Westmoreland County Museum and James Monroe's Birthplace

Today was our last day at Colonial Beach and we still had a couple of places to visit before we leave. We left the RV this morning a little before 10:00 and drove the 14 miles down to Montross to go to the Westmoreland County Museum and Visitor Center.

From Westmoreland Co, VA Museums

Before going into the museum, we stopped to look at the Presidents' Garden next to the museum. The Presidents' Garden was established in 1941 and contains marble busts of James Monroe, George Washington and James Madison who were born in Westmoreland County. The marble busts were carved by Attillio Picciarilli, the same sculptor who carved the Lincoln Memorial.

From Westmoreland Co, VA Museums

We then walked up the steps and entered the museum. We were greeted by
Alice, one of the volunteers, and she told us about the history of the museum. Alice pointed out this portrait of William Pitt.

From Westmoreland Co, VA Museums

The Westmoreland County Museum is the oldest museum in the Northern Neck was established to display Charles Willson Peale's 1768 portrait of William Pitt, a member of Great Britain's House of Commons, who championed the rights of American colonists' dispute with England with the Stamp Act. The portrait was commissioned by the patriots of Westmoreland County in 1768, and is an allegory of the British statesman as a Roman senator.

We saw portraits of several of Westmoreland County's famous residents.

From Westmoreland Co, VA Museums

After browsing through the museum, we went upstairs to the Library to research the Neale family in Westmoreland County. Alice said she wasn't too knowledgeable concerning the library's holdings, but she did show me where the Westmoreland County records were.

Mike and I both went through a Neale family file and a few other books, but didn't locate the Neale line we were looking for. I did find some information on other Neales that may help in locating the ancestors we're looking for.

After leaving the museum, we stopped across the street to take photos of the Westmoreland County Courthouse and Confederate Monument before going back to the RV.

From Westmoreland Co, VA Museums

We ate lunch when we got back to the RV and afterwards drove up to James Monroe's Birthplace a few miles from Colonial Beach. We stopped to take photos of the historic marker for Monroe's birthplace before driving to the Visitor Center.

From Westmoreland Co, VA Museums

We learned that the College of William and Mary had uncovered a 20' x 58' house foundation in 1976 during an archaeological survey. We walked outside the Visitor Center and saw a grassy mound with wooden posts marking the location of the Monroe Farm House.

From Westmoreland Co, VA Museums

Back inside the Visitor Center we saw a wooden model of the Monroe Farm House that represents the farm house recreation that will eventually be built here.

From Westmoreland Co, VA Museums

We saw several portraits of James Monroe

From Westmoreland Co, VA Museums

and busts of George Washington, James Monroe and Thomas Jefferson.

From Westmoreland Co, VA Museums

After leaving the Visitor Center, we stopped to take photos of the Monroe Birthplace Monument.

From Westmoreland Co, VA Museums

Before going back to the RV, we went grocery shopping at the Food Lion. We will be spending a week at the FamCamp at Fort A. P. Hill and there is no commissary on base, so we need to get some supplies before going there tomorrow.