Hours of Operation
9:00am–5:00pm, M-F
Location
483 Great House Road
Stratford, VA 22558
United States
Stratford Mail podcast
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Lee Family Digital Archive 
Founding Fathers Library Consortium
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duPont Memorial Library
The Jessie Ball duPont Memorial Library at Stratford Hall Historic Preserve is an indispensable resource for those who seek to understand the history of Stratford Hall and its people, the Lee family of Virginia, early and colonial America, and the Revolution and founding eras. Our library is open to researchers by appointment only. To pose a research question or to request a research appointment, we invite you to follow this link: Research at Stratford Hall
The Jessie Ball duPont Memorial library was built in 1980 in memory of Jessie Ball duPont. Jessie was a member of Stratford Hall’s first Board of Directors and a generous supporter of educational initiatives and research. The library now houses a special collections archive of more than 4000 rare books, manuscripts, historic photographs, and maps as well as a broad reference collection of around 8000 volumes. The library is home to the Lee Family Digital Archive, the Stratford Hall Research Fellowship on Colonial, Revolutionary, and Early National America, and to Stratford Mail, a monthly podcast featuring highlights from historical correspondence pertaining to Stratford Hall and its people.
Note to Genealogists: We do not employ a professional genealogist and our tools and materials related to genealogical inquiry are limited. We recommend that you use resources available now on the Lee Family Digital Archive, and make your genealogical inquiries to the Library of Virginia and to the Society of the Lees of Virginia. If you make a genealogical request of our research staff, please anticipate 7-10 days response time.
The library shares the mission of Stratford Hall Historic Preserve to give voice to Stratford Hall’s people, places, and past to engage, educate, and inspire. The library is open by appointment only (request an appointment here) and is next door to the Visitor Center at Stratford Hall Historic Preserve. Our mailing address is:
Attn: Director of Research
The Jessie Ball duPont Memorial Library
Stratford Hall HIstoric Preserve
483 Great House Road
Stratford, Virginia, 22558
The current Director of Research and the Jessie Ball duPont Memorial Library is
Dr. Gordon Blaine Steffey. Judith Hyson is Archivist Emerita.
Research at Stratford Hall
Before requesting your appointment, please search our holdings to ascertain whether we have the materials your project requires. Appointments are available Wednesdays through Friday during normal hours. We ask that you make your request 1 week in advance of your intended visit. We will notify you if your request can be accommodated or must be scheduled for another time.
Access to materials is subject to the needs of Stratford Hall Historic Preserve, care and preservation of our holdings, and the purpose of your research.
PLEASE complete and submit this form to pose a research question or to request a research appointment:
Donate to the Library
The Jessie Ball duPont library accepts monetary gifts and gifts-in-kind that enhance and strengthen our holdings and accord with our collection policy.
You may make a monetary donation to the Library by specifying in the optional comments section of your donation how you would like your money to be used, whether generally (for example, “Library”) or specifically (for example, “Library Acquisitions” or “Conservation of Archival Items”). Funds donated to “Library” without restriction will help us to address our most pressing needs and concerns. Additionally, you may choose to sponsor one or more episodes of Stratford Mail or to support our Fellowship in Colonial, Revolutionary, and Early National America. You may do so by contacting our Director of Research. You may make your gift/s “in honor” or “in memory” of, as you see fit. In all cases, we will be grateful for your support, and will acknowledge your generosity in writing.
If you wish to make a gift-in-kind (for example, manuscripts, books, papers, photographs, and the like), please contact our Director of Research to determine whether such gifts accord with our collection policy.
Gifts are tax deductible, and the acknowledgement letter serves as the receipt for tax purposes. We do not appraise gifts. It is the responsibility of the donor to obtain an appraisal of value where needed and to keep an inventory of items donated.