Weems–Botts Museum facts for kids
Weems–Botts House
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![]() Weems–Botts House
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Location | Corner of Duke Street and Cameron Street Dumfries, Virginia |
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Area | 1.6 acres (0.65 ha) |
NRHP reference No. | 75002029 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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Added to NRHP | May 12, 1975 |
The Weems–Botts House Museum is a cool historic museum in Dumfries, Virginia. This museum helps visitors learn about the town's past. It includes the main Weems–Botts House and an annex building. The annex has a special library for research. Both buildings are found in Merchant Park. The park also has a bandstand that honors William Grayson. He was a very important person from Prince William County and one of Virginia's first senators.
The museum shows the history of Dumfries. Dumfries is Virginia's oldest town that was officially recognized. You can learn about the people who lived in or used the house. Two famous people connected to the house are Mason Locke "Parson" Weems and lawyer Benjamin Botts. The museum was fixed up in 1975 as part of a big project in the U.S. The town of Dumfries owns the museum. A group called Historic Dumfries Virginia, Inc. helps run it.
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Exploring the Weems–Botts House History
The Weems–Botts House has a long and interesting history. It was built a long time ago and has seen many changes. The house first served as a vestry for the Quantico Church. A vestry was a room or building used by church leaders.
Parson Weems and His Famous Stories
A man named Parson Weems bought the house in 1798. He was from Maryland. Weems was a clergyman, which means he was a religious leader. But he also became a writer and sold books. He would travel around selling books from the back of his wagon. While visiting Dumfries, Weems met Fanny Ewell. She was the daughter of a rich tobacco farmer named Colonel Jesse Ewell. Her father had a business in Dumfries. Parson Weems and Fanny Ewell got married in 1795.
While he owned the house, Weems wrote a very important booklet. It was called A History of the Life and Death, Virtues and Exploits of General George Washington. This book helped shape how Americans thought about George Washington. Weems wrote the first biography about Washington. He also created the famous cherry tree story. In this story, young George says, "I cannot tell a lie, I did it with my little hatchet." Weems also made up a story that Washington threw a silver dollar over 300 feet across the Rappahannock River. He also wrote biographies about other famous people. These included Benjamin Franklin, Francis Marion, and William Penn.

Benjamin Botts, the Lawyer
Parson Weems sold his shop in 1802 to a lawyer named Benjamin Botts. Benjamin Botts used the building as his law office. Botts was from Dumfries. He became well-known for being one of the lawyers who defended Aaron Burr. Burr was involved in a very important legal case. Botts was a rising star in Virginia's legal world. Sadly, Benjamin Botts died in the Richmond Theater fire on December 26, 1811.
Later Owners and Museum Opening
After Benjamin Botts, the house had several different owners. The Merchant family owned and lived in the house for a long time. They lived there from 1869 to 1968. The property was then restored. It officially opened as a museum in 1975.