Mary Washington House

The Mary Washington House, at 1200 Charles Street in Fredericksburg, Virginia, is the house in which George Washington's mother, Mary Ball Washington, resided towards the end of her life.

History

George Washington purchased this house for his mother in 1772 for $275. It was located close to her daughter Betty Washington Lewis' home, Kenmore Plantation, and close to the Rising Sun Tavern, owned by her son Charles Washington. George Washington was a frequent visitor, and came to this house to receive a blessing from his mother before his inauguration. Other frequent visitors included John Marshall, George Mason, Thomas Jefferson, Marquis de Lafayette, and members of the Lee family. She lived in this home until her death in 1789. Mary's husband and George's father, Augustine Washington, had died in Fredericksburg in 1743.

The Mary Washington House is located near the college named for her, the University of Mary Washington.

Preservation

In 1891, Preservation Virginia (formerly known as the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities) acquired the house, which was scheduled to be disassembled for travel to the Chicago World's Fair for display. It was their second property acquisition, and the location where the Fredericksburg Branch was chartered. The house underwent a restoration and was opened to the public for tours. Preservation Virginia has...
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