by gwffoundation | May 15, 2025 | Archaeology, Behind the Scenes, Daily Life in the 1700s, Ferry Farm, George Washington's Ferry Farm, Lives & Legacies, Washington family
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! There’ll be dirt out for screening, ceramics for cleaning, and lots of good cheer…. Okay, sorry, that might be a little too far. But it is a super exciting part of the year here at Ferry Farm, George Washington’s Boyhood Home....
by gwffoundation | Apr 30, 2025 | 20th century, American Revolution, Civil War, Colonial America, Developing America, Founding Figures, Historic Kenmore, Kenmore Assoication, Lives & Legacies, Washington family, Washington in the World
On July 22, 1942, Annie Fleming Smith wrote a letter. Smith was a prolific letter writer—her innumerable missives had helped raise the funds that saved Kenmore two decades earlier—so it is not surprising that she put pen to paper on that summer day. What is surprising...
by gwffoundation | Dec 13, 2024 | Betty Washington, Daily Life in the 1700s, Developing America, Historic Kenmore, Kenmore Assoication, Lives & Legacies, Washington family
There once stood a large horse chestnut tree on the corner of Fauquier and Charles Street in Fredericksburg. It was noted as one of the thirteen legendary Washington horse chestnut trees planted by George himself. By the 1930s, it was becoming clear that the tree...
by gwffoundation | Oct 16, 2024 | Archaeology, Civil War, Ferry Farm, George Washington's Ferry Farm, Lives & Legacies, Native American, Washington family
October just happens to be Virginia Archaeology Month, and what better way to celebrate than to recap this summer’s excavation at George Washington’s Boyhood Home at Ferry Farm. You might remember from our dig preview, that this year’s dig (FF-44) focused on the...
by gwffoundation | Jul 24, 2024 | 18th Century Crafts, Archaeology, British Empire, Daily Life in the 1700s, Developing America, Fashion in History, George Washington's Ferry Farm, History of Slavery, Lives & Legacies, Washington family
Figure 1: Ferry Farm cowries Many readers will undoubtedly recognize these two artifacts (Fig. 1). Known as cowrie shells, these artifacts have become synonymous with slavery and serve as identifiers for the presence of free and enslaved Black individuals in the...
by gwffoundation | May 15, 2024 | 18th Century Crafts, Archaeology, Daily Life in the 1700s, George Washington's Ferry Farm, Lives & Legacies, Washington family
Archaeologists tend to have strong feelings about ceramics. Ceramics can play a major role in interpreting a site, as their materials often reflect their function. This can be helpful when determining how a site was used. For instance, finding an abundance of redwares...
