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 History

WATCH: Evening With Germanna: Spotswood’s “Knights of the Golden Horseshoe” Expedition in 1716

September 16, 2021 By Germanna Foundation 5 Comments

Over 300 years ago in September 1716, Virginia’s Lt. Governor Alexander Spotswood organized a famous trek over the Blue Ridge mountains that came to be known as the Knights of the Golden Horseshoe expedition. The trek began and ended at the colonial frontier fort that Spotswood established in 1714: Fort Germanna, where a colony of […]

Filed Under: Events, Germanna Blog, History, Knights of the Golden Horseshoe

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

The Peopling of Germanna and Beyond

July 23, 2021 By Germanna Foundation Leave a Comment

People have come to Germanna for many reasons. Initially, they came because it was a convenient ford across the Rapidan River, and more recently to connect with the distant past, perhaps where their families fished and farmed, explored, or battled. These people have deep roots far from Germanna, whether they crossed the Bering Straits or […]

Filed Under: Fort Germanna, Genealogy, Germanna Blog, Germany, History, Knights of the Golden Horseshoe, Video

Germanna America in Embryo

July 23, 2021 By Germanna Foundation Leave a Comment

This 50-minute documentary (originally on DVD) about the story of Germanna was recently uploaded to YouTube by the producer, Phil Audibert of AHHA Productions. Enjoy! In 1714, under the direction of Lt. Governor Alexander Spotswood, 12 German families established a settlement on the Rapidan River in present day Orange County, Virginia. At the time it […]

Filed Under: Fort Germanna, Germanna Blog, History, Knights of the Golden Horseshoe

Explorers, Indians, Refugees, and Settlers—The Road to Germanna 1650-1714

July 23, 2021 By Germanna Foundation Leave a Comment

Dennis Loba references primary sources to paint a picture of the history before Germanna and the forces that influenced Lt. Governor Spotswood to explore and settle the Germanna peninsula and its surrounding area. ABOUT THE PRESENTER: Dennis Loba is known to Germanna Foundation mainly for his portrayals of Alexander Spotswood and the Rev. John Thompson. […]

Filed Under: Fort Germanna, Germanna Blog, History, Knights of the Golden Horseshoe, Reunion, Video

18th Century Timepieces with Dennis Loba

July 23, 2021 By Germanna Foundation Leave a Comment

Historian and historical re-enactor Dennis Loba explores the various timepieces of the eighteenth century. Dennis explains where timepieces were coming from, shows examples from his collection and answers questions. ABOUT THE PRESENTER: Dennis Loba is known to Germanna Foundation mainly for his portrayals of Alexander Spotswood and the Rev. John Thompson. He is a history […]

Filed Under: Germanna Blog, History, Video

Remembering D-Day

June 5, 2021 By Germanna Foundation Leave a Comment

On June 6, Americans think of the greatest beaches in the world: Omaha, Utah, Juno, Gold, and Sword. On that day so many years ago, Americans and their allies hit the beaches to liberate a continent from the evil of National Socialism. We did more than liberate the continent. America represented what was good and […]

Filed Under: Germanna Blog, History, In Memorium, People

18th Century Tavern Stemware

March 2, 2021 By Germanna Foundation Leave a Comment

Sylvester Bishop*, proprietor of the Spotswood Arms tavern in the Germanna area gives discusses and shows the different type of glass stemware of the 18th century. *Actually historian and living history re-enactor Dennis Loba, who is well-known among the Germanna family portraying Lt. Gov. Alexander Spotswood and Rev. John Thompson of Salubria.

Filed Under: 5 Minutes with Germanna, Germanna Blog, History, Video

Taverns in the Time of 18th century Germanna

January 27, 2021 By Germanna Foundation 1 Comment

Sylvester Bishop*, proprietor of the Spotswood Arms tavern in the Germanna area gives an introduction to 18th century taverns, their purpose and what you might find in them. This is the first of a series on taverns that will run once a month into April. *Actually historian and living history re-enactor Dennis Loba, who is […]

Filed Under: 5 Minutes with Germanna, Germanna Blog, History

LtGov Alexander Spotswood reads 1720 proclamation announcing the creation of Spotsylvania County

October 6, 2020 By Germanna Foundation 1 Comment

On Saturday, October 3 in Locust Grove, Virginia, the Germanna Foundation held a Fort Germanna archaeology Public Access Day event which also served as the kick off event to the 300th anniversary of Spotsylvania County celebrations which will last to 2021. Historian and Historical Re-enactor Dennis Loba portrayed Virginia Lt. Governor Alexander Spotswood reading the […]

Filed Under: Events, Germanna Blog, History

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NEW GERMANNA RECORD!

Broyles Family book

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

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

  • Salubria in Spring: Our First Salubria Public Access Day of 2023!
  • 2023 Bluebell Walk with Germanna Foundation and Old Rag Master Naturalists
  • Lab Nights with Germanna Archaeology: Hitt Archaeology Center Open House
  • An Evening with Germanna Presents Founder’s Day Genealogy: The First and Second Germanna Colonists with Barbara Price and Cathi Clore Frost
  • Lab Night with Germanna Archaeology Presents: Buildings and Builders of Germanna
  • Join Germanna for the 2023 Great Backyard Bird Count!
  • Virtual Event: The German Diaspora: Looking at German Emigration Worldwide from the 9th Century to Today

Germanna in the Revolution

Download Icon for Genealogy Databases

Germanna Descendant

Germanna 101

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

germanna-family-1b

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 © 2023 The Memorial Foundation of the Germanna Colonies in Virginia Inc. (The Germanna Foundation) | Website by CJKCREATIVE.COM

 

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