Weems-Botts house in Dumfries plans May reopening

DUMFRIES, Va. — The Weems-Botts Museum in Dumfries is closed until May.

The museum in Dumfries was once the home of Parson Weems, the biographer of George Washington who wrote the story about Washington’s inability to tell a lie and his cutting down a cherry tree with a hatchet and is undergoing renovation.

From Jim Stacy, a Historic Dumfries, Virginia Inc. board member:

“The museum normally closes in the winter months, December-March, but we delayed reopening until we can complete some much needed renovations in the Annex. Merchant Park, which HDVI manages, is available for booking events.”

“Our strategic goals are to make the Park a place where families feel welcome, and Dumfries and Prince William County residents can book events at a relatively low cost.”

“We want to reacquaint people with the roles Dettingen Parish, the Town of Dumfries, and the greater Dumfries community played in Colonial Virginia and in founding the United States.”

Stacy responded via email did not say how much the renovations cost, or exactly what is being renovated. A voice mail message on the left museum’s phone states it will reopen next month.

According to Prince William County spokesman Jason Grant, the museum receives county funds to operate:

“Historic Dumfries Virginia, Inc. is the community partner that operates the Weems-Botts Museum. They receive $36,050 in [hotel tax] funds for operating of the museum. We require that they report their annual attendance and volunteer hours along with their financial documents.”

The Weems-Botts House was restored and opened to the public as a museum in 1975. After it was home to Parson Weems, the house was home to Benjamin Botts, a lawyer who successfully defended Vice-President Arron Burr, who is known for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804.