PRESS RELEASE

Historic Kenmore & George Washington’s Ferry Farm
George Washington’s Fredericksburg Foundation
1201 Washington Avenue, Fredericksburg, VA 22401
(540) 373-3381 Fax: (540) 371-6066 ferryfarm.org | mailroom@kenmore.org

For Immediate Release: April 30, 2008, Fredericksburg, VA
For More Information Contact: Paula Raudenbush, 540-373-3381 ext. 54

Memorial Day Weekend Events at George Washington’s Ferry Farm and Historic Kenmore

This weekend you can be a real time traveler and divide your day between two centuries as you discover how both the Revolution and the Civil War transformed the lives of soldiers and civilians. Discounted combination tickets are always available for both sites.

George Washington’s Boyhood Home at Ferry Farm
A Civil War Encampment May 24 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

• See what camp life was like for the men of the 1st Virginia, Company H, Cavalry.
• Watch the men and horses perform drills
• Observe and take part in early war recruiting, drilling, and skirmishes
• Talk to the women of this era and get a glimpse into their lives
• Watch and learn as they demonstrate the lost art of tatting lace, quilting, ribbon making, and 19th-century cooking
• View a collection of original and reproduction clothing from this era
• Play games
• Food vendors on site

May 25 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. (camp tear down)

Appropriate for all ages.

• Location: Washington’s Boyhood Home at Ferry Farm
• Dates: May 24 and 25
• Time: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m – 1 p.m. on Sunday
• Fee: General admission

George Washington’s Ferry Farm, located along the Rappahannock River in southern Stafford County, Virginia, is where George Washington grew to manhood. Programs for all ages are based on historical, archaeological, agricultural, and ecological assets at Ferry Farm. 268 Kings Highway, Fredericksburg, VA.

General Admission is $5 for adults; $3 for children ages 6 to 17 and anyone with a student ID; children under 6 are free.

Ferry Farm is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Open Saturdays and Sundays only, January 1-February 29 (except for Birthday Celebration on Feb. 18). ClosedThanksgiving Day, December 24, 25, 31

For farm information and directions, please call (540) 370-0732, ext. 11, or visit our website at www.ferryfarm.org

Kenmore Plantation: Evacuation of Fredericksburg
May 24 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The year is 1781 and Lord Cornwallis and his troops could soon be marching on Fredericksburg. George Washington’s Friends and Young Friends will be on hand all day to help visitors imagine what this time would have been like. Feel the tension mount as the day unfolds. Experience the anguish and the stress of preparing to leave Kenmore. In the Chamber, the women agonize over having to leave their home and fret over what to leave behind and what to take. The Dining Room has become a command post as couriers scurry in and out with updates on Cornwallis. Sentries guard the gates of Kenmore trying to prevent a possible kidnapping of one of George Washington’s family members. In the kitchen, the servants cook food for the trip and worry over which of them might have to stay behind. There won’t be room for everyone. Will life among the Loyalists be for the better or worse?

And on the lawn at Kenmore…have a picnic, learn and play colonial games, participate in militia drilling, and listen to Colonial music.

Appropriate for all ages.

• Location: Historic Kenmore
• Dates: May 24
• Time: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Fee: General admission

Historic Kenmore, located at 1201 Washington Avenue, Fredericksburg, Virginia, was built in 1775 by George Washington’s sister Betty and her husband, Fielding Lewis.

General Admission: $8 for adults; $4 for children ages 6 to 17 and anyone with a student ID; free for children under 6

Kenmore is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Open Saturdays and Sundays only, January 1-February 29 (except for Birthday Celebration on Feb. 18). Closed Thanksgiving Day, December 24, 25, 31

For more information and directions, please call (540) 373-3381, ext. 54 or visit our website at www.kenmore.org