Historic Williamsburg

11. The George Wythe House

Williamsburg, VA

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Located on the Palace Green, the George Wythe house was the family home of the notable Patriot George Wythe. He became the nation's first law professor when he was appointed the chair of law at the College of William and Mary in 1779. He taught and mentored two future presidents, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, and was one of the first signers of the Declaration of Independence. He also served as a Virginia representative at the Constitutional Convention, which produced the United States Constitution. Thomas Jefferson counted Wythe as a beloved friend and teacher; he is quoted as saying: "He was my ancient master, my earliest and best friend, and to him I am indebted for first impressions which have had the most salutary influence on the course of my life." Wythe's estate is also of great historical importance. George Washington used the Wythe house as headquarters for the American Revolutionaries for a brief time before the battle of Yorktown. The house is owned by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and has been renovated and furnished to reflect the time when George Wythe and his family inhabited the house.