{{short description|Historic commercial building in Virginia, United States}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NRHP | name = Monroe Law Office | nrhp_type = nhl | designated_other1 = Virginia Landmarks Register | designated_other1_date = September 9, 1969<ref name=register>{{cite web|title=Virginia Landmarks Register|url=http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/register_counties_cities.htm|publisher=Virginia Department of Historic Resources|accessdate=19 March 2013}}</ref> | designated_other1_number = 111-0066 | designated_other1_num_position = bottom | image = James Monroe Law office 2022.jpg | caption = James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library, February 2022 | location = 908 Charles Street, Fredericksburg, Virginia | coordinates = {{coord|38|18|9|N|77|27|42|W|display=inline,title}} | locmapin = USA Virginia Northern#USA Virginia#USA | area = | built = 1786 | architect = | architecture = | designated_nrhp_type = November 13, 1966<ref name="nhlsum">{{cite web |url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=696&ResourceType=Building |title=James Monroe Law Office |accessdate=2008-04-16 |work=National Historic Landmark summary listing |publisher=National Park Service |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109121842/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=696&ResourceType=Building |archivedate=2009-01-09 }}</ref> | added = November 13, 1966<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2007a}}</ref> | refnum = 66000917 | partof = Fredericksburg Historic District | nrhp_type2 = indcp | nocat = yes | designated_nrhp_type2 = September 22, 1971 | partof_refnum = 71001053 }}

The '''James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library''' is a historic museum at 908 Charles Street in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It is located on the site of the '''James Monroe Law Office''', used by future United States President James Monroe from 1786 to 1789. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1966.<ref name="nhlsum"/><ref name="nrhpinv2">{{Cite web |title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: James Monroe Law Office|url={{NHLS url|id=66000917}} |format=pdf|date=February 25, 1975 |author=Stephen Lissandrello |publisher=National Park Service}} and {{NHLS url|id=66000917|title=''Accompanying six photos, from 1965 and 1966''|photos=y}}&nbsp;{{small|(32&nbsp;KB)}}</ref> It is now owned by the Commonwealth of Virginia and operated by the University of Mary Washington. The museum features original objects and memorabilia related to James Monroe, and includes items relating to other members of his family, including dresses worn by First Lady Elizabeth Monroe.

==Description and history== left|thumb|Historic image of the James Monroe Law Office, between circa 1920 and circa 1950 The Monroe Museum is located in central Fredericksburg, on the west side of Charles Street, between William and George Streets. It is housed in a two-part building that is roughly L-shaped. The older portion is a long {{frac|1|1|2}}-story brick structure, with a gabled roof, built in 1758. To this is attached a larger {{frac|1|1|2}}-story square brick building dating to 1964, when the museum and library were organized. The addition houses Monroe memorabilia, and a small library containing volumes similar to those that might have been in Monroe's library. The museum also houses a collection of furnishings and other artifacts belonging to the Monroes, although most date to the 19th century.<ref name="nrhpinv2"/>

The outside includes a memorial garden to James Monroe, which features a bust of him sculpted by Margaret French Cresson, daughter of Daniel Chester French.

This building, composed of three separate 19th century structures later joined, occupies a site said by tradition to be the law office of future United States President James Monroe from 1786 to 1789. Monroe had prior to this time served in the Virginia House of Delegates and in the Congress of the Confederation, from which he resigned in 1786. In 1788, he was a delegate to the Virginia ratifying convention for the United States Constitution. He initially opposed adoption until a Bill of Rights could be added.<ref name="nrhpinv2"/>

Monroe's law office was acquired in 1928 by Laurence Hoes, a Monroe family descendant who established the James Monroe Memorial Foundation (see: www.monroefoundation.org) to manage the property. He accumulated a variety of artifacts related to his illustrious ancestor, restored the property, and opened it as a museum. In 1964, the addition was built, and the Monroe Foundation gave the property to the state. It is now managed by a board consisting of members of the Monroe Foundation and the regents of the University of Mary Washington.

==See also== *List of National Historic Landmarks in Virginia *National Register of Historic Places listings in Fredericksburg, Virginia *Presidential memorials in the United States

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category-inline|James Monroe Law office}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110313062221/http://www.monroefoundation.org/history.html Monroe Foundation history] *[http://jamesmonroemuseum.umw.edu/ James Monroe Law Office Museum and Memorial Library] - University of Mary Washington website *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090430111347/http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/presidents/monroe_law_office.html James Monroe Law Office Museum and Memorial Library] - Park Service website *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110726063506/http://www.fredbuildings.org/historic-buildings/james-monroe-law-office Photos] *[http://www.c-span.org/video/?122387-1/life-portrait-james-monroe "Life Portrait of James Monroe"], from C-SPAN's ''American Presidents: Life Portraits'', broadcast from the James Monroe Memorial Museum, April 12, 1999

{{James Monroe|state=expanded}} {{NHLs in VA}} {{NRHP in Fredericksburg, Virginia}} {{NHLs in VA}} {{National Register of Historic Places in Virginia}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Monroe, James, Law Office}} Category:Brick buildings and structures in Virginia Category:Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia Category:Museums in Fredericksburg, Virginia Category:Presidential museums in Virginia Category:Libraries in Virginia Category:Commercial buildings completed in 1786 Category:National Historic Landmarks in Virginia Category:Georgian architecture in Virginia Monroe Law Office Category:National Register of Historic Places in Fredericksburg, Virginia Category:Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Virginia Category:University of Mary Washington Category:Law offices Category:Legal history of Virginia