Mary Washington House, 1200 Charles Street, Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg, Virginia

Significance: In 1772, George Washington purchased a house from Michael Robinson in Fredericksburg, Virginia for his mother. Mary Ball Washington spent her last seventeen years in this comfortable home.

The white frame house sits on the corner of Charles and Lewis Streets and was in walking distance to Kenmore, home of Mary's daughter Betty Washington Lewis. Tradition has it that, during the Revolution, General Lafayette found Mrs. Washington in her garden attending her favorite hobby. The President-to-be came to this home to receive his mother's blessing before attending his inauguration in 1789.

In 1889, Preservation Virginia acquired the Mary Washington House and saved it from certain destruction. The house was scheduled to be disassembled for travel to the Chicago World's Fair for display. The house underwent a restoration and was opened to the public. The house was operated by the Mary Washington Branch of Preservation Virginia. In 2013, Preservation Virginia offered the opportunity for local ownership of its Fredericksburg sites. As of January 3, 2013, Washington Heritage Museums (formerly Mary Washington Branch Preservation Virginia) officially assumed responsibilities to continue oversight of these properties.

Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: FN-1, FN-76
Survey number: HABS VA-11-2
Building/structure dates: 1772 Initial Construction
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 75002111