Germanna Foundation

Preserving the historic heritage of the original settlers of the Fort Germanna Colonies in Virginia

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You are here: Home / Archives for Conservation

Germanna Foundation Receives $647,370 Virginia Grant for Conserving Siegen Forest

October 28, 2021 By Germanna Foundation Leave a Comment

The Germanna Foundation is thrilled to announce that we received a grant from Virginia’s Department of Conservation and Recreation of almost $650,000 towards conserving 170 acres of Germanna’s Siegen Forest, which is the land behind the Fort Germanna Visitor Center. The description of the grant states it is a “Conservation easement to protect 170 acres […]

Filed Under: Announcements, Conservation, Germanna Blog, Siegen Forest Trails

The Peter Hitt Farm: Uncovering Two Centuries of History on the Rappahannock River

August 16, 2021 By Germanna Foundation Leave a Comment

Gifted to the Germanna Foundation between 2007 and 2017, the Peter Hitt Farm is an architectural and archaeological gem that provides a rare glimpse into two centuries of life in western Fauquier on the Rappahannock River. Peter Hitt, its builder, was a grandson of the 1714 Germanna immigrant of the same name. The presentation by […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Germanna Blog, History, Video

Hitt family was key to historic Culpeper bridge’s rescue

May 6, 2021 By Germanna Foundation Leave a Comment

“History means a lot to me,” Russell Hitt said in 2018. “Route 613 is the old Lee Highway—my ancestors used that road, the Civil War armies used that road. I just think it’s very important to preserve things like that bridge.” Article by CLINT SCHEMMER in the Culpeper Star–Exponent After seven years of being shut […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Germanna Blog, People

Germanna Connection of Superintendent of Independence National Park

July 4, 2020 By Germanna Foundation Leave a Comment

Decades-long friend of the Germanna Foundation Cynthia MacLeod, Superintendent of Independence National Park, welcomes you to ceremonies in and around Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Her husband Doug Harnsberger is a former trustee of the Germanna Foundation and architect of the Fort Germanna Visitor Center in Locust Grove, VA. The Germanna Foundation is proud […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Germanna Blog, People

A look into Fauquier County’s 18th century German past

April 5, 2019 By Germanna Foundation 16 Comments

Germanna Foundation Trustee Kristie Kendall wrote an article in The Piedmont Virginia magazine about the Peter Hitt house, which is under the stewardship of the Germanna Foundation: A WINDOW THROUGH TIME Driving through Fauquier County, I am often reminded of the strong German history in the area – signs for Rectortown off Route 17 north […]

Filed Under: Archaeology, Articles, Conservation, Genealogy, Germanna Blog, History

Germanna Foundation Supports Rapidan River Clean-up

August 5, 2015 By Germanna Foundation

For the past few months, the Germanna Foundation facilitated the clean-up efforts of another area non-profit group called StreamSweepers.  StreamSweepers is a youth job corps program focusing on river restoration.  Each summer about a dozen area young adults are trained and paid a stipend to go out on our area rivers to perform ecological assessments and […]

Filed Under: Conservation, In the News, Siegen Forest Trails

Bald Eagles Nesting at Germanna along the Rapidan River

April 23, 2015 By Germanna Foundation

In celebration of all the new births this Spring, the Germanna Foundation is pleased to share this photo (taken by Germanna Foundation volunteer Dr. Myron Wasiuta, OD of Culpeper) of an adult bald eagle and eaglet nesting along the Rapidan River in Orange County, Virginia. As stated in the Virginia Department of Game and Inland […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Germanna Blog

Battlefield Preservation and Stewardship Workshop

October 3, 2014 By Germanna Foundation

I’m sharing this invitation to a Virginia Department of Historic Resources sponsored workshop being held in Petersburg, VA October 23-24 for a couple of reasons. First of all, as you may know, the Germanna Foundation preserves the ford on the Rapidan River that was used by troops during the Civil War Battle of the Wilderness. […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Events, Germanna Blog

Restoring Historic Salubria from Damage Wrought by the Mineral Earthquake

September 11, 2013 By Germanna Foundation Leave a Comment

By Doug Harnsberger Spring 2012 Germanna Newsletter At 1:51 pm on August 23, 2011, the terra firma beneath Salubria rumbled and heaved the stately 1757 Georgian-style house. By the time the quaking action had subsided, the 5.8 magnitude Mineral Earthquake had ruptured and twisted both of the twenty foot high chimney stacks twenty degrees, and […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Salubria

Dedicatory Prayer for Siegen Forest

September 11, 2013 By Germanna Foundation Leave a Comment

As a member of the Germanna Foundation, I hope that you hold in honor the stewardship we have been entrusted in caring for Siegen Forest, the 179-acre remnant of the original settlement, now covered in hardwoods which provides a valuable riparian buffer to the Rapidan River. As I testified before the Fauquier County Board of […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Siegen Forest Trails

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NEW GERMANNA RECORD!

Broyles Family book

The Broyles Family: The First Four Generations
by Cathi Clore Frost

Next Virtual Lecture:

Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 7 pm ET

Evening with Germanna presents a virtual lecture by Jerilynn Eby MacGregor on the use of Aquia freestone in Virginia.

REGISTER TO ATTEND

watch on-demand!

Germanna Foundation’s Mission and Stewardship

The Germanna Foundation tells America’s story of liberty through the frontier experience of her settlers and descendants using archaeological, historical, and genealogical research and interpretation. We are stewards over these important properties and initiatives:

  • Fort Germanna Visitor Center campus which includes a Museum, Genealogy Library, the Hitt Archaeology Center, and the Germanna Memorial Garden
  • Siegen Forest – 170-acre Hiking and Nature Trails along the Rapidan river
  • 1714/1717 Fort Germanna Archaeology Site
  • Virginia Lt. Gov. Alexander Spotswood’s home “Enchanted Castle” Archaeology Site
  • 1757 Georgian-style Salubria Manor
  • 1800 Peter Hitt Farm
  • Publishing “The Germanna Record” genealogy/ history books
  • Maintaining a genealogy database with over 130,000 records of descendants of the Germanna colonists

Your donation helps support our mission:

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Become a member or renew your membership in the Germanna Foundation:

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RECENT POSTS

  • Join Us On May 21st For Our Next Salubria Public Access Day!
  • Feel Good Flow Fundraiser at Salubria
  • Germanna Foundation Global Big Day Field Trip
  • Virtual Event: The Aquia Freestone Industry
  • Join Us For Our First Salubria Public Access Day of 2022!
  • Volunteer Clean-Up Day at the Fort Germanna/Enchanted Castle Archaeological Site
  • Germanna Foundation Natural and Cultural Resources Walk

Germanna Patriots

Download Icon for Genealogy Databases

Germanna Descendant

Germanna 101

Watch a video about the history of the Germanna Colonies in America.

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Become a member of the Germanna Foundation and get access to Germanna’s exclusive genealogy database, GermannaFamily.org, with thousands of names. Research your Germanna roots!

Become a Member Make a Donation Planned Giving

Remember the Germanna Foundation in your estate plans and in your will.

Germanna Foundation

The Germanna Foundation
MAILING: P.O. Box 279
LOCATION: 2062 Germanna Highway
Locust Grove, VA 22508-0279
Phone: 540-423-1700
Fax: 540-423-1747
Contact Us Page

Remember the Germanna Foundation in your Will and Estate Plans.

Fort Germanna Visitor Center, Museum & Library

2062 Germanna Highway (Route 3)
Locust Grove, VA 22508
(Next to the Germanna Community College campus)

Hours of Operation:
Monday-Friday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Saturdays, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Closed on Sundays

Out of town visitors are urged to call us at 540-423-1700 to confirm or to make special arrangements for groups.

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Hike Siegen Forest!

Behind the Fort Germanna Visitor Center is our 170-acre Siegen Forest nature and hiking trails along the Rapidan river. Trails are OPEN 7 days a week, during daylight hours. When visiting the trails, please practice “Leave no Trace” ethos. If you enjoy the trails, consider donating to the Germanna Foundation to help support their upkeep.

 

About

The Germanna Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to exploring the Colonial Virginia frontier via the historic 1714 Fort Germanna and its German colonists and their descendants.

It conducts archaeological exploration and conservation, genealogical research and publishing, and historic preservation and interpretation.

The Foundation owns and maintains several historic sites and properties, such as Salubria Manor, that were part of or closely connected to the Germanna colonies, the town of Germanna, and the other early colonial Virginia settlements and towns in the Piedmont area of Virginia.

Copyright © 2022 The Memorial Foundation of the Germanna Colonies in Virginia Inc. (The Germanna Foundation) | Website by CJKCREATIVE.COM

 

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