Kenmore

See the home where George Washington's sister, Betty Washington Lewis lived.

The Kenmore Plantation was built and completed in 1776 for Fielding Lewis and Betty Washington Lewis. Fielding Lewis was a planter and successful merchant who grew tobacco, wheat, and corn. They had over 80 enslaved people, including domestic enslaved people. The mansion was close to the Rappahannock River for easy access to transportation. Betty and George Washington's mother are buried on the grounds, and Lewis' descendants sold the house and property after Betty Washington died in 1797. In 1894, a memorial was erected at the Mary Ball Washington gravesite.

The Samuel Gordon family bought it in 1819, and they named it "Kenmore" after the home of their ancestors in Scotland. During the American Civil War, this place was used as a Union military hospital after the Battle of the Wilderness in 1864. Federal troops also used it on their way to Richmond at the end of the war. In 1922, the Kenmore Foundation bought the property, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. This has been an official National Historic Landmark since 1970.

Kenmore is owned and operated as a house museum by The George Washington Foundation and is open daily for guided tours. Their regular hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm, and Sunday from 12 pm to 5 pm from March to October. Closing times changed to 4 pm in November and December. Admission rates are $12 for adults, $6 for youth and students (ages six and up), and free for children ages five and under. If you need a place to pass the time in Fredericksburg, Virginia, consider visiting the Kenmore Plantation.