The George Mason Chapter, NSDAR, is located within Fairfax County of Northern Virginia and was organized on October 23, 2000, at Greenspring Retirement Community by Mary Elizabeth Seip, organizing regent. The original intent in organizing this chapter was to give members living in the retirement community the opportunity to remain active DAR members within an accessible environment.

George Mason Chapter successfully achieved this purpose and beyond: Membership is composed of Greenspring residents, members from the surrounding area and those residing out-of-state. Due to the expertise, diligence, and interest of our outstanding registrars and members, the chapter has enabled many women of all ages to become active, contributing Daughters.

George Mason, a Virginian for whom the chapter is named, was educated as a lawyer by his uncle and didn’t enjoy politics. However, he realized that the American colonies must unite to resist British tyranny, and in 1774, he initiated assistance by writing the Prince William Resolves and sending foodstuffs to the Bostonians, whose harbor was closed by the British.

George Mason’s Virginia Declaration of Rights, adopted June 12, 1776, was the basis for the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. In addition, George Mason wrote the first Constitution for the Commonwealth of Virginia, which became the model for the Constitution of the United States. The statue of George Mason, located on the George Mason University campus in Fairfax, Virginia, was sculpted by Wendy M. Ross, and resulted in part from donations made by the Virginia Daughters of the American Revolution.