George Washington boyhood home curator Meghan Budinger talks to visitors Saturday at special open house of newly built replica home. @WTOP pic.twitter.com/zOH9Bp2X87
— Kathy Stewart (@KStewartWTOP) October 8, 2017
STAFFORD, Va. — Visitors got a chance to step back in time as they walked through a replica of George Washington’s boyhood home in Stafford, Virginia.
But the site of his boyhood home, now called Ferry Farm, was almost lost to commercial development. It was saved in 1996 and the remains of the Washington home were found in July 2008.
On Saturday, it was a special open house as visitors got to walk through the replica of the home, which stands in the location where the original home once stood.
“We went to a lot of trouble to make it as 18th century as possible,” said David Muraca, the chief archaeologist at Ferry Farm. “It’s as accurate as possible.”
Washington lived at Ferry Farm from when he was 6 years old until he was 22 years old.
The George Washington Foundation broke ground on the home in April 2015, and Muraca said they’re still digging. They have uncovered more than 750,000 artifacts so far.
It still isn’t known when the home, which is currently unfurnished, will be open for public tours. In the meantime, guests at Ferry Farm can get a guided tour of the property and learn about the home.
