Germanna Foundation Library

United States Virginia Germanna Foundation



German colonists came to the Virginia wilderness in 1714, sponsored by Governor Spotswood, hoping to have them mine silver. Those 42 pioneers were followed by 20 families in 1717. The First Colony came from the Siegerland area in Germany, and the Second from the Palatinate and Baden-Wuerttemberg area of Germany. Other families joined later.

Germanna Foundation

Today the Germanna Foundation owns land in the original area, complete with a visitor's center, an historic mansion and an excellent genealogical library. Their mission is to preserve the early German-American heritage that began in colonial Virginia. They offer educational programs about the colony's history, and genealogical assistance for the many descendants.

Genealogical Resources

In addition to research assistance, the Germanna Foundation publishes a periodical called the Germanna Record. They also sponsor a DNA project with Family Tree DNA to help identify relatives through genetics.

Jubilee Celebration

July 17-20, 2014 is when the Germanna Foundation will celebrate the 300th Jubilee of Germanna colonists coming to Virginia. They offer tours of the Fort Germanna site, other tours including the Hebron Lutheran Church as well as historic presentations. A delegation of about thirty Germans from the Deutsch-Amerkanishe Gessellschaft (DAG) Siegerland-Wittgenstein is coming to attend Germanna’s 300th Jubilee.

Membership Information

Membership is open to all, whether descendants of the early colonies, or someone who wishes to support their historic preservation efforts.

Germanna Foundation
P.O. Box 279
Locust Grove, VA 22508-0279
Phone: 540-423-1700 (Tue-Sat, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm)
Website: www.germanna.org