’s house caught fire on Christmas Eve, forcing the family to live in the kitchen until the house was repaired. Then, in 1743, Augustine Washington died and left behind a will dividing his properties among his sons. Ferry Farm was bestowed on his son George.

Augustine’s will provided for George to inherit Ferry Farm’s land and 10 slaves when he turned 21. At the time of his father’s death, George was only 11 years old, so his mother, Mary Washington, managed the farm until he came of age. Mrs. Washington continued to live at Ferry Farm until 1772. Then, with the help of her now-famous son, she moved to Fredericksburg, Va., to live closer to her daughter Betty, who lived at the plantation now known as Kenmore with her husband, Fielding Lewis.

Ferry Farm: Before the Washington Family

The land that comprises Ferry Farm was originally home to American Indians and early English colonists. Archaeological finds include a spear point from more than 10,000 years ago, numerous tools associated with bands of hunter/gatherers and pottery created by native farmers.

Ferry Farm: After the Washington Family

The site was referred to as Ferry Farm after the Washington occupation because of a nearby ferry that crossed the Rappahannock River and had a landing on the Washington property. The family, however, did not own or operate the ferry.
During the Civil War, the plantation served as a staging ground for the Union offensive against the Confederate-held city of Fredericksburg, Va. After a bloody battle, the Union Army set up a winter camp in Stafford County, Va. Period maps and photographs indicate that any remaining structures (and almost all of the trees) on the property were gone by 1863, probably burned as fuel.
The effort to preserve Ferry Farm as a memorial to George Washington started in the early years of the 20th century, peaking with the approach of the 1932 bicentennial of his birth.
Financial downturns from the late 1920s through the end of World War II thwarted the attempts of multiple organizations to preserve and restore Ferry Farm.
In 1994, Wal-Mart proposed to build a store on a portion of the property zoned for commercial development. The action was strongly opposed by local residents, and the application was denied by Stafford County.
Thirty-six acres of the farm were subsequently sold to The George Washington Foundation (then known as the Kenmore Association). The Foundation agreed to develop the property as a historical attraction in accordance with plans created by organizations that preceded it.
Ferry Farm was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2000.
Extensive archaeological investigations began in 2001 to locate and interpret the original Washington farm complex.
In 2005, Ferry Farm was added to the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network.
Today, approximately 113 acres, including the entire length of the original Washington waterfront, are under the stewardship of The George Washington Foundation.