Beginning in 1953, a series of granite shaft markers were erected at Germanna. In 1961 a pentagon shaped pavilion was constructed to serve as a centerpiece for the markers. It is on this site that the Brawdus Martin Germanna Visitor was constructed in 1999/2000.

The German Reformed Church in America placed the first marker in 1953. This marker honors both the settlers of the First Colony of 1714, and the site of the first German Reformed Church to be formed in America. In 1961 Trustee J. Carlton (Zeus) Clore donated the second marker in honor of his parents. It listed the names of the Second Colony of 1717. In 1971 following the death of Founding President Dr. Charles Herbert Huffman, the Board of Trustees placed the third marker to honor those trustees who had passed away. In 2002, the Board of Trustees authorized the placing of the fourth marker to honor the Founders, Officers and all Trustees who have served since the inception of The Memorial Foundation of the Germanna Colonies in Virginia, Inc. in 1956.

When construction began on the Visitor Center in 1999, the markers were removed and taken to storage for protection during the construction process. The dream of the Board of Trustees was to build a Memorial Garden to provide a new home for the markers and also a quiet, contemplative, and dignified setting where our members could come to see their ancestor’s names in stone.

Member and former Trustee, Doug Harnsberger of Commonwealth Architects of Richmond was the Principal Architect for the project. Granite World in Elberton, Georgia carried out his stunning design in Elberton Gray Granite. Mike Jolly of JHC Construction in Brandy Station, Virginia was the prime contractor for the project. These three people provided the dedicated leadership that enabled the Trustee’s dream to come true.

Clockwise from top left: Mike Jolly and crew lower the Black Granite obelisk honoring John Spotswood into place. Jolly maneuvers the granite plinth that will hold a monument into place in the Memorial Circle. Maria Samuels takes a phone break during her week in Virginia to assure that the granite installation would be perfect. Doug Harnsberger (back to camera in blue shirt) watches as the Germanna Historic Site granite marker is lowered into place in front of the Visitor Center.

In July 2001 Dr. Michael D. Frost of Kansas City, Missouri met with the Board of Trustees. Dr. Frost is a direct descendent of Governor Alexander Spotswood. He asked the Trustees if it would be possible to move the grave of his ancestor John Spotswood, son of the Governor, from his resting place at New Post near Massaponix, Virginia. The gravesite was in danger of destruction by the company that now owns the property. The Trustees invited Dr. Frost to bring John Spotswood home to Germanna. And in June 2002 he was re-buried in the Memorial Circle of the new Memorial Garden. Dr. Frost provided the magnificent Black Granite obelisk that now stands in the center of the circle.

John Spotswood is laid to rest at Germanna where he grew up. The June 13, 2002 re-interment ceremony was conducted by The Reverend Charles R. Syndor Jr., Rector of St. George Episcopal Church, Fredericksburg, Virginia. Spotswood served on the vestry of St. George's from 1754 until his death in 1758. Attending the ceremony were Dr. Michael D. Frost, descendent of Spotswood; John Pearce, Director of the James Monroe Presidential Museum and Professor of Historic Preservation at Mary Washington College; Rebecca Campbell Light, historian. Found and Sons Funeral Service donated the casket and arranged the move to Germanna.

The next phase of the Memorial Garden project is the placement of monolithic granite benches between the monuments in the circle. These benches were made possible through the efforts of four of our Germanna families and Dr. Frost. Each of these family groups took it upon themselves to raise the $2000 necessary to pay for each bench. The families represented are Clore, Fishback, Hitt, and Yeager. Dr. Frost gave his bench in honor of Pastor Johann Heinrich Haeger, the German Reformed Pastor who accompanied the First Colony to Virginia and began the church at Germanna.

Skip Poole, a  descendant of Michael Clore presents a check for $2000 to Foundation President, Thom Faircloth. The money was donated by 20 descendents of Michael Clore.

The paving stone project is still underway and money is being raised to provide the Granite radial pavers, which will cover the floor of the Memorial Circle. Members are donating $100 each for the pavers, which will be engraved with the name of the ancestor or loved one the stone honors.