Washington’s Boyhood Home Found

Excavations at Ferry Farm in Virginia have turned up the foundation of George Washington’s boyhood home. Half a million artifacts have been uncovered and are being studied for clues about Washington’s early life.

“When you look at the normal biographies of Washington, they start when he’s 23,” said David Muraca, who oversaw the excavation as director of archaeology at the George Washington Foundation, which owns Ferry Farm.

“This piece of the story is very difficult for historians to get their hands around,” he said. “This dig will let us start our stories much earlier.”

Washington first lived in the house at Ferry Farm in 1738, when he was six years old. After seven years of work, the team has identified the floor plan, despite the fact that stones were recycled when the home was altered and remodeled over time. Link

(image credit: Mark Wenger of Mesick, Cohen, Wilson, Baker, Architects, of Williamsburg, VA George Washington Foundation)