gunston hall plantation

I live about 3 miles from Gunston Hall in Lorton, VA. it is George Mason's colonial home. He authored the Virginia Bill of Rights for our state constitution which became the Bill of Rights for the US Constitution in 1791. He refused to endorse the Constitution at the time it was adopted in 1789 because it did contain the Bill of Rights.This home is unique among colonial homes because it gives you a sense of how real people lived in colonial and early american times. Mt. Vernon is the spectacular historic home in northern Virginia, but it is the home of an historic giant, which is not typical for the time. So we recommend Gunston Hall to all of our out of town guests as a way to put the colonial era in perspective. It is a beautiful property and well worth the time to see it.

While this is no Mount Vernon, it is on its way to becoming a cant miss venue. Under a new curator, the home of George Mason is reviving its importance in historical places around DC. While there is still some work to be done, the docents take you on a more individual and personal tour than you would get elsewhere. Be sure to have a sample of the period poached pears from George Mason's kitchen.

I'm sure like a lot of people that come to Gunston Hall, I wasn't all that aware of George Mason's role in US history before I visited. I'm so glad I visited though, because I ended up learning a lot! The video they show when first entering was really informative and a helpful opener to being there. I made it to Gunston Hall just in time for the house tour so, I ended up having to skip the museum for the time being to see the house. The house was incredibly beautiful inside! The house was without it's furnishings due to the roof being replaced, but my guide was awesome and super knowledgeable about the house's architecture, renovations, and what it would have looked like in Mason's time living there. One of the coolest parts of the house though had to have been getting to go up the side servant's tiny staircase. I that seems like a small thing, but still pretty fun and different. After going through the house I enjoyed looking around the garden and the cemetery. The garden out back really isn't much, but the cemetery was very cool to see if you have the guide they give you. It's interesting to learn about the different members of the Mason family. Lastly, I made my way back to the museum, which was really interesting. They have a lot of great artifacts in there that are worth looking at. All in all though Gunston Hall is with a doubt a beautiful piece of American history. Well taken care of and restored it is worth seeing if your a history buff or just enjoy learning!

I have visited the home of George Mason at least three times -- most recently in July 2014. Each tour has been wonderful and different. This time, thanks to the roof replacement, the house was empty, but that actually allowed you to really focus on the architectural detail of the magnificent home. Our tour guide shared lots of details on the family and the site, and was able to answer our questions. Make sure to visit the outbuildings and the burial grounds. This site is worth seeing for the architecture alone.

WE visited this plantation home and found it to be very informative. It is situated near Mount Vernon and George Washington's estate so it provided an excellent contrast.

George Mason is so overlooked. He was a neighbor of G. Washington's. He was a pioneer thinker and Like GW he was a renaissance man with many architectural, and horticultural talents aside from being a dedicated statesman.He was wealthy, he did have slaves. His plantation once rivaled Mt Vernon however, George got the press and the foundation...but Gunston Hall is a gem. It has an exhibit center, orientation film, house and out houses tour and some day will have its gardens restored.

Our visit was during a roof replacement so the furnishing were being removed from the house but Mr. Beaver our guide made it all worth while with his narrative and knowledge of the building and we can go back another time to see the furniture and the new roof.

After searching for something new and different to do, we decided to take my parents to Gunston Hall in Mason Neck, Virginia – just outside of DC. Gunston Hall was the home of George Mason who was very important and a great American Patriot.The grounds are absolutely beautiful and cover 500 acres – (a fraction of what he used to own). The driveway up and museum are very well maintained and attractive. Staff working here were very friendly and informative. To tour it is only ten dollars per adult, and based on the excellent and informative tour we received, we were utterly impressed.Our tour guide answered all of the questions the group of us asked – she had excellent knowledge about everything here. We were allowed to tour the grounds ourselves, and the views were just gorgeous. The home was beautifully restored and we gained a lot of knowledge about the different architecture styles involved with the building of it.During the time we went they happened to have a Colonial cooking market in the yard and we spent a great deal of time talking with the vendors and sampling the goods. The gift shop offered a lot of items which we wanted to purchase and at very reasonable prices.We liked that this was a lot quieter than Mt. Vernon – and the tour was much more personalized as such. We are going to get family memberships so that we could come back again and again throughout the year – even if we go for a picnic or just to walk the grounds. The views here are spectacular!!This was a beautiful place to visit, and well worth your time to stop by and see!

We enjoyed our visit to Gunston Hall. Informative movie at the beginning to get you started. The house in very interesting and the tour guide we had did an excellent job. No crowds which is nice. Great little gift shop! They are still doing archeological digs to find the footprints of more of the buildings. All & all worth the small fee to get in.

I visited Gunston Hall, George Mason's 18th century plantation, in the tidewater area of Virginia. This is not as well known as other contemporary homes such as Mt. Vernon or Monticello, and George Mason is not as well known as his contemporaries. However, he was the inspiration for the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. The Mason family was large - 8 children who survived - and the home looks smaller than it really is with 8 bedrooms. It is well-preserved and a wonderful example of colonial homes of the wealthy. This visit was well-worth the side trip as I drove south on I-95 in northern Virginia. I highly recommend the visit.

If Mt Vernon looks too crowded (and when is it not?), consider Gunston Hall. It's more beautiful architecturally and you won't be rushed through the beautiful restored rooms. The guides are great. Drive down from Alexandria on the lovely George Washington Parkway and enjoy the view.

It's hard to believe that this home, beautifully restored and only 11 miles from Mt. Vernon, is visited so seldom by the American public who rarely even recognize this important man's name! George Mason was a historically important figure who was friends with George Washington (his neighbor), George Fairfax, Thomas Jefferson and many others. His draft of the Virginia bill of rights was the foundation for the US Bill of Rights, and others throughout the world and the United Nations! Plus a beautiful location. You should visit this place!

I literally live 25 min from here. Very nice place. Its nice to visit if you have nothing to do. Not worth spending a day though. You don't need a buy like a hotel to spend a day or two here. You only need like two hours to explore and you'll be fine. If you live 40+ min away from here, i wouldn't recommend coming here. It is pretty neat, but not worth the drive. It's like 1/6 the size of Mount Vernon. There are many parts outside, and the part I liked the most was the garden. If you go far back in the garden, far in the distance, you can see a part of the Potomac River. Very pretty but I don't think you can take pictures of it because its such a puny view.But nice area if you can drive here within 30min and you have nothing to do.

My husband, son and I enjoyed a tour of this grand yet quaint home. It's a pity that more people in our area seem to be unaware of the important work that was done by Mason. We were given the opportunity to tour the second floor on our own which was a treat.The view of the river is beautiful and there is a tree lined path that takes you to the cemetery. Overall a great visit.

This is a great home to visit. The tour provided detailed information on the home, the man and the family. The items in the home are period and priceless. You will learn about a founding father who is not as famous as his counterparts, but a keystone member of the revolution. The property is vast and beautiful. If in the area, do take the time to visit.