George Washington’s childhood home nearly became a Walmart; locals raised $2.2 million to save it

George Washington spent much of his childhood at Ferry Farm in Virginia, which Walmart purchased in 1996 to build a Supercenter. Residents rallied to save the historic property, raising $2.2 million to buy it back before donating it to a nonprofit foundation. Today, the site features a reconstructed childhood home and interactive historical exhibits for visitors.