Historic Dumfries Virginia

Presidents Day: The Cherry Tree & Me
2023-02-20 10:00 - 11:00 UTC | The Weems-Botts Museum Annex, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Celebrate Presidents Day at The Weems-Botts Museum as we read Parson Weems’ folktales about George Washington! Make masks to reenact scenes from the famous Cherry Tree story and then record your own family stories!
Free! Masks and tickets required!

The Weems-Botts Bibliophiles: Medieval Romance
2023-02-25 10:00 - 11:00 UTC | Online
Escape with us to a world of chivalry, romance, and fantasy! Enjoy medieval romantic tales as we discuss both the medieval period & literary works that still inspire us today. Enjoy the velvety mouthfeel of Ginger Jazz tea from Leaf & Petal as we daydream & swoon over classic folktales & historic literature!
Check your mail for a special card and fresh Ginger Jazz Tea (vendor: Heavenly Tea Leaves in Great Neck, New York) from Leaf & Petal as we indulge in fantastic literature!

Children's Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group: Kites!
2023-03-11 10:00 - 11:00 UTC | The Weems-Botts Museum Annex, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Join our educators as we design, build, and fly kites! This free hour program includes the history behind kites as well as the supplies needed and a chance to see if yours work!
Children’s Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group is a free program offered every 2nd or 3rd Saturday throughout the year focusing on different themes each month.
Tickets & Masks required for indoor activities.

The Weems-Botts Bibliophiles: Detective Fiction
2023-03-18 10:00 - 11:00 UTC | Online
Follow classic detectives and try to solve the clues as The Weems-Botts Bibliophiles read detective fiction! Drink delicious Coconut Cardamon Chai Oolong tea and join us for our monthly chat as we present both literary & historic perspectives. Learn the slang and typical trends of our early detectives as we indulge & enjoy this neat genre!
Check your mail for a special card and fresh Coconut Cardamon Chai Oolong Tea (vendor: Vida pour Tea in Greensboro, North Carolina) from Leaf & Petal as we indulge in fantastic literature!

Children's Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group: Mother's Day
2023-04-15 10:00 - 11:00 UTC | The Weems-Botts Museum Annex, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
April is the perfect time to craft a gift for Mother’s Day! Join us as we learn about the holiday & craft gifts to present to your mother and/or guardian! This program includes all the supplies needed!
Children’s Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group is a free program offered every 2nd or 3rd Saturday throughout the year focusing on different themes each month.
Masks required for indoors.

The Weems-Botts Bibliophiles: Arthurian Legends
2023-04-22 10:00 - 11:00 UTC | Online
What do you know about King Arthur and the associated legends? Join The Weems-Botts Bibliophiles as we read different historic versions of these legendary fables while sipping on delicious Lavender Rose Vanilla Rooibos tea! What was original to the legend and what changed over time? Answers to these questions and more at our monthly virtual presentation & chat!
Check your mail for a special card and fresh Lavender Rose Vanilla Rooibos tea (vendor: Vida pour Tea in Greensboro, North Carolina) from Leaf & Petal as we indulge in fantastic literature!

Prince Williams Resolves Chapter, DAR: Wreath Laying Ceremony
2023-05-06 11:00 - 12:00 UTC | Merchant Park, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
The Prince William Resolves Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) will hold a Wreath Laying Ceremony honoring the 274th Anniversary of the Town of Dumfries and the 249th Anniversary of the signing of the Prince William County Resolves. The event will take place at the Weems-Botts Museum, Dumfries, VA at 11:00a.m. on Saturday, May 6, 2023.
The town of Dumfries, which received its charter on May 11, 1749, is the oldest continuously chartered town in Virginia. The town once was the second leading port in Colonial America, at the time rivaling New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. It was also near to the home of the first Prince William County Courthouse, the birthplace of the Prince William County Resolves, a key document in our nation’s history. The document, which was a series of “resolves” in support of Boston and against King George III and Parliament’s policies, “in the common cause of American liberty,” marked Virginia’s first coordinated dissension against Great Britain. The document successfully passed on June 6, 1774.
The Prince William Resolves Chapter, NSDAR, is located in Dale City, VA, and is one of 130 chapters in the state of Virginia. The chapter is composed of a diverse group of women who have traced their ancestral lineage back to Patriots of the American Revolutionary War, and who are dedicated to community service, preserving history, educating children, and honoring and supporting those who serve our nation. For more information or to become a member of the Prince William Resolves Chapter visit: (https://princewilliamresol.wixsite.com/dalecity).

The Weems-Botts Bibliophiles: Nautical Tales
2023-05-27 10:00 - 11:00 UTC | Online
Seafaring voyages are taking center stage as we help you prepare for a summer of fun vacations! Sail away with us as we explore the dangers at sea with classic & lesser known authors. Brew and ice a cup of refreshing Hibiscus Lemonade Tea to embrace Dumfries nautical past in this delightful and thrilling literary & historic journey.
Check your mail for a special card and fresh Hibiscus Lemonade Tea (vendor: Tea Sip in Houston, Texas) from Leaf & Petal as we indulge in fantastic literature!

Members First: Revolutionary War Evening Walk
2023-05-27 18:30 - 19:30 UTC | Merchant Park, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Meet us in Merchant Park as we focus on the Revolutionary War in this outside walking tour of Dumfries! Learn more about the crucial role Dumfries played before & during the War and visit the sites where many key moments happened in our historic town’s past. Each participant will receive a cup of refreshing Italian ice as we hopefully enjoy the cool evening air! Free, tickets required.
Members First programs allow us to thank our incredible community and supporters and demonstrate our commitment to providing great local history!

Children's Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Grp: Birdhouses!
2023-06-10 10:00 - 11:00 UTC | Merchant Park, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Join us in the Merchant Park Pavilion to help construct your own birdhouse to take home! Support your local bird population by learning more about bluebirds and other wonderful indigenous wildlife species. This program includes all the supplies needed!
Children’s Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group is a free program offered every 2nd or 3rd Saturday throughout the year focusing on different themes each month.
Masks required for indoors. Tickets required.

Children's Day at the Museum Sponsored by the Colonial Downs Group: Join the Home Front!
2023-07-15 10:00 - 11:00 UTC | The Weems-Botts Museum Annex, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Learn about the monumental Prince William Resolves and how local people joined the war effort! Spin wool from local American sheep as you declare your independence at The Weems-Botts Museum. This historical craft will help you commemorate and participate in an activity our local residents were certainly doing in the 1700s!
Free, tickets required. Masks will only be required if COVID case rates are on the rise. Participants will be informed before the event if masking is necessary.

Children's Day at the Museum Sponsored by Churchill Downs: Colonial Toys in Historic Dumfries!
2023-09-30 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | VA
Join us at the museum to learn about the daily lives of colonial children and the toys and games that they would’ve played with, and even make a toy to take home with you! Reserve free tickets here!

Ghost Walks
2024-10-04 19:00 - 2024-10-27 20:30 (America/New_York) | Merchant Park, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Join us for one of our seasonal haunted walking tours, only during the month of October! Our paranormal expert will take you through multiple locations in Dumfries’ historic district while sharing local ghost stories – the tour will end at the Weems-Botts historic house, the site of many of these tales! For the first time since 2019, these tours will take you inside of the historic house – if you dare to enter! Enjoy hot cocoa and apple cider before and after your tour – all proceeds from tickets and concessions will go towards the preservation of the historic Weems-Botts House. Tours are offered select Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights in October at 7pm and 9pm. Check availability and book your tickets here!
