eorge Washington brought his mother to this town to enjoy its quaint streets and pleasing views. Colonial merchants traveled across land and sea to trade at this center of commerce. Union and Confederate forces, valuing the strategic location between Richmond and Washington, D.C., fought bitterly to claim the town as headquarters.

Located on the Rappahannock River halfway between Richmond and Washington, D.C., Fredericksburg has always been a sought-after town. People came here to work, to farm, even to fight, but mostly to live in a town small enough to feel like home yet large enough to fill their needs. Fredericksburg is the fastest growing area in Virginia, yet its roots reach deep into history.

The past is an integral part of present-day life in Fredericksburg. Ferry Farm, Washington's boyhood home, is just a coin's toss away. Tavern wenches still greet visitors at the Rising Sun Tavern, the only "proper" tavern in town. Four major battlefields are preserved in the area, with a battlefield visitor center located in the heart of the city. Reenactors who set up camps and stage battles, soldiers and ladies in period costumes who stroll the street of Old Town Fredericksburg, make history live again.

In what other town in America can you stand on a single street corner and see four original buildings all constructed before the Civil War? Your guests will relive history as they walk the streets of Fredericksburg or enjoy a Trolley Tour of the local sights in "America's Most Historic City."