Produced by Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR • March 3, 1849] UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fred A. Seaton, _Secretary_ NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Conrad L. Wirth, _Director_ _HISTORICAL HANDBOOK NUMBER TWENTY-SIX_ This publication is one of a series of handbooks describing the historical and archeological areas in the National Park System administered by the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior. It is printed by the Government Printing Office and may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington 25, D. C. Price 25 cents. _GEORGE WASHINGTON BIRTHPLACE National Monument Virginia_ _by J. Paul Hudson_ [Illustration: Surveyor] NATIONAL PARK SERVICE HISTORICAL HANDBOOK SERIES No. 26 Washington, D. C., 1956 _The National Park System, of which George Washington Birthplace National Monument is a unit, is dedicated to conserving the scenic, scientific, and historic heritage of the United States for the benefit and enjoyment of its people._ [Illustration: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR] _Contents_ _Page_ JOHN WASHINGTON 5 LAWRENCE WASHINGTON 6 AUGUSTINE WASHINGTON 10 Early Life 10 First Marriage 10 Purchase of Popes Creek Farm 12 Building the Birthplace Home 12 The Birthplace 12 Second Marriage 14 Virginia in 1732 14 GEORGE WASHINGTON 16 THE DISASTROUS FIRE 22 A CENTURY OF NEGLECT 23 THE SAVING OF WASHINGTON’S BIRTHPLACE 27 GUIDE TO THE AREA 33 HOW TO REACH THE MONUMENT 43 ABOUT YOUR VISIT 43 RELATED AREAS 44 ADMINISTRATION 44