Mary Ball Washington Museum and Library

The Museum
The Mary Ball Washington Museum and Library is located in Lancaster, Virginia and is named for the mother of George Washington. Mary was a native of Lancaster County and was the granddaughter of one of its earliest emigrants, William Ball I. The museum opened in 1958 with the goal of preserving the history and records of Lancaster County.

The Collection
The library has a collection of about 10,000 books, manuscripts and periodicals that cover over 350 years of history, particularly in Lancaster County but also extending to the Northern Neck and including Middlesex and Essex counties in Virginia. There is research materials on adjoining states as well. The goal of the museum has been to recapture the rich history and the stories of the people of the Northern Neck.

The Complex
Besides the Museum and Library, the complex consists of five separate buildings; that comprise the old Lancaster Courthouse Historic District including the Old Jail (1820), the Clerk's office (c.1797), the Steuart Blakemore Building (c.1900) and Lancaster House.

The community
The Museum and Library are open to the public who may participate in educational programs, trace family histories and tour all of the historic buildings and their exhibits.