Finial from the cupola on the Mount Vernon Mansion (painted pine, 44 inches tall, 21 inches in diameter at the base)
The octagonal cupola was installed as the crowning architectural element on the Mansion by 1784. The finial supported the Dove of Peace weathervane. Because of its poor condition, the finial on top of the cupola was removed and replaced with a modern copy in 1947.
Rusticating wood to simulate a stone finish was a popular decorative treatment in 18th-century America. George Washington adopted the technique at Mount Vernon when he enlarged the house in 1758-59.
Section of balustrade from the roof of the Mansion.
Section of balustraderemoved from the Mansion Piazza roof (painted pine, 45x57x11-inches)
A balustrade in the Chinese design was added to the roof of the Piazza by Bushrod Washington during his ownership of Mount Vernon (1802-1829). The balustrade was restored in 1860 and again in 1876. In 1936 the balustrade was finally removed once it was determined that it was a feature postdating George Washington’s period of occupation.
Corner stone from the basement of the Mansion.
Corner Stone with carved “LW” and crossed halberds and heart design (sandstone, 22x17x6-inches)
Colonel Dodge, Director of Mount Vernon, with the removed Cornerstone, 1910.
A great deal of speculation has surrounded this very enigmatic, and apparently much-traveled artifact. The “LW” in question has been suggested to be George Washington’s grandfather, Lawrence, who owned the Mount Vernon tract during the 17th century. However, recent findings indicate that it is much more likely that the stone was set by Washington’s older half-brother, also named Lawrence, who owned Mount Vernon from 1741 until his death in 1752. Architectural investigations in the Mansion suggest that this Lawrence Washington substantially rebuilt the house that he had inherited from his (and George Washington’s) father, Augustine. This provided a reason for Lawrence to commemorate that event with an ornamented stone. The stone was moved and reset in an interior partition wall of the basement during construction for George Washington’s major additions to the house in 1774-75. To ensure its long-term preservation, the original stone was removed in 1910 and replaced with an exact duplicate.
Barred window removed from the spinning house.
Barred window from the Spinning House (pine, 26x7x11-inches)
This window was set into the foundation of the Spinning House (1775) to allow light and air to penetrate the basement. Believed to be an original feature of the building, it probably was removed as part of a major restoration of the structure that occurred in 1952.
Finials (3) from the octagonal garden buildings (painted pine)
Finials from the garden buildings.
These three finials originally topped the octagonal support buildings in the Mount Vernon gardens. Based on evidence provided by construction details, they are believed to date to circa 1830, 1900, and 1975. They are, however, variations on finial designs found in architectural pattern books from the 18th century. Washington referred to such publications for inspiration when selecting architectural details for his estate. These pieces demonstrate the process by which carpenters working for the Ladies’ Association reproduced decayed elements from the buildings over the years by using the deteriorated examples as guides.
Venetian shutter removed in 2001.
“Venetian” (or louvered) shutter, removed from a window on the second floor, west facade of the Mansion (painted pine, 54x18x2-inches)
Architectural Drawing of a Venetian Shutter
Venetian shutters were a fashionable detail that were valued for their greater flexibility than traditional shutters made of solid (panel) construction. In 1796 Washington removed the paneled shutters on the first floor windows on the west façade, and replaced those with the Venetian type. At the same time he added Venetian shutters to the second floor windows. This shutter, believed to date to 1796, was removed in 2001 and replaced by a modern replica. The new shutters were needed in order to provide protection for the windows during high winds, as the old shutters were too deteriorated to work properly.
1758 cypress shingles preserved under the Piazza roof.
George Washington installed a roof made of cypress shingles in 1758, at the time that he enlarged the Mansion for the first time. The shingles were acquired from suppliers who used cypress harvested from the Dismal Swamp in southern Virginia. A number of these original shingles remain in place trapped beneath the roof of the Piazza, that was added in 1777.
