Archaeology
Five articles about Mount Vernon's archaeology program were published in the Quarterly Bulletin of the Archeological Society of Virgina, December 2006, Vol. 61, Number 4. These articles talk about the history of archaeology at Mount Vernon, the Blacksmiths' Shop, the South Grove Trash Midden, South Lane restoration and Distillery.
Slave Lifeways at Mount Vernon: An Archaeological Perspective This research paper explores the lives of Mount Vernon's enslaved population through recent archaeological research.
Distillery Excavation Papers presented at the Society for Historical Archaeology's annual meeting, Jan. 2004, about the excavation, research and reconstruction of George Washington's Distillery.
Flowerpots Archaeology intern James Goodwin analyzes flowerpots excavated during the recent excavations in Mount Vernon's Upper Garden.
George Washington, The Revolutionary Farmer: America's First Composter written by Dennis Pogue and Robert Arner tells the story of Mount Vernon's Dung Repository.
Coarse Earthenwares from Early Mount Vernon (text and presentation) Initial studies of the South Grove Midden used refined ceramics to establish feature chronology and depositional patterns. The bulk of the primary deposits of kitchen and Mansion refuse appear to have been formed from the mid-1730s through 1765. This tightly dated context allows us to explore and refine dates for the contemporaneous coarse earthenwares and compare patterns of deposition with the refined ceramics. The result of this analysis will be a complete picture of the ceramics being used in the early George Washington household.
Restoration
Small Dining Room The recent restoration of the Small Dining Room included repairs to the ornamental ceiling and reanalysis of the 1799 paint.
A Venetian Window Restoration of the Venetian or Palladian window in the large dining room revealed new details on the surrounding ornaments and subtle shades of paint. This article was originally published in the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union's Annual Report 1996.
Spinning House Restoration This report documents the recent restoration (October 2003-April 2004) of the Spinning House, one of Mount Vernon's original outbuildings. Architectural drawings of the restoration are available upon request.
Servants' Hall Restoration The Servants' Hall is one of a pair of outbuildings flanking the west facade of the Mansion. Built in 1775-76, the Hall was part of a major campaign of expansion initiated by George Washington just before he left Mount Vernon to lead the Continental Army in the Revolution. This report highlights the building's history and documents the 18-month restoration that was completed in 1998. A short section talks about archaeological fieldwork conducted below the floor.
Other
Nomination for World Heritage Status In 2009 Mount Vernon was one of two sites nominated by the Department of the Interior to be a World Heritage Site.
