Virginia DAR supports four historic properties; all of which have significance to the American Revolution.
Located in Fredericksburg, Kenmore was built by George Washington's sister, Betty, and her husband Fielding Lewis in 1775. In 2008, The George Washington Foundation completed a major, five-year restoration to return the house to the way it would have appeared during the Lewis period. Refurnishing is the next step; meanwhile tours of the stately, Georgian-style house focus on the lives of the inhabitants. Visit the beautiful grounds, restored by the Garden Club of Virginia, and the exhibit of Virginia-made furniture in the Crowninshield Museum. Image courtesy of The George Washington Foundation (c) John Earl 2009.
Contact state chairman Joan Poland for more information.
The Virginia Daughters have been aiding Stratford Hall since 1936, as it was the home of the only two brothers, Richard Henry and Francis Lightfoot Lee, to sign the Declaration of Independence. It was also the home of "Light Horse" Harry Lee, a courageous Revolutionary officer.
One of our finest historic shrines, it has recently been cited by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a "shining example" of restoration that was done right. The Robert E. Lee Memorial Association's Directors set high standards for preservation of the unique mansion and its bracket dependencies in 1929, and that same philosophy remains today. Stratford is continuously searching for new information and ways to interpret the life and times of the four generations of famous Lees that lived there. Located in Westmoreland County, this is a site that should be visited.
Stratford conducts a three-week Revolutionary War Seminar for thirty selected teachers each summer. Springtime visitors may attend tri-annual gala event known as Coaching Day, when antique horse-drawn vehicles parade around Stratford's oval drive. The next Coaching Day will be May 7 and 8, 2011.
Contact state chairman Lynn Norfleet for more information.
George and Martha Washington gave Woodlawn Plantation as a wedding gift to Nelly Custis and Lawrence Lewis in 1799. Nelly was the granddaughter of Martha and adopted daughter of George Washington, and Lawrence Lewis was the nephew of George Washington. Nelly was reared at Mt. Vernon, and associated with many Revolutionary Patriots there and at Woodlawn. Located in northern Virginia near Mt. Vernon, Woodlawn was purchased by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1949. Since that time we have all been working to bring Nelly and Lawrence's household furnishings back to Woodlawn.
Contact state chairman Susan Floyd for more information.
The Yorktown Custom House, located at the corner of Main and Read Streets in historic Yorktown, was built about 1720 by Richard Ambler, the first Collector of Customs for the York River District.
Restored in 1930, the building and its dependencies still stand on their original sites. Donations from the Virginia Daughters over the years have been very helpful with upkeep and making repairs to the buildings. Currently, attention is being given to updating and adding new museum displays.
This 290 year old colonial British building just revealed a wealth of artifacts during an archeological dig that established a new dry well to help drain water away from the building. These artifacts will need proper care to preserve them before they can be placed on public display. We welcome many visitors each year to tour the Custom House museum and visit the shoppe while in Yorktown.
Contact state chairman Barbara Price Boles for more information.