The Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, Inc. (HFFI) is a member- and volunteer-supported 501c(3) nonprofit organization. Founded in 1955, HFFI remains steadfastly committed to the same guiding principles founded over half a century ago: to protect, preserve, and revitalize our historic Fredericksburg!

HFFI’s mission is to preserve, protect, and revitalize the distinctive historic environment and cultural resources of the Fredericksburg area. 

Aiming to Educate…

For the Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, doing is believing. With our dedicated Board of Directors, we are expanding the role of preservation beyond restoration. HFFI aims to educate the community about all faces of Fredericksburg’s history and give back through tours, local meetings, and more.

Wish to visit us? The Lewis Store is open to the public! Stop by during office hours to say hello, or during Research Thursdays to access our personal archives.

Working on an older building or in search of information about a historic place in Fredericksburg? Want to learn about the benefits of historic preservation and what financial or technical resources are available for preserving our historic environment? Visit HFFI’s archive!

We maintain files on most properties in downtown Fredericksburg, including details from historic marker reports, architectural surveys, photographs, oral histories, and subject files related to some of the people, places, and popular trends that have shaped the city and surrounding area.

HFFI’s archive is open to the public and full of helpful information to assist the community in preserving what makes Fredericksburg unique, distinct, and historic!  

VA 250 Preservation grant awarded to Lewis Store

We are pleased to announce that HFFI has been awarded $118,000 from the state’s VA 250 Preservation Fund to restore the exterior envelope of the 1749 mercantile store of a local Revolutionary War proponent and arms supplier, Fielding Lewis. Gifted to HFFI nearly 30 years ago by Robert and Mary Ellen Wheeler and carefully restored from 2000 to 2007, the Lewis Store is an early and unique example of Georgian-style commercial retail architecture in America. It also serves as a revolutionary icon in Fredericksburg. Learn more about the store’s history and significance here.

HFFI is thrilled to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s Revolution and the unparalleled cultural inheritance left by its leaders to Fredericksburg. This grant will help us conserve and repair some of the deteriorating brickwork and decorative sandstone features, and replace the wood-shingle roof that has reached the end of its functional life.

Our organization needs to match a portion of this sizable grant with cash, volunteer hours, and educational programing–and also fill the gap between the requested and awarded funds. We are working to raise another $75,000 to carry out this much-needed work and preserve the Lewis Store for another generation of Fredericksburg residents and visitors.

Preserving the Renwick

The historic Renwick Courthouse remains a frequently discussed topic at HFFI Board meetings. Learn more about the courthouse complex and HFFI’s efforts to ensure its preservation and rehabilitation here. Two years ago in the spring of 2023, HFFI’s Board of Directors sent two letters to City Council urging them to make progress on repairing this treasured historic resource (you can read those letters HERE and HERE). In June 2023, Council created the “Renwick Working Group”–11 individuals with varied expertise to provide guidance and assistance in the repurposing the complex. The group met monthly from July to December 2023, when specific recommendations were presented in a report to City Council. In February 2024, City Preservation Planner Kate Schwartz presented an action plan to Council addressing maintenance needs of the property funded by the FY 2025 budget ($535,000). In the fall of 2024, City Council allocated additional monies ($660,000) for work to stabilize the courthouse tower. 

Historic Cemetery Consortium

In December of 2023 HFFI signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Historic Cemetery Consortium (HCC).

HCC’s goal is to preserve the historic legacy of Fredericksburg in an area not often given its due attention.  The stories of those interred tell the personal narrative of local history.  The preservation of the cemeteries, their gravestones and grounds is an ongoing enterprise; one that can be enriched through shared practices.  The value of these undeveloped lots is essential as our city expands.

The HCC will not change the autonomy of each member cemetery.

Feel free to reach out to HCC at [email protected]

OUR SPONSORS