Stratford Hall brings together people from around the world to experience two-thousand acres of natural and human history, preserved and presented so that we can all learn from the courageous struggles of our ancestors, taking inspiration both from what they endured and what they accomplished. 

Established by Thomas Lee in the 1730s, Stratford Hall is one of the great houses of American history. An important part of the Stratford Hall experience is an opportunity to learn about the courage and leadership of Richard Henry and Francis Lightfoot Lee as they signed the Declaration of Independence, and with their family, helped give birth to the United States of America. Visitors can also learn about other Lee family members, like Hannah Lee Corbin an outspoken thinker and one of our nation’s earliest known proponents of voting rights for women. And they can learn about the birth and early years of Robert E. Lee, who rose to become superintendent of the U. S. Military Academy at West Point, a leader of the armies of the Confederacy, and president of Washington College. There are few places in America where people can travel down small, rural roads to arrive at a vast site that preserves so many aspects of early-American life, from the fields that were worked by enslaved Africans to the waters of the rivers that fueled trade, to the ground, which still yields secrets about the people and animals that lived before.

Come experience this extraordinary place that played a role in the birth of a nation. Where people can learn about a layered history that began millions of years ago. A history that continues to educate, inspire and influence Americans to the present day.

New in 2023: Stratford Mail, a short podcast for history lovers on the go!

Each month we bring you a historical letter from a one-time resident of Stratford Hall and offer insight into the circumstances of its composition and reception and answer the question, ‘So what?’ All in fewer than 10 minutes!

Join our Director of Research, Dr. Gordon Blaine Steffey, as he opens our archives to you and raises a window on ordinary and exceptional communications of our forefathers and foremothers.