James Monroe Birthplace Park & Museum

James Monroe Birthplace Park & Museum, also known as James Monroe's Birthplace, is a historic archaeological site located near Oak Grove and Colonial Beach, Westmoreland County, Virginia. The site includes the ruins and a restoration of the Monroe Family Home and birthplace of U.S. Founding Father and President James Monroe, which were uncovered in 1976 by a team from the College of William & Mary. Monroe spent his entire youth working the farm until he left for his education at William & Mary, following which he served in the Continental Army. The archaeological team uncovered a house foundation measuring 20 feet by 58 feet. The known 1845 etchings of the birth home indicate a small four room, rough cut wooden farm house with few outbuildings on a 500-acre farm filled with wetlands.^[3]

James Monroe Birthplace Park & Museum
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Virginia Landmarks Register
Obelisk at the James Monroe Family Home Site, October 2010
Show map of Virginia Show map of the United States
Location	4460 James Monroe Highway, Colonial Beach, Virginia
Coordinates	38°14′31″N 76°59′27″W
Area	74.8 acres (30.3 ha)
Built	1758 (1758)
Built by	Grigg, Milton
Architectural style	Beaux Arts
NRHP reference No.	79003095, 08000285 (Boundary Increase)[1]
VLR No.	096-0046
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	July 24, 1979, April 10, 2008 (Boundary Increase)
Designated VLR	December 21, 1976, December 5, 2007[2]

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, with a boundary increase in 2008.^[1] Construction started in 2017 to restore Monroe’s home and to create a walking path that highlights James Monroe's accomplishments; construction was projected to take two years, but ultimately lasted until 2021.^[4][5]

Museum

Opened on October 2, 2021, the museum features a visitor center and a restoration of Monroe's birthplace. It is currently open for tours from Memorial Day to Labor Day from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.^[6]