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Birthplace of Washington's Mother plaque.

Birthplace of Washington's Mom

Field review by the editors.

Alfonso, Virginia

Long after George Washington's mother (Mary Ball) was dead, a mini-Washington monument -- 50 feet tall -- was erected over her grave in Fredericksburg, Virginia. But true fans of the mother of the father of our country trek east, to this old, weathered historical plaque, which marks the still-empty spot in Virginia where she was born.

Mary Ball has a museum in her name a few miles east of the plaque. But the museum isn't about Mary Ball, it's about the history of Lancaster County. That's because there isn't much to say about Mary Ball. She was born, probably, in 1708, and lived just long enough to see her son inaugurated as President. She raised five kids as a widow and managed her deceased husband's 300-acre plantation. George Washington's dad, who died when George was 12, gets no plaques or monuments.

Highway 3, where this marker has been since 1950, calls itself "Historyland Highway." Further west on the road are the birthplaces of Robert E. Lee and George, son of Washington's mom.

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Also see: Mom-uments to Mothers | Mother's Day Shrine

Birthplace of Washington's Mom

Address:
Hwy 3, Alfonso, VA
Directions:
On the south side of Hwy 3, 54.5 miles east of US 301 (King George) or 11 miles west of Hwy 200 (Kilmarnock).
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