A $7 million new museum is coming to Prince William County.
Slated to be built on the site of Rippon Lodge at 15520 Blackburn Road in Woodbridge, the Prince William Museum at Rippon Lodge is meant to be a way for residents to learn more about the history of their community.
“Prince William County is very unique in that we believe our history is important – although there are many communities that do – but we’ve actually invested in our history, and we have a number of historic properties that are owned by the county,” said Prince William Historic Preservation Foundation board member Laurie Wieder.
According to Wieder, the Prince William County Board of Supervisors established the foundation to help preserve the county’s historic properties.
Rippon Lodge itself is an important piece of the county’s history, as it was built by Richard Blackburn – one of the men that helped to build George Washington’s Mount Vernon.
“We felt a need to have a museum that could tell the story of all of the properties [in the county]. And the reason we wanted to establish it at Rippon Lodge was that – first of all, it’s a very historic property – but secondly, it’s also a good place to welcome people from our community, and travelers to the area, to attract them to Prince William County,” said Wieder.
The museum is planned to be 14,000 square feet with space for lectures, historical interpretations and events, according to a said Prince William Historic Preservation Foundation presentation.
Wieder stated that $4 million of the $7 million needed for the project has already been funded, and that the foundation would like to break ground on the museum in the next year, with a 2018 completion date.
“We’ve raised funds for a number of projects, but we have really had an interest and have made it a priority project, to have a location that would introduce people to Prince William County history, and all of it’s sites and structures, and the people who have lived here,” said Wieder.
According to Wieder, the purpose of the museum is to feature exhibits on important individuals with ties to Prince William County including George Washington, Jennie Dean, Admiral Richard Byrd and Benita Fitzgerald.
Residents that want to donate can do so on their website, or by contacting the foundation directly.
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