George Washington's Boyhood Home

On July 2, 2008, archaeologists announced they had completed the excavation of what could conclusively be considered George Washington's boyhood home.¹

Researchers hope that the discovery will help uncover new details of the first president's early life, of which little has been known until now.²

Fast Facts

1. Site known as Ferry Farm
2. Located in Stafford County, Virginia
3. About 50 miles south of Washington DC
4. Farm originally covered 600 acres¹
5. Lived in an eight-room farmhouse²
6. House dimensions: 53-feet by 37-feet²
7. Researchers have searched the site for seven years
8. Excavated three potential sites
9. Hope to eventually reconstruct the house¹

Ferry Farm History

The site of the Washington family farm is known as Ferry Farm and also, occasionally, as Pine Grove. These names, however, were given to the property after the Washington's had given up ownership.

George Washington moved to the farm, located outside Fredericksburg, Virginia, with his family in 1738. He was six-years-old at the time.¹

Washington inherited the farm around 1743 and continued to live there until his early 20s, at which point he began spending more time at the family's residence at Mount Vernon.¹

Washington's mother continued to live in the house until 1772. The family sold the property in 1777.¹

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