Visiting Mary Bell Washington's Final Home

In June of 2025, we traveled to Fredericksburg, Virginia, once again, and this time made a point to visit and tour the final home of Mary Bell Washington, the mother of George Washington. We were at this location back in 2006 on our honeymoon but only drove by the location and did not tour. This time, we made it a point to stop and visit.

We spent a day exploring several open locations downtown in Fredericksburg. Our plan was to take tours at each of the locations since we did our homework ahead of time and found paranormal claims for each of the places. One of those places was the Mary Bell Washington House. The tour began out on the back patio of the home, where we heard some historical details about the Washington family. We learned a lot about George Washington's mother on these great tours.

After we finished on the back porch, we went inside and learned more about it in two first-floor rooms. Then we were permitted to go upstairs to see the room that George Washington stayed in when he visited his mother in this house, as well as artifacts that belonged to Mrs. Washington. You can see these rooms and artifacts in our video below. The main thing that we learned about the home is that George bought this house for his mother for a couple of reasons. First, it brought her in town and closer to her daughter's plantation, which was within walking distance, and second, it brought her off of Ferry Farm so that it could be sold. For the final 17 years of her life, Mrs. Washington resided at this home.

About the Mary Bell Washington House

Mary Ball Washington’s home in Fredericksburg, Virginia, stands as one of the most important physical links to the early life of George Washington and the foundational story of the United States. After the death of her husband, Augustine Washington, in 1743, Mary chose not to remarry and instead focused on raising her children and managing the family’s affairs. As her children grew and took on lives of their own, Mary eventually moved from the family’s Ferry Farm estate across the Rappahannock River into the town of Fredericksburg. Around 1772, George Washington purchased a small frame house on Charles Street for his mother so that she could live comfortably near her daughter, Betty Washington Lewis, and son-in-law, Fielding Lewis.

The home George bought for Mary was modest and practical, reflecting her humble lifestyle and stoic personality. It is a one-and-a-half-story wooden structure with a gambrel roof, dormer windows, and a simple layout—typical of middle-class homes in 18th-century Virginia. Though her son had become a wealthy and influential figure by then, Mary Washington was known for her frugality and self-sufficiency. Her residence in the house from the 1770s until her death in 1789 gave it historical significance as the setting for her final years and as a place where she maintained her independence despite her son's increasing fame.

Mary Washington’s house played a role during the Revolutionary War, not through military actions, but through symbolism. George Washington was a frequent visitor when he was in Virginia, and it is recorded that he sought his mother’s blessing before traveling to assume command of the Continental Army. This moment, celebrated in later generations, became a part of the patriotic mythology surrounding the Revolutionary War, emphasizing Mary Washington’s influence on her son’s character and leadership. Stories of George visiting his mother at the home before departing for war contributed to the growing legend of her moral strength and guidance.

As Mary aged, she reportedly struggled with health problems, including the breast cancer that would eventually take her life. Despite this, she continued to live in the Charles Street house until she died in August 1789. Her home became a place of mourning and remembrance in the local community and among those who revered the Washington family. Shortly after her death, efforts began to preserve her memory, and the house remained in private hands for many decades while gaining recognition as a historic site.

During the 19th century, the property changed ownership multiple times, but its historical connection to the mother of the nation’s first president ensured continued public interest. By the late 1800s, historical societies and patriotic organizations began advocating for the house’s preservation as a national treasure. The Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (now Preservation Virginia) eventually took stewardship of the home and began restoration efforts to return it to its 18th-century appearance.

The preservation and interpretation of the house focused on telling the story of Mary Washington not just as George’s mother, but as a widow, landowner, and woman of her time. Curators filled the home with period-appropriate furnishings and objects that reflected what her domestic life may have been like in the late 1700s. Interpretive materials also addressed her role in the Washington family and the broader context of women's lives in colonial America, providing insight into how women of her class and circumstances navigated the challenges of independence and motherhood.

The Mary Washington House opened as a museum in the 20th century and has since become a key stop on historical tours of Fredericksburg. Visitors can walk through the preserved rooms and see items such as Mary’s personal belongings, including her tea set and furniture believed to have been used during her lifetime. The garden behind the house has been landscaped to resemble what it might have looked like in the 18th century, offering a quiet space for reflection and a deeper connection to the past.

The home has been central to local heritage celebrations, such as Mother’s Day events and commemorations of George Washington’s birthday. It serves not only as a memorial to Mary Washington but also as a testament to the important, often underappreciated, role that women played in shaping the values and upbringing of national leaders. Her house continues to educate the public about the human side of historical figures and the domestic backdrop against which many political and military milestones were framed.

In addition to its educational mission, the Mary Washington House has become a symbol of enduring maternal influence and patriotic virtue. It stands in contrast to grander presidential sites by offering a glimpse into the everyday life of someone who shaped history through personal strength and unwavering principles. The preservation of the home ensures that her story is not lost among the larger narratives of war and politics but remembered as essential to them.

Today, the Mary Washington House in Fredericksburg is operated by the Washington Heritage Museums and remains one of the most visited and respected historical landmarks in the region. Its careful restoration and long-standing association with one of America’s most foundational families have inspired generations of visitors and scholars alike, serving as a tangible reminder of the values of sacrifice, independence, and perseverance that Mary Washington exemplified.

We really did enjoy our tour at the house and are glad that we made it a focus of our stay in Frederickburg. During the tour, we learned about items in the gift shop that contained Mary Washington's original gingerbread recipe. After the tour concluded, we searched for these items but were unable to locate them. We had to leave, and Marianne was somewhat upset since this piqued her interest and curiousity. We left this comment on the review of the house on Google Maps, and a museum curator contacted us. They made arrangements with us to obtain the recipe. Marianne was extremely excited. Please let us know if you have visited the house in the past and what your thoughts were about the tour down in the comments below.