Fairfax County

  • Collingwood Library and Museum on Americanism
    Originally part of George Washington's River Farm, the Collingwood Library is now a unique library on Americana. With its extensive collection of books on American heritage and a genealogy section on load from the Mayflower Society of Washington, the library also houses a Sioux chief's headdress, a tribute to Uncle Sam and replicas of the Constitution and the Magna Carta. The nine-acre groundsw, situated between Alexandria and Mount Vernon, offer pictursque views of the Potomac River at a place where feries crossed the river in Revolutionary times.

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  • George Washington's Grist Mill
    George Washington operated this grist mill on Dogue Run where wheat and corn were ground into flour and meal. After years of useand different owners, the mill fell into ruin. In the 1930's, it was rebuilt with materials and machinery from a similar mill of the period. The mill underwent extensive renovation work in 2001.

  • Gum Springs Historical Society & Museum
    Gum Springs was founded by West Ford, a former slave of George Washington's family, who acquired the property in 1833. Gum Springs became a place for runaways and recently freed slaves to live. Helped by the Quakers, freed slaves worked in the trades they had learned as estate slaves. Many activities, including exhibits at the Gum Springs Museum, celebrate the long contnuity of this historic black community. Today Gum Springsas more than 2,500 residents; as many as 500 are descendants of the original families.

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  • Gunston Hall
    Gunston Hall was the home of George Mason, father of the Bill of Rights. Mason wrote the Virginia Constitution and the Virginia Declaration of Rights on which the U.S. Bill of Rights was based. Mason's home, constructed circa 1755-1760, is an outstanding example of Georgian architecture. The elaborate carvings of the interior, designed by indentured servant William Buckland, serve as an impressive backdrop for guided tours discussing the 18th century plantation household. The boxwood gardens at Gunston Hall include the massive central all'ee believed to have been planted during Mason's residence. Beyond the garden lies the deer park and the Potomac River.

  • Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens
    First owned by George Washington's great grandfather in 1674, Mount Vernon was composed of five farms by the time Washington became president. His home, built between 1735 and 1787, is considered to have the most magnificant view of any along the Potomac. Mount Vernon is meticulously restored with many original furnishings, including the bed in which Washington died. The estate is set on 40 wooded acres that include original outbuildings, Washington's tomb and a slave memorial. Special garden and slave life tours are conducted year-round.
  • Pohick Episcopal Church
    Attended by George Washington and George Mason, Pohick Episcopal Church was complted in 1774 from plans drawn by Washington himself. The church was heavily damaged during the Civil War and has since undergone a series of renovations.

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  • Sully Historic Site
    The home of Richard Bland Lee, northern Virginia's first congressman, the main house at Sully was built in 1794. the house is furnished with antiques of the federal period. Outbuildings include a kitchen, smokehouse, slave quarters and stone dairy. Formal and kitchen gardens complement the house. Educational programs, craft demonstrations and living history events are offered throughout the year.
  • Woodlawn Plantation
    Built between 1800 and 1805, this Georgian-style mansion was designed by William Thornton, architect of the first U.S. Capitol. Woodlawn was the home of Eleanor Custis and Lawrence Lewis, Martha Washington's nephew. Many Washington and Lewis family heirlooms and furnishings are on display.


For many more historic attractions, Visit Fairfax County's Official Website!

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