George Washington's Mount Vernon
📍Mount Vernon
Fairfax County's Historic Estates: Where the Revolution Took Root
Nothing will give you a taste of America's 250th history more than these Northern Virginia historic homes. Visit famous estates that were occupied by the founding fathers who took an important role in the American Revolution, such as George Washington, George Mason, and more, and see all the best architecture Fairfax County has to offer. The suggestions below will get you started on your visit to the most historic estates in the Northern Virginia area.
Estates, Mansions, Historic Buildings & More
- George Washington's Mount Vernon
- Woodlawn Historic Site
- Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey House
- Pohick Church
- Gunston Hall
George Washington's Mount Vernon
Start your itinerary at our nation's first Presidential Estate - George Washington's Mount Vernon. George Washington expanded his famous home along the Potomac River in Fairfax County, and today it remains one of the most visited historic estates in the United States, with more than one million visitors per year.
You'll trace George Washington's steps as you learn about his life, his work, his passions, and his military history. Run your hand down the original bannister in the entry way of the home, peek into the living quarters where Martha Washington's daughter gave birth to their first grandchild, stroll into Washington's private study, and then explore the incredible gardens on the property by the greenhouse.
Don't forget to explore the stunning Donald W. Reynolds Educational Center & Museum, where you'll find interactive exhibits, hands-on activities for children, movies, original housewares, and so much more.
Mount Vernon Inn
After an informative morning at the Estate, be sure to stop by the Mount Vernon Inn - a restaurant on site that serves up dishes from Washington's lifetime, including Virginia's famous peanut soup recipe and a really flaky pot pie!
George Washington’s Distillery and Gristmill
Just a few short miles from Mount Vernon Estate, you'll find Washington's other passion project - and his most successful business endeavor - at his Distillery and Gristmill. While the original structure was destroyed in a fire, this recreation is identical to its predecessor and was built on the same land as the original. Learn how Washington made his famous rye whiskey, whiskey that is still made today on the property, using the exact method Washington employed years ago. George Washington's Distillery & Gristmill is the only site in North America that can demonstrate 18th-century distilling from seed to barrel. The distillery and museum serve as the gateway to the American Whiskey Trail.
Bonus: Buy a bottle of the unaged rye whiskey in the gift shop before you depart!
Woodlawn Historic Site
Built between 1800 and 1805, Woodlawn Estate served as the home of Eleanor "Nellie" Custis and Lawrence Lewis, Martha Washington's granddaughter and George Washington's nephew, respectively. At Washington's behest, the Estate was designed by the architect of the first U.S. Capitol, Dr. William Thornton, and was constructed from bricks fired in a kiln on the property. Today, you can see many Washington and Lewis family heirlooms and furnishings on display.
In 1951, Woodlawn Estate became the first site named to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Also on the property of Woodlawn, you'll find Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian architecture masterpiece, Pope-Leighey House.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey House
Originally built in Falls Church, Virginia, Pope-Leighey House was moved to the site of Woodlawn to avoid demolition due to highway construction. Commissioned in 1939 by Loren Pope, its style was intended to be both affordable and distinctly American. Its second owner, Marjorie Leighey, donated the home to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1964.
Pohick Church
Built in 1774 and supervised by vestrymen George Washington, George Mason, and George William Fairfax, the construction for Pohick Church was completed just before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. Both before and after the war, Washington was a faithful attendant at the church.
During the Civil War, occupying Union forces stripped the building's interior for souvenirs of "Washington's Church" and used its worship space as a stable. Soldiers scrawled their names on the inside walls, carved graffiti onto the doorposts, and pockmarked the exterior with bullet holes. The interior damage can be seen in an iconic 1862 Mathew Brady photo, while the outside markings can still be viewed today.
George Mason's Gunston Hall
Gunston Hall was the home of another Founding Father, George Mason, who played an equally important role in the early history of the United States. A delegate to the Constitutional Convention, Mason chose not to sign the document because it did not include an individual bill of rights. It may have cost him his friendship with George Washington and certainly relegated him to lesser-known status among the Founding Fathers. But later on, Mason's most famous document - the Virginia Declaration of Rights - became the basis for the U.S. Bill of Rights.
At Gunston Hall, you'll learn all about his life, his work, and his family. Tour his home, an 18th-century Georgian Mansion, and learn about the building's design and architecture. Stroll the massive and newly reconstructed gardens, or hike down from the house to the banks of the Potomac, where the Masons and their children might have frolicked.
Take a garden walk, play "Plantation Sleuth," learn the art of hearth-cooking, or experience the rigors of daily life at a military encampment during special events at the Estate. (Check their event calendar before visiting to find out details.)
After you visit Gunston Hall, head over to Mason Neck State Park, Fairfax County's only Virginia State Park. Located on a peninsula formed by Pohick Bay, Belmont Bay, and the Potomac River, the park is an active heron rookery and also attracts several other migrating and non-migrating species of birds, including whistling swans and several species of duck. The park boasts several hundred acres of hardwood forests consisting of oaks, holly, hickory, and other species of trees, and several wetland areas. Opportunities for boating, fishing, biking, hiking, and picnicking are all available in the park. Don't forget to also make a trip to nearby Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge, the United States' first preservation refuge dedicated to the protection of bald eagles.
Your last stop is Pohick Bay Regional Park, a water-oriented park that occupies a spectacular bayside setting on the historic Mason Neck peninsula in Fairfax County. In early times, George Washington visited the area frequently. Today, the park features an 18-hole golf course, camping, an outdoor swimming pool, sailboats, pedal boats, canoes, sea kayak rentals, boating, and fishing, miniature and Frisbee golf, four miles of bridle paths, nature trails, and a complete water park perfect for the kiddos.
Looking for more 250th-themed things to do? Check out our guide to America’s 250th in Fairfax County and 250th events to attend during your stay!