Germanna Foundation Membership Development Manager Ashley Abruzzo (and Germanna descendant) presents a video overview on the history of the Germanna Colony, a German-speaking settlement that began in 1714 at Fort Germanna at what was then the western-most frontier of Virginia. The Fort was situated between what is now Fredericksburg and Culpeper, Virginia.

She also discusses how the Germanna Foundation was created, and its present-day mission to preserve, protect, and educate the public on Virginia’s early German-American heritage. This includes its archaeology program to find the original fort, upkeep of its land and hiking trails along the Rapdian river, and the preservation of a mid-18th century manor called Salubria.

Ashley’s presentation was held at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library Salem Church Branch in Fredericksburg, VA on the evening of October 5, 2017.

Watch the video here:

. . . . and help support the Germanna Foundation!

Wondering what to give the Germanna descendant in your life? We’ve got a lot of ideas for you:

• BEFORE you shop on Amazon, use Germanna’s Amazon link to get there. The Foundation will get a referral fee for anything you purchase. The link is also on our website.

• Or, choose the Germanna Foundation as a charity for Amazon Smile when you shop. Amazon will donate money to us. Here’s our link.

• GIFT IDEA: Buy a Germanna descendant item on our Zazzle store. Be sure to use Germanna’s Zazzle link to get there and we’ll get a referral fee. There are shirts and sweatshirts for women, men and kids; baby bibs and t-shirts, coffee mugs, steins, travel mugs, mousepads, ties, stamps, aprons, bags, playing cards, puzzles, key chains, bumper stickers, luggage tags, plates, pillows and much more.

• GIFT IDEA: Call the Germanna Foundation (540-423-1700 Mon-Fri 10a-4p) if you want to buy Germanna-branded pins, magnets, garden flags, postcards, pens and more that were sold during the last reunion. We also have Christmas tree ornaments.

• GIFT IDEA: Buy a Germanna Record for a family member so they can learn about their roots. There are 15 books to choose from!

• GIFT IDEA: Buy an engraved Stone Paver in the Memorial Garden in honor of your family or a member of your family

• GIFT IDEA: Buy a family member a seat on one Germanna’s upcoming tours to Germany to either visit the ancestral lands of the Germanna colonists (June 17-29, 2018) or go on a river cruise (December 2019).

• GIFT IDEA: Pay for a family member to attend the next Germanna reunion on July 12-15, 2018 in Virginia.

• GIFT IDEA: Order a Germanna DNA test kit for a family member so they can know where they are originally from. FamilyTreeDNA makes a small contribution to us for every individual that participates in our Germanna DNA Project.

• GIFT IDEA: Buy a Germanna Foundation Membership for family members. They’ll get our newsletter mailed to their house four times a year, plus get access to our genealogy database and more.

• GIFT IDEA: Make a tax deductible donation to the Germanna Foundation in honor or in memory of a family member. This gift helps ensure their Germanna heritage is preserved for future generations.

The Germanna Foundation is honored to host a team from the German Embassy on Saturday, November 11, 2017.

This German-American team set out from the German Embassy in Washington, DC on Monday, October 30 for a multi-state road trip.

The purpose of the tour is to meet people in their hometowns around the region, to talk to them about their German heritage, about Germany in general, and about the United States and Germany – politically, socially, and culturally.

The embassy team identified towns, neighborhoods, and schools with “German” in their name or towns with German history or German-related events that they would like to visit during the first two weeks in November.

Our countries share a number of challenges in these turbulent times, but we also share a long history and common interests. The team will talk about all of these things on this #GermanBusUSA tour.

The embassy tour group will visit the Fort Germanna Archaeology Site on the morning of Saturday, November 11th, and will be at the Fort Germanna Brawdus Martin Visitor Center from 1:00-4:00 pm to chat with local visitors.

Prior to meeting the members of the Embassy, please join us at 1 pm to honor our nation’s veterans as the Lake of the Woods Vets Club will have an American Flag raising with a bugler at the Visitor Center.

This event is free and open to the public. After talking with members of the Embassy, visitors are welcome to browse through our Germanna family history books, as well as hike one of our several trails on our Siegen Forest land at the Visitor Center.

For more information, http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/01-EmbassyConsulates/Embassy/00/GermanBusUSA.html

Date: November 11, 2017
Time: 1:00-4:00 pm
Location: Fort Germanna Brawdus Martin Visitor Center, 2062 Germanna Hwy Locust Grove, VA 22508