Virginia, the Mother of Presidents

Virginia was the first, largest and most prosperous of the British colonies in America.  It’s also called, “The Mother of Presidents” because it provided four of the first five presidents of the United States.  You can enjoy many day trips to historic homes, churches, taverns, and other buildings that were part of a president’s life in the Commonwealth.

Our nation’s first president, George Washington, was born in Westmoreland County, where you can visit the George Washington Birthplace National Monument.  His childhood home, Ferry Farm, located in Stafford is open year-round.  It’s the Mansion at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, however, that is one of the most iconic 18th-century homes in America.  You can purchase tickets to tour the home, the estate’s four gardens, and even take a boat cruise on the Potomac River in the warm weather months.

Thomas Jefferson, our third president, lived at Tuckahoe Plantation in Richmond as a young boy.  His most famous home is Monticello, the image depicted on the back of a nickel.  The name means “little mountain” in Italian.  The hillside view gave Jefferson, also known as the Father of the University of Virginia, a bird’s-eye view of his “Academical Village” during its construction.   A little west of Lynchburg you can visit Jefferson’s retreat, Poplar Forest, which is a National Historic Landmark.

If you’d like to be an overnight guest at a president’s house, but don’t expect an invitation to the White House any time soon, you can stay at Belle Grove Plantation on the Northern Neck.  The birthplace of our fourth president, James Madison, is a beautiful destination.   Established in 1670, it offers sweeping views of the Rappahannock River, well-appointed guest suites, and gourmet breakfasts.  Belle Grove is also known for its Ghost Hunting Tours, with paranormal investigations of the mansion, outbuildings and grounds scheduled throughout 2022.

The last of the Founding Fathers to serve as a president, James Monroe, was a neighbor of Thomas Jefferson in Albemarle County.  You can visit Highland to hear the story of the lost and found main house, and tour the 1818 Presidential Guesthouse exhibits that opened in September 2021.   They’re also conducting a very important environmental project to repair a section of Highland’s riparian areas that was overrun by invasive plant species.  And if you think that visiting a cemetery is an unusual trip destination, think again.  Monroe is buried at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, which is a beautifully landscaped, park-like cemetery on the James River and is recognized as a registered arboretum.

In addition to these men, Virginia is the birthplace of eight presidents so far, which is more than any other state.  William H. Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson round out the count to date, in case you were wondering.