Fredericksburg, Virginia (pop. 27,982), is one of the most historic cities in the United States. It lies on the Rappahannock River, between Richmond, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The city grew as a colonial trading post because of its river location. Today, interstate highways make the area a distribution center for the East Coast. The former homes of George Washington’s mother and sister are in Fredericksburg. Across the river is Ferry Farm, where Washington spent part of his boyhood. The former law offices of the nation’s fifth president, James Monroe, are in Fredericksburg. Four Civil War battlefields lie in or near the city. Fredericksburg is the home of the University of Mary Washington, named for Washington’s mother.
