Neal Family Archive

The National Parks

George Washington Birthplace National Monument

Location:  Where Popes Creek joins the Potomac River - Northeastern Virginia

Declaration:  January 23, 1930

Visited:  November 21, 2009 (Patrick Neal and Tim Danklef)

National Park Arrowhead Rating (3 out of 5):

 

This was a short visit to the birthplace of George Washington during an all day re-tracing of the John Wilkes Booth escape route with my brother-in-law Tim Danklef.  We had followed Booth's route from Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. through southeastern Maryland across the Potomac River into Virginia. Ultimately, Booth was shot and killed at the Garrett Farmhouse which is not too far away from the George Washington Birthplace National Monument.  

George Washington was born here on February 22, 1732 and lived here until the age of three.  The original house no longer stands, although there is an outline of the the original house and you can get a pretty good idea of the size of the structure. A Memorial House was constructed in the 1930's that represents a typical upper-class house of the era. The National Monument opened on the 200 anniversary of Washington's birth in 1932. 

The George Washington Birthplace National Monument gets an overall rating of 3 out of 5 National Park Arrowheads due to great scenery, limited facilities, and moderate historical interest.

More photos after the jump.

Memorial Shaft obelisk which is a one-tenth scale replica of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.

Outline of the original house that George Washington was born in February 22, 1732.

Looking towards Popes Creek from the site of the original plantation house.