Gunston Hall , the 1755 Georgian brick home of Washington's contemporary George Mason , stands just around a bend in the river from Mount Vernon, ten minutes' drive south along Hwy-1 at the east end of Hwy-242 in Lorton (daily 9.30am-5pm; $5). It was Mason's revolutionary idea "that all men are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent rights" which Jefferson incorporated into the Declaration of Independence. Mason was later one of the main framers of the US Constitution, which he subsequently refused to support because it neither included a Bill of Rights nor abolished slavery. Unlike Washington and Jefferson, Mason eschewed public power, preferring to stay here with his family - which is understandable once you've seen the place. One of the most impressive works of architecture in Virginia, much of it was designed and constructed by William Buckland; the masterful interiors, particularly in the stately drawing room, feature exquisite carved ornamentation. The house fronts onto a large formal garden, and the extensive grounds are in turn surrounded by two riverfront state parks and wildlife refuges.

Gunston Hall - George Mason's home

• Gunston Hall - George Mason's home

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