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Owners want to restore Madison’s birthplace in Va.

By WTOP Staff

MIDDLETOWN, Va. (AP) — The owners of President James Madison’s birthplace want to restore three structures on the property.

The summer kitchen, icehouse and smoke house are Belle Grove Plantation’s oldest properties. They were built between 1720 and 1750.

Madison was born on the property on the banks of the Rappahannock River in King George County in 1751.

Owners Brett and Michell Darnell tell The Free Lance Star (http://bit.ly/1m0eqvy ) that initial estimates suggest the restoration work will cost between $50,000 and $75,000.

They say they want to create a living museum that would enable visitors to experience life on a plantation.

Belle Grove will launch a fundraising campaign for the project on July Fourth with a picnic and concert on the lawn.

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Information from: The Free Lance-Star, http://www.fredericksburg.com/

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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