Welcome to our second season of Upon This Land: History, Mystery, and Monuments! Intro music courtesy of Wolf Patrol. Outro music courtesy of Brumbaugh Family.

Welcome to the second season of our podcast, where we bring the history, mysteries, and monuments of George Washington Birthplace National Monument to the world. At first glance, one might assume we have a straightforward story to tell: George Washington, one of the most recognizable figures in the world, was born here. What more needs to be said? However, many visitors find that George Washington Birthplace National Monument is a surprisingly complex historic site. Many of the people, including members of the Washington family, who lived at Pope's Creek are underrepresented in the documentary record. This means that the site's resources have the potential to significantly enhance our understanding of the world Washington came from and the people who inhabited it. In the rural landscape of Virginia's Northern Neck, the National Park Service preserves not only archaeological resources that contain critical information about the origins of the Washington story but monuments that stand as a testament to how we, the people, have remembered—and will continue to remember—the global significance of the Washington legacy. In the first season of the podcast, we explored the power of place; however, when only remnants of the buildings and material culture from the Colonial Era remain here, the power of this place truly comes from the people who keep its relevance alive by examining the historical documents and archaeological resources that hold essential information about the lives of all who inhabited this land. As the nation prepares to commemorate the semiquincentennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, the stories we share at sites like ours are essential for providing an authentic reflection of our nation’s 250-year history. This year in our podcast series, we will bring you stories of the people—past and present—who have lived and worked on this land. From those who struggled to define their place in the greater Atlantic World to individuals who have endeavored to memorialize this land as the birthplace of George Washington, we will highlight voices from our local communities and from the scholars and researchers who share a common interest in unlocking the mysteries of the park. This season, we explore “We The People” in relation to this land, its history, its mysteries, and its monuments.