Chatham on Stafford Heights has overlooked Fredericksburg for over 200 years. William Fitzhugh completed its construction in 1771 and named it for William Pitt, the Earl of Chatham. Fitzhugh and subsequent ante-bellum owners managed a large plantation employing as many as a 100 slaves.
In the Civil War it served as a hospital and as many as 5 generals used it for their headquarters in the Battle of Fredericksburg. Clara Barton had a room on the second floor and ministered to the wounded.
Philantropist John Lee Pratt willed the entire estate to the National Park Service in 1975 at which time it became open to the public.