Dumfries, Va. –– The 250-year-old Weems-Botts Museum house sustained damage during an attempted burglary.
Police were called to the home, now a museum at the intersection of Duke and Cameron streets in Dumfries, at 3:04 p.m. Thursday after museum staff told police they got word of two suspicious males that were seen kicking the rear door to the museum.
No one was able to get inside, but the door was damaged to the tune of $350 and damage to the door prevented it from being opened, said Prince William police spokesman Jonathan Perok.
The house was once home to Mason Weems, the man who made famous the life of George Washington, telling the story of Washington chipping bark from his father’s Cherry Tree and skipping stones across the Rappahannock River. The house was later sold in 1802 to Benjamin Botts, who defended Aaron Burr during his treason trial.
Dumfries later purchased the house and opened the current museum in 1975.
