11-1, George Washington's Birthplace

We just couldn't let mom and dad go.....so we went with them! We followed each other down to Virginia to Pope's Creek Plantation where George Washington was born. It was so beautiful there! Sven asked if we could buy that property overlooking the Potomac River....but the ranger laughed at us. =) We learned that George Washington spent the first three years of his life at this plantation. He never really considered it home but rather his brother's property instead. Mount Vernon (closer to DC) is where he considered home....that'll be another road trip another day. It was a beautiful, beautiful day in an amazing setting. But, the day did end eventually (at dark and after dinner in mom and dad's motorhome at a neighboring campground....) and we finally had to say goodbye to mom and dad. Boy oh boy are we going to miss them. =( (THAT is an understatement!! Thanks, mom and dad, for making the long drive out to visit us. It means a lot to us and we're hoping you enjoyed yourself and will come back next year!!).

This is the house that is on the property. It is not the original house; it is a replica of a house of the era. It was built in 1930-31 and supposedly modeled after the house at Mount Vernon. The original house that George Washington was born in burned down in 1779 and was never rebuilt. The house that was rebuilt on the property (as shown in the photos) was thought to be built where the original house once stood. However, the foundation with charred remenants was later discovered nearby. Original or not, this is a beautiful house.

I didn't realize that the reason the kitchens were built as separate buildings in those days was because of the risk of fire-- it was easier to rebuild just a kitchen rather than the entire house. Ironic since the original house burned down in a fire yet the kitchen still stands..... separately.

This is the view of the original house foundation and its proximity to the house that was constructed in the 1930s. You can see the original foundation in the foreground.

This is the view from the front of the "new" house. Is that beautiful or what? Just imagine merchant ships going by back in the day. Wow.

The foliage and garden grounds were beautiful. Very, very peaceful.

I'm quite proud of this portrait...... what a cute couple. =)

Cute, but in a completely different way.... hee hee.....we heard some strange, little noises coming from behind the fences surrounding the barns. We peeked over and saw these cute little piglets running towards us. We watched them for quite some time....as they ran around the corral, squeezed under the fence, ran around loose, back under the fence and back into the corral. It was hilarious!!