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.
The site of the Washington house was located in July, 2008. Read more about this exciting discovery!
A
visit to Ferry Farm starts in the Visitor Center where there are displays
of colonial and Civil War artifacts found on the property and the archaeology
lab, where archaeologists can usually be seen working Monday through Friday.
After leaving the Visitor Center, guests can enjoy the gardens that feature plants grown in the 18th century. Then it's on to exploring the rest of the grounds (approximately 80 acres). On this self-guided tour, visitors can see the site where the Washington house stood overlooking the Rappahannock River, walk down the old ferry road, enjoy the hiking trails, and watch for birds in the Wild Meadow.
A convenient, money-saving, combination ticket is available for guests who want to visit both Ferry Farm and Kenmore.
Learn more about hours and admission fees.
Coming Soon - a new, self-guided tour of Ferry Farm on the iPad. This interactive tour includes videos and photos plus in-depth details about Ferry Farm during the time the Washington family lived here. The tour and use of an iPad will be included with your regular, paid admission. A brief excerpt is shown below:
Volunteer Opportunities are available in a wide variety of positions throughout the Foundation.