George Washington’s Ferry Farm
Ferry Farm is the boyhood home of George Washington where he lived from age six until he was almost 20. The riverfront property (84 acres) in Stafford County, VA is the place of the legends of the young Washington who could not tell a lie and who could throw a stone across the Rappahannock River.
It is also where he developed the character strengths that were to influence his adult life. The farm, situated across the river from the city of Fredericksburg, is part open fields and part woodland with an abundance of wildlife including deer, foxes, wild turkeys and many species of birds. The historic resources are mostly below ground and extensive archaeology is on-going.
The Rappahannock River, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, was the main thoroughfare for native Indians who lived on this property before it was colonized, and for subsequent residents who came here on ships from Europe and the Caribbean. Goods and slaves were also carried to and from this area to the Bay and beyond.
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Nearby Places
At the Site
Activities to do
Facilities/Amenities available
Activities
- Colonial and Civil War Artifact display in the visitor's center
- Archaeology Lab where archaeologists can be seen working Monday-Friday
- 80 acres of gardens
- Self Guided Tour (including a tour for use on your iPad)
History
George Washington was 6 years old in 1738 when his family moved to a farm in Stafford County, Virginia. The Washingtons called this place the Home Farm but it later became known as Ferry Farm because people crossed the Rappahannock River on a ferry from the farm to the town of Fredericksburg. The Washingtons did not own or operate the ferry but used it frequently to get to and from town.
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