National Monuments · Virginia
George Washington Birthplace National Monument
National Park Service source material · single source. Source dates and reuse information are available beside each field.
Check the official park website for current access, conditions and visitor information.
Introduction
Background: 1
George Washington Birthplace National Monument is located in the Northern Neck of Virginia. It encompasses 551 acres of land where seven generations of the Washington family lived and where George Washington was born in 1732. The park was also central to one of the earliest efforts to memorialize George Washington during the celebration of his bicentennial birth anniversary in 1932.
Geography
History and culture
Associated Tribes and Nations of George Washington Birthplace: 5
The land administered as George Washington Birthplace National Monument has been since time immemorial the Ancestral homeland of the Lenape, Rappahannock, Pamunkey, Upper Mattaponi, and numerous other people. We honor each tribe's and nation's traditions of landscape stewardship in our endeavors to care for, protect, and preserve the features of the land in the park.
The national monument is affiliated with 5 federally recognized tribes and nations including:
Nature
Plants: 6
George Washington Birthplace National Monument has over 550 species of vascular plants found within its boundaries. The Memorial Area is home to boxwoods, fig bushes, rose bushes, ornamental and fruit trees, and Eastern Red Cedar, which are considered representative of the period in which George Washington was born. The diversity of plant life provides ample opportunities for study and enjoyment.
Birding at the Birthplace: 7
Nestled along the shores of Popes Creek and the Potomac River, George Washington Birthplace National Monument is more than a historic site—it's a haven for birds and birders alike. With its mix of woodlands, wetlands, meadows, and shoreline, the park offers a rich diversity of habitats that attract over 170 species of birds throughout the year.
Whether you're a seasoned birder or just beginning to notice the cacophony of honks and quacks near the visitor center, the Birthplace offers a peaceful and rewarding birding experience. The park’s quiet trails and shoreline vistas make it easy to spot and hear birds in every season. Spring migration offers a chance to see raptors in action, while winter migration brings a burst of waterfowl activity.
Check the park calendar for bird walks and seasonal programs led by rangers and local experts. These guided experiences are perfect for families, beginners, and anyone curious about the birds that call this place home.
Animals: 8
Take a walk around the Memorial Area and discover the gray squirrel scurrying around gathering food for winter, a butterfly getting its lunch on a flower in the Colonial Revival Garden, or a red fox searching for a snack to take back to its den.
If you visit the park during the winter months, you may see the tundra swans arriving during their winter migration, or a river otter quietly moving through the water, or perhaps hear a white-footed mouse or northern short-tailed shrew scurrying through the frozen leaves.
Whatever brought you to the park, the birthplace has an array of animals that will help foster your connection with nature.
Visitor information
Visitation
Sources & field notes
Source records (12)
Select a numbered reference to open a source card. Retrieval dates describe this edition’s source capture, rather than an independent verification or the date of the underlying information.
Background · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Building X - Aerial View · NPS Photo. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Catalog image date
- 01/01/2022
- Source scope
- George Washington Birthplace National Monument
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Public domain:Full Granting Rights
- Rights
- Public domain:Full Granting Rights
Designation · National Park System directory. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.
State or territory · National Park System directory. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.
Associated Tribes and Nations of George Washington Birthplace · Associated Tribes and Nations of George Washington Birthplace — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source page last updated
- April 3, 2025
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party content may have separate rights.
Plants · Plants — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- March 12, 2024
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS webpage text; U.S. government work generally public domain. Third-party material may have separate rights.
Birding at the Birthplace · Birding at the Birthplace — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- September 2, 2025
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS webpage text; U.S. government work generally public domain. Third-party material may have separate rights.
Animals · Animals — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- March 12, 2024
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS webpage text; U.S. government work generally public domain. Third-party material may have separate rights.
Physical Address · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Mailing Address · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Telephone · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Recreation visits · National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics. Open source ↗
- Information date
- 2025
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Methodology
- NPS reporting unit; annual total is the sum of 12 monthly recreation visit estimates.
- Reporting unit
- George Washington Birthplace NM
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.