Restoring Our Ancestral Home

As we pass by the trees that align the drive, you can feel the wind pick up and rustle the leaves as though our ancestors are welcoming us home once more. Follow us on our journey to making our dreams a reality as we walk in the footsteps of our ancestors and rediscover our ancestral roots.

A view of 638 Kings Highway, before any work began. This house is at Little Falls Farm, also formerly known as the Duff McDuff Green property.

In The Beginning

August 29, 2019

We have been working with Stafford County for a number of years to get a lease of the Duff Green House and 17 acres for our Tribal Home, Museum, Cultural and Outdoor Village. Now it's official. The lease is completed, signed by both parties, and the keys are in our possession.

July 6, 2021

At the end of the tree-lined drive towers a large Ginkgo Biloba Tree greeting all visitors to the Tribal Center. This majestic tree provides dramatically vibrant autumn foliage in the fall and shade from the sweltering heat in the summer. As of May 2021, the Ginkgo Biloba Tree has been added to the state registry as the largest Ginkgo tree in Virginia thanks to tribal member, Jeannette Cadwallender.

Among the world's oldest species, the long evolution of the Ginkgo Biloba Tree has meager beginnings as a fern. Also known as the Maidenhair Tree, Ginkgo trees can reach 65 feet to 115 feet with the largest in China measuring over 165 feet. Its branches span out erratically from the trunk and the tree is hailed to be resistant to disease and the elements. With all of its unique qualities, it isn't a wonder why the Ginkgo tree is so special.

Outdoor Renovations

May 18, 2022

Such a beautiful tree. The tree beside the garage, although it was hollow with very brittle limbs, was removed to make way for the parking lot. Thankfully it was the only tree that needed to be removed for the parking lot.

Surrounding Building Renovations

March 15, 2020

The dirt pile by the red barn was leveled and the cinder block milking house was cleared of trash.

November 2019 - February 2020

Work on the Patawomack Village. This Native American Village will be circa 1600. For the Patawomeck Village Circle, tribal members disc the ground to start the village process. The top soil was excavated in preparation to place the sub base. The sub base has been placed, compacted, and final graded. The outside walkways were layered and ready for the top coat - oyster or clam shells.

May 23, 2020

Preparations for the Long House have begun. The construction of the long house will be built in the same manner as it would have been built by our ancestors. Before the wood can be used for the structure, the bark is stripped off the cedar samplings with hand tools. The samplings are connected by wire and bent between metal poles for several weeks. This method will ensure the saplings remain strong and rounded. The long house will be placed in the village along with all the work stations..

Necessary Chores

July 29, 2021

A storm (possible tornado) tore through the property not only damaging trees, but also wrecking the barn. The house was not damaged. Thankfully all the members working on the trees when the storm hit, were able to find shelter during the storm and make it safely home.

July 27, 2020

A microburst tore through the back of the property. The back screen door was ripped completely off, chairs on the back patio were slammed into the side yard and wrecked, a big limb broke off the Ginko tree and limbs off the tree by the garage, and the porta potty was blown over. Thankfully, there was only minimal damage considering how much damage it could have done. And after the rain, a beautiful rainbow stretched across the property.

Indoor Renovations

This picture shows the detached garage, which currently has been gutted. Soon this space will be transformed into our Multimedia Center. But there is still a great deal of work that is left to be done.

February 15, 2020

We finally have a complete office setup at the Patawomeck Tribal Center and moving on to the foyer and museum rooms!

September 2019 - March 2020

The house was cleaned and cleared of debris. Tribal members dusted, wet wiped walls, cleaned windows, vacuumed, and mopped and waxed the floors. The toilets and faucets were replaced in the bathrooms and kitchen. A pipe from the kitchen sink to the drain pipe was replaced. The ceiling in one of the museum rooms was repaired as well as the plaster in the foyer and the dining room.

Cultivating Gardens

June - August 2020

Harvesting the crops is probably the most gratifying part of the growing process because it is a tangible reward for all the months of hard work from plowing the fields to the harvesting the crops. Due to COVID-19, we could not plant our indigenous garden, but our garden was bountiful: Squash, Cucumbers, Corn, Tomatoes, Peppers, Zucchini, and Beans.

April 30, 2022

Our yearly gardening has just begun. 134 tomato plants, 48 squash, 48 cucumbers, 15 zucchini, 3 egg plant, 8 mounds of cantaloupe, indigenous Kalahari melon, 48 peppers (green and red), 6 banana peppers, beans, corn, onions, and watermelons. Indigenous watermelons will go in tomorrow and 3 rows of sunflowers across the back of the garden. All the hard work will pay off soon when we have a beautiful and bountiful garden.

July & August 2020

The 1600 crookneck watermelon was planted on the property. The one pictured above is the very first one harvested at the Tribal Center. It has a great texture and is very sweet. As for its name, it is called a crookneck, because in the initial growing process it is a round watermelon that is tapered at the end into a handle (crookneck). Mid-way through its growth cycle, it turns into the oval, more traditional shape of a watermelon. It also has distinct red colored seeds which were not consumed, but saved for replanting.

February - May 2020

There is a lot of work that goes into growing crops. The ground needs to be leveled and graded before it is seeded and strawed. Tilling the soil is next which means breaking up and turning over the soil which brings nutrients to the surface. This processes removes roots and weeds from the soil so when the crops are planted, they have the best chance of taking roots and sprouting. Our crops consist of tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, zucchini, corn, beans, and peppers. A large plot was reserved for the indigenous crookneck watermelon and in the lower fields by the river we planted more corn, beans, and a pumpkin patch.

Welcoming Our Visitors

June 4, 2019

Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to lease to the Patawomeck Indian Tribe the house known as the Duff Green house and 17 acres. Their vote gave us our first HOME in 300 plus years! It has been a long journey to get to where we are, but there is so much more left to be done. This is only the beginning.

This will be the site of our Museum and Cultural Center. We plan to construct a village on the property. The vote allowed us to lease the house and the 17 acre property for a 10-year lease, with up to four 10-year lease renewals. The house is 3,000 square feet with a great view of the Rappahannock River.