Roughly 10,000 years before the arrival of English settlers in the 17th century, indigenous peoples inhabited the region around the Rappahannock River basin. Fredericksburg and nearby Falmouth, both chartered in 1728, were river ports for ocean-going sailing vessels in an international system of trade. Small farms coexisted with large estates owned by elite White families and worked by enslaved Black persons. Two of the grand homes from this era are present-day museums. Belmont, site of Gari Melchers Home and Studio, shares the story of an important American artist. Nearby Chatham is part of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.
Long before he was commander of the Continental Army and first president of the United States, George Washington spent his boyhood at Ferry Farm across the Rappahannock from Fredericksburg. His widowed mother, Mary Washington, resided in a house not far from Kenmore, the mansion built by her daughter Betty’s husband, Fielding Lewis. These sites, and the city’s Hugh Mercer Apothecary and Rising Sun Tavern, are open to the public as part of the Washington Heritage Museums.
Revolutionary War veteran James Monroe practiced law here in the 1780s at what is now the James Monroe Museum. As the fifth U.S. president, he invited his wartime comrade, the Marquis de Lafayette, to visit America for a grand tour that included an enthusiastic welcome in 1824 to Fredericksburg’s Town Hall (today the Fredericksburg Area Museum).
Four major Civil War battles fought in and around Fredericksburg in 1862 and 1864 brought great loss of life and destruction of property. The Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park commemorates these pivotal events. The war also inspired some 10,000 enslaved Black men, women, and children to escape bondage and begin new lives as free people. Their stories, and the ongoing legacy of social justice activism, are told in the region’s Trail to Freedom and Civil Rights Trail.
"Revolutionary Women of Fredericksburg" Walking TourStep into the stories of the women who shaped Fredericksburg during the Revolutionary era on this engaging walking tour. Discover how their courage, r... Read More
"Witness to a Revolution: 250 Years of History" Exhibition OpeningAs Virginia marks 250 years since the American Revolution, this exhibit explores Fredericksburg’s vital role in the fight for independence and the l... Read More
Colonial Fair at Historic KenmoreHuzzah! Step back in time to the Colonial Fair at Historic Kenmore, where 18th-century amusements fill the air! Be amazed by Peter Gardiner’s magica... Read More
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TEA TALK: Lesser-Known Virginians of the Revolutionary WarTICKETS WILL GO ON SALE MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2026. We invite you to join us for a special Tea Talk on Tuesday, April 7th at The Ironclad Inn, where his... Read More
Revolutionary War Medicine: Stories from the ApothecaryHistorical interpreters from the Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop will present an engaging talk on Revolutionary War era medicine – bringing 18th-century... Read More
Homeschool Day at Historic KenmoreJoin us at Historic Kenmore on Friday, May 8, 2026, for an engaging day for homeschoolers and their caregivers that connects the past and present whil... Read More
TWILIGHT HISTORY FOR KIDS: Shining a Light on Revolutionary LIfeExplore American history while walking in the footsteps of George Washington, his family and the people of Fredericksburg during the time of the Ameri... Read More