Virginia's Abandoned Town Hidden In Great Falls Park Is A Hauntingly Beautiful Site

Hidden in Great Falls Park is a fascinating abandoned town where you can walk in the footsteps of George Washington. Located on the border of Virginia and Maryland is Matildaville, a once-thriving hub built to serve one of the nation's first canals. Washington envisioned connecting the Potomac and Ohio rivers through an intricate canal system. The Patowmack Company was chartered in 1785 to oversee the building of this canal, with Washington serving as its president (that is, until he was elected president of the entire country in 1789). 

"Light Horse" Harry Lee — father of Confederate general Robert E. Lee — leased the land for the town that would become the headquarters for the Patowmack Company, naming it after his wife, Matilda. The town opened in 1790 and included an inn, market, and a sawmill. The ruins of some of these structures are still visible today. 

While many prefer to see Washington's whiskey distillery on his Mount Vernon plantation, others may be more interested in walking through the ruins of Matildaville, which Washington used to visit. While you won't find lasting footprints or artifacts from his travels, you can imagine him strolling around, occasionally bending down to avoid getting his white perm caught in branches while observing his vision come to life. 

Sadly, Washington died two years before the canal was completed, so he didn't live to see it open. Perhaps it's for the best because he didn't see it close either, which it did in 1830. It was too costly to maintain — partly because it was only usable for one to two months per year with the river's changing water levels — and once the Patowmack Company closed in 1828, it was only a matter of time before the canal and Matildaville would too.

The only way to access Matildaville is via hiking trails, and there are a few options to reach it within Great Falls Park, Virginia's underrated park known for its amazing fall foliage. Starting at the visitor center, you can do a moderate 3.8-mile loop connecting the Matildaville Trail and River Trail. Alternatively, the Matildaville Trail is a 1.7-mile out-and-back option if you're looking for something shorter. Either way, you'll stumble upon Matildaville, including the ruins of the superintendent's house and the springhouse (used to protect the spring and as a cool storage). Hikers on the River Trail can walk through the canal locks, an innovative technology used to manage water level for the boats, and see traces of the canal cut into rock cliffs, all of which add an atmospheric layer to what would otherwise still be a pleasant hike.

Due to its location within Great Falls Park, there is a fee to see Matildaville (folks with an America the Beautiful Pass can visit the park for free). If purchasing a pass, be sure to do so before you get to the park and have your QR code downloaded, since the cell service is spotty and you may not be able to pull it up there. The Great Falls Park Visitor Center is just over 30 minutes from Washington, D.C., so consider checking out the best things to do in the nation's capital. It's also about 30 minutes from Arlington and North Bethesda, making this a perfect day or half-day trip for anyone looking to enjoy a mix of Virginia's nature and history.