Memorial Foundation Of The Germanna Colonies In Virginia Inc

THE MISSION OF THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION IS TO TELL AMERICA'S STORY OF LIBERTY THROUGH THE FRONTIER EXPERIENCE OF HER SETTLERS AND DESCENDANTS USING ARCHAEOLOGICAL, HISTORICAL, AND GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH AND INTERPRETATION.

SINCE 1956, THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION HAS OWNED AND MANAGED ABOUT 176 ACRES OF RIPARIAN DECIDUOUS FOREST CALLED SIEGEN FOREST LOCATED BETWEEN THE RAPIDAN RIVER AND VIRGINIA ROUTE 3 (GERMANNA HIGHWAY) IN ORANGE COUNTY, VIRGINIA. THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION DEVELOPED HIKING TRAILS ON THE LAND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF SKILLED PROFESSIONALS AND DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING AREA BOY SCOUTS. THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION IS COMMITTED TO WISE STEWARDSHIP OF THIS HISTORIC AREA BY WORKING WITH THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA AND PRIVATE-SECTOR CONSERVATION GROUPS, AS WELL AS MAKING THE EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF THIS HISTORIC SITE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION'S FORT GERMANNA VISITOR CENTER (VISITOR CENTER) HOUSES THE GERMANNA MUSEUM AND THE EVELYN C. MARTIN GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH LIBRARY; THE HITT ARCHAEOLOGY CENTER (DEDICATED IN 2019) AND MEMORIAL GARDEN THAT IS LOCATED ON THE SIEGEN FOREST CAMPUS, ADJACENT TO THE LOCUST GROVE CAMPUS OF GERMANNA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WHOSE 100 ACRE SITE WAS DONATED BY THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION TO THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA IN 1969 FOR THE PURPOSE OF FOUNDING THE COLLEGE.IN 2021, THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION STARTED THE PROCESS OF PLACING THE SIEGEN FOREST PROPERTY UNDER HISTORIC EASEMENT WITH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HISTORIC RESOURCES. THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE EASEMENT, THE SIEGEN FOREST'S NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES WILL BE PROTECTED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. IN THE FALL OF THAT YEAR, THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION APPLIED FOR AND WAS SUCCESSFULLY AWARDED A GRANT FROM THE VIRGINIA LAND CONSERVATION FOUNDATION (VLCF) OF $650,000. GERMANNA EXPECTS TO FINALIZE THE EASEMENT OF THIS PROPERTY IN 2022, AND AT THAT TIME WILL RECEIVE THE GRANT FUNDING FROM VLCF.THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION HELD A MAJOR EVENT IN 2021 AT THE VISITOR CENTER GROUNDS. THE GERMANNA TRADES WEEKEND, HELD IN AUGUST INVITED THE PUBLIC TO EXPERIENCE HISTORIC TRADES FROM THE PAST SUCH AS FOODWAYS, BLACKSMITHING, TIMBER FRAMING, SURVEYING AND COOPERAGE. GUESTS ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THE VISITOR CENTER DURING THIS TWO-DAY EVENT.EDUCATIONEDUCATION IS CENTRAL TO THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION MISSION. THE VISITOR CENTER HOLDS A LARGE COLLECTION OF BOOKS AND GENEALOGY RECORDS, AS WELL AS INTERPRETIVE EXHIBITS THAT TELL THE GERMANNA HISTORY. SINCE ITS FORMATION IN 1956, THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION HAS PUBLISHED 22 BOOKS THAT COVER A WIDE RANGE OF HISTORIC TOPICS RELATING TO GERMANNA, AS WELL AS GENEALOGIES OF MANY OF THE FAMILIES. SINCE 1957, THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION HAS HELD AN ANNUAL JULY CONFERENCE AND REUNION, CONTINUING A TRADITION STARTED IN THE 1940'S BY ITS UNINCORPORATED PREDECESSOR. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES GUIDED TOURS OF HISTORIC SITES IN THE VIRGINIA COUNTIES OF ORANGE, CULPEPER, FAUQUIER, AND MADISON THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE GERMANNA FAMILIES. IN ADDITION, DURING THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE LOCAL AND NATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED SPEAKERS PRESENT TALKS ON TOPICS OF GERMAN-AMERICAN INTEREST, GENEALOGY, COLONIAL HISTORY, ARCHAEOLOGY, AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION.THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION PUBLISHES A NEWSLETTER FOUR TIMES A YEAR THAT REFLECTS INFORMATION ABOUT GERMANNA FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS, INFORMATIVE ARTICLES ABOUT GERMANNA-RELATED HISTORIC SITES IN GERMANY AND THE UNITED STATES.THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION OPERATES AND MAINTAINS A WEBSITE, WWW.GERMANNA.ORG, THAT CONTAINS HISTORICAL INFORMATION, NEWS, OFFICER, TRUSTEE AND STAFF PROFILES, PROGRAM PROMOTION, HISTORICAL ARTICLES AND A STORE WHERE ALL PUBLICATIONS AND RELATED ITEMS CAN BE ORDERED ONLINE. THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION ALSO OFFERS EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLEGE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS THROUGH SUPERVISED SUMMER INTERNSHIPS THAT PROVIDE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN RESEARCH, PUBLIC RELATIONS, AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF A HISTORIC SITE AND ORGANIZATION.IN 2021, THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION DEVELOPED AND BETA TESTED TWO "TRAVELING TRUNKS" TO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. THESE TRUNKS CONSISTED OF 3D PRINTED ARTIFACTS ALONG WITH STUDY GUIDES AND LESSONS PLANS FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. THE TRUNKS ARE AVAILABLE TO PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FREE OF CHARGE, TO STUDY ARCHAEOLOGY AND VIRGINIA HISTORY.CULTIVATION OF TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRONG TIES WITH ANCESTRAL VILLAGES OF GERMANNA COLONISTS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION LIVING IN GERMANY HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION'S MISSION SINCE ITS INCEPTION. TIES WITH RESEARCHERS AND GENEALOGISTS IN SIEGEN, GERMANY REMAIN STRONG TO THE PRESENT. OFFICIAL DELEGATIONS FROM GERMANY HAVE VISITED THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION OVER THE YEARS, INCLUDING SEVERAL BY VOLKMAR KLEIN, A DEPUTY MEMBER OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND THE BUDGET COMMITTEE OF THE GERMAN PARLIAMENT IN BERLIN. THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION LEADS GROUP TOURS ANNUALLY TO GERMANY. EACH GROUP TOUR IS CUSTOM DESIGNATED, WHETHER THE PERSON IS A GERMANNA DESCENDANT OF THE FIRST OR SECOND GERMANNA COLONY, HAS GERMAN ROOTS, OR HAS AN INTEREST IN GERMAN CULTURE. IN 2021 AND 2020, NO GROUP TOUR WAS HELD DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. IT IS GERMANNA FOUNDATION'S INTENT THAT A GROUP TOUR WILL BE HELD IN 2022.

IN OCTOBER 2013, THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION ACQUIRED A 62.2 ACRE TRACT OF LAND SITUATED IN THE GORDON DISTRICT OF ORANGE COUNTY, VIRGINIA FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, WHICH HAD BEEN MANAGED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON (UMW). THIS LAND CONTAINS THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF FORT GERMANNA AND ALEXANDER SPOTSWOOD'S "ENCHANTED CASTLE." THIS PROPERTY IS PROTECTED BY A CONSERVATION EASEMENT DONATED BY THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION TO THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HISTORIC RESOURCES (DHR). THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION'S ARCHAEOLOGY PROGRAM HAS PARTNERED WITH DR. BERNARD MEANS (FACULTY MEMBER OF THE ANTHROPOLOGY DEPARTMENT AND SCHOOL OF WORLD STUDIES AT VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY), SINCE 2016. THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION HAS HOSTED THE VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY (VCU) FIELD SCHOOL SINCE THE START. THE FIELD SCHOOL IS A SIX-WEEK HANDS-ON, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED IN ARCHAEOLOGY. THE STUDENTS ARE INTRODUCED TO DATA COLLECTION METHODS ON A REAL WORLD, WORKING EXCAVATION SITE. IN THE PRACTICE OF PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC ARCHAEOLOGY, FIELD SCHOOLS ARE SEEN AS A "GATEWAY" EXPERIENCE TO ENTERING THE PROFESSION. THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION AND VCU PROVIDES A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE FOR VIRGINIA STUDENTS ON AN IMPORTANT VIRGINIA SITE. DUE TO THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THE CANCELATION OF IN-PERSON CLASSES AT VCU, THE VCU FIELD SCHOOL DID NOT TAKE PLACE IN 2021 AND 2020. IT IS GERMANNA FOUNDATION'S INTENTION THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH DR. BERNARD MEANS AND THE VCU FIELD SCHOOL IN 2022.IN 2021, THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION CONTINUED INVESTIGATIONS THROUGH EXCAVATIONS AT THE FORT GERMANNA / ENCHANTED CASTLE SITE. NINETEEN TEST UNITS WERE OPENED AND/OR COMPLETED DURING THE 2021 FIELD SEASON INCLUDING 15 NEW UNITS AND FOUR UNITS OPENED DURING 2020. AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDED THE SOUTHERN TERRACE, THE WEST YARD OF SPOTSWOOD'S MANSION, AND INSIDE THE FOUNDATION FOR THE SOUTHWEST DEPENDENCY. GERMANNA FOUNDATION ALSO TESTED A SECTION OF THE WOODED AREA SLOPING AWAY FROM THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ENCHANTED CASTLE FOUNDATION (THIS REPRESENTED AN AREA OF THE SITE WHICH LITTLE WAS KNOWN ABOUT AND WILL LIKELY NEED FUTURE INVESTIGATION).IN 2021, GERMANNA ARCHAEOLOGY EXTENDED ITS DIGGING SEASON BY EXTENDING TWO INTERNS TERMS TO 24 WEEKS. THIS ALLOWED GERMANNA FOUNDATION TO CONTINUE DIGGING INTO THE FALL. FOR THESE EXTENDED WEEKS, GERMANNA ARCHAEOLOGY FOCUSED ON RELOCATING THE FIRST SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY COURTHOUSE (LOCATED WEST OF THE ENCHANTED CASTLE). THE YEAR 2021 MARKED THE 300TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FORMATION OF SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY AND AS A PART OF THAT IMPORTANT ANNIVERSARY THE DECISION WAS MADE TO REVISIT THE SITE OF THE COUNTY'S FIRST COURTHOUSE. THE GOAL WAS TO SEE IF ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE COULD SUPPORT THE THEORY THAT A FOUNDATION FOUND IN THE MID-1980S WAS, IN FACT, RELATED TO THE COURTHOUSE. EXTENDING THE INTERN TERMS ALSO ALLOWED STAFF TO WORK ON THE PROCESSING OF ARTIFACTS (WASHING, CATALOGING, AND STORAGE) RECOVERED DURING THE 2021 SEASON.OVER THE LAST TWO SEASONS, GERMANNA ARCHAEOLOGY HAS HOSTED "PUBLIC ACCESS DAYS" AT THE FORT GERMANNA/ENCHANTED CASTLE SITE. THESE OPEN HOUSES PROVIDE VISITORS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SEE THE SITE AND OBSERVE THE PROGRESS OF THE ARCHAEOLOGY. IN ADDITION, ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE DEVELOPED AND SET UP ARCHAEOLOGY RELATED ACTIVITIES AND DISPLAYS. THREE PUBLIC ACCESS DAYS WERE HELD IN 2021 WITH AN ATTENDANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 250.THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION ALSO OFFERS EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLEGE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS THROUGH SUPERVISED SUMMER INTERNSHIPS THAT PROVIDE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN RESEARCH, PUBLIC RELATIONS, AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF A HISTORIC SITE AND ORGANIZATION.IN 2018 AND 2019, THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTED THE HITT ARCHAEOLOGY CENTER, WHICH WAS PLACED INTO SERVICE IN MAY 2019 AS A HEADQUARTERS FOR THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION ARCHAEOLOGY PROGRAM. THE HITT ARCHAEOLOGY CENTER GIVES THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION A PLACE TO CLEAN, STUDY, STORE AND EVALUATE ARTIFACTS FOUND ON GERMANNA PROPERTIES. THIS 3,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY HAS SPACE FOR LONG-TERM STORAGE OF ARTIFACTS, A LAB FOR THE CATALOGING AND STUDY OF THOSE ARTIFACTS AS WELL AS FACILITIES FOR CLEANING AND PRESERVING ITEMS FOUND IN THE FIELD. THE STORAGE PROVIDES A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT ENSURING THE PRESERVATION OF ARTIFACTS STORED. THE HITT ARCHAEOLOGY CENTER IS A PLACE WHERE SCHOLARS CAN VISIT AND STUDY ARTIFACTS FROM THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION COLLECTION, INCLUDING ARTIFACTS RECOVERED FROM ALEXANDER SPOTSWOOD'S ENCHANTED CASTLE, AND THE FORT GERMANNA, SALUBRIA AND THE HITT FARM SITES. IN DECEMBER 2020, THE ARTIFACTS UNCOVERED DURING THE EXCAVATIONS AT THE FORT GERMANNA AND ENCHANTED CASTLE SITES FROM THE 1970S AND 1980S ARRIVED AT THE HITT ARCHAEOLOGY CENTER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON. THE COLLECTION INCLUDES NOT ONLY THE ARTIFACTS BUT ALSO THE NOTES, DRAWINGS AND OTHER DATA FROM PREVIOUS ARCHAEOLOGISTS' EXCAVATIONS OF THE ENCHANTED CASTLE RUINES. THE ARTIFACTS ARE ON LOAN FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HISTORIC RESOURCES (DHR) TO THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION, WHERE THEY WILL BE SAFELY HOUSED IN THE HITT ARCHAEOLOGY CENTER FOR THE PURPOSES OF STUDY, ANALYSIS AND EXHIBIT. THE ARTIFACTS ON LOAN FROM DHR WILL ALLOW RESEARCHERS AND SCHOLARS TO ACCESS THESE COLLECTIONS.

IN OCTOBER 2000, THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION ACCEPTED STEWARDSHIP OF SALUBRIA, AN 18TH CENTURY GEORGIAN STYLE MANSION WITH 19.6 ACRES OF WOODED GROUNDS AND A TERRACED BOXWOOD GARDEN LOCATED IN CULPEPER COUNTY, VIRGINIA IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THIS HISTORIC PROPERTY AND LEGACY. THIS PROPERTY IS ALSO PROTECTED BY A CONSERVATION EASEMENT HELD BY DHR.SALUBRIA DOES OFFER TOURS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND SMALL GROUPS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY APRIL THROUGH OCTOBER.IN JUNE 2021, THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION ORGANIZED AND EXECUTED AN EVENT AT SALUBRIA FOCUSED ON PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT THE SITE, ALONG WITH PROGRAMS USING THE SITE AS BACKDROPS. THE EVENT CONSISTED OF A TOUR OF THE PROPERTY WITH EXPERTS AND FAMILY ACTIVITIES.IN OCTOBER, 2021, THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION PRESENTED SALUBRIA AFTER DARK. THIS PROGRAM RAN FOR TWO NIGHTS AND CONSISTED OF HISTORICAL STORIES, TOLD AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF SALUBRIA. THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION CONTRACTED WITH THREE PROFESSIONAL STORYTELLERS TO ENGAGE AND INTRIGUE GUESTS IN ATTENDANCE.

IN FEBRUARY 2007 AND SEPTEMBER 2017, THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION ACQUIRED A 4.2 AND 7.4 ACRE PROPERTY, RESPECTIVELY, IN MARSHALL MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT, FAUQUIER COUNTY, VIRGINIA. THESE PROPERTIES ARE ADJACENT TO ONE ANOTHER AND CONTAINS THE HISTORIC PETER HITT CEMETERY SITE. THESE TWO PROPERTIES ARE REFERRED TO BY GERMANNA FOUNDATION AS THE HITT FARM. THE GERMANNA FOUNDATION MAINTAINS THESE PROPERTIES WITH THE GOAL OF CARING FOR IT AND MAKING IT AVAILABLE TO RESEARCHERS, CONSERVATIONISTS, AND DESCENDANTS.