James Monroe Birthplace Park & Museum, also known as James Monroe's Birthplace, is a historic

archaeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or recorded history, historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline ...

located near Oak Grove and Colonial Beach,

Westmoreland County, Virginia Westmoreland County is a County (United States), county located in the Northern Neck of the Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, the population sits at 18,477. Its county seat is Montross, Virginia, Montross ...

. The site includes the ruins and a restoration of the Monroe Family Home and birthplace of U.S.

Founding Father The following is a list of national founders of sovereign states who were credited with establishing a state. National founders are typically those who played an influential role in setting up the systems of governance, (i.e., political system ...

and President

James Monroe James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American Founding Father of the United States, Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. He was the last Founding Father to serve as presiden ...

, which were uncovered in 1976 by a team from the

College of William & Mary The College of William & Mary (abbreviated as W&M) is a public university, public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1693 under a royal charter issued by King William III of England, William III and Queen ...

. Monroe spent his entire youth working the farm until he left for his education at William & Mary, following which he served in the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

. The archaeological team uncovered a house foundation measuring 20 feet by 58 feet. The known 1845 etchings of the birth home indicate a small four room, rough cut wooden farm house with few outbuildings on a 500-acre farm filled with wetlands. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1979, with a boundary increase in 2008. Construction started in 2017 to restore Monroe’s home and to create a walking path that highlights James Monroe's accomplishments; construction was projected to take two years, but ultimately lasted until 2021.

Museum

Opened on October 2, 2021, the museum features a visitor center and a restoration of Monroe's birthplace. It is currently open for tours from Memorial Day to Labor Day from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

References

External links

James Monroe Memorial Foundation website
1976 archaeological discoveries Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia Presidential homes in the United States National Register of Historic Places in Westmoreland County, Virginia Monroe family residences Birthplaces of individual people Homes of United States Founding Fathers {{WestmorelandCountyVA-NRHP-stub