The Memorial Foundation of the Germanna Colonies in Virginia, Inc. is a nonprofit organization chartered March 14, 1956, for the following purposes:

To preserve and make known the history of the several Germanna Colonies, their operations under the patronage of Alexander Spotswood, his residence and activities at Germanna and in the surrounding area.
To purchase, hold, and improve real estate; to publish bulletins and other printed matter relating to the field of interest and of a character to preserve and disseminate information for the general public, and to do any and all other acts which are necessary and proper to accomplish these purposes.
To establish an endowment fund or funds for the acquisition, restoration, perpetuation, and maintenance of any real estate acquired by the corporation for its operating purposes.
The Foundation owned 270 acres, known as "Siegen Forest", of the original Germanna tract. In June 1956, it was announced that the Foundation owned the 270 acres of the original Germanna tract through the generosity of one of the trustees of the Foundation, Mr. Ernst Flender. The tract comprises the southeastern portion of the peninsula, and extends about a mile and a half from the bridge and the old ford along the Germanna Highway. In 1969, approximately 100 acres of this was given to the Commonwealth of Virginia for the erection of the Germanna Community College.

By authority of the Virginia State Highway Commission, issued March 26, 1959, Virginia Route 3 from Culpeper to Fredericksburg was designated The Germanna Highway. This highway borders "Siegen Forest" and traverses Germanna where the first colony of 1714 was settled by Lt. Gov. Alexander Spotswood.

The Germanna Foundation has built  a Visitor Center, New Entrance, Research Library, Memorial Garden, and Interpretive Walking Trails to the various historic and archaeological sites at Germanna. The Visitor Center opened to the public in June 2001 and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 1 to 5 P.M. Phase I of the project was built using a federal grant. The project is a Transportation Enhancement Program made possible by the Virginia Department of Transportation of the Commonwealth of Virginia through the Federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Enhancement Act (ISTEA) of 1991. Germanna is located on State Route 3, The Germanna Highway, 15 miles east of Route 29 in Culpeper, Virginia and 20 miles west of I-95 in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

The Memorial Foundation of The Germanna Colonies In Virginia, Inc.
P.O. Box 279
Locust Grove, Virginia 22508-0279
Phone: 540-423-1700
Fax: 540-423-1747

Office hours are 1 to 5 P.M. Tuesday through Saturday.

Out of town visitors are urged to call to confirm that the center will be open when you arrive in the area or to make special arrangements for groups.