Hear from Mount Vernon Experts as they Explore New Research Behind a Fascinating Object from the Collections
In a letter to Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association (MVLA) founder Ann Pamela Cunningham in 1865, MVLA secretary Sarah Tracy wrote that she had been having Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) seeds drilled and fashioned into souvenir bracelets.
Her creative fundraising efforts followed decades of enterprising efforts to turn the produce of Mount Vernon’s gardens and forests into patriotic and profitable goods. But Tracy’s focus on Kentucky coffeetrees was not a random choice. They were a species George Washington had not only tried to grow at Mount Vernon, but also had attempted to circulate far beyond Virginia.
New research on Washington’s arboreal ventures and a recently rediscovered example of a coffeetree seed bracelet, made for a member of the Washington family, now affords insights into how Washington’s landscape was reimagined and marketed in the nineteenth century.
In this talk showcasing new, interdisciplinary research, Dr. Holly Gruntner, Rebecca Baird, and Amanda Isaac will explore the history behind the bracelet.
Objects highlighted in the talk will be on display following the program.
![Mount Vernon coffee bean bracelet, 1861. Purchased by the William and Lisa Moore Acquisition Endowment Fund, 2024, [H-6144], MVLA](https://mtv-main-assets.mountvernon.org/files/styles/original/s3/2026-05/b62e9c2e-2e1a-4bb0-9776-7743acc2c819.jpg.webp?VersionId=Sv0ESs9puXZzwN7.t4X_NjpGSuDJDYjr&itok=4cilBsri)
Holly Gruntner
Dr. Holly Gruntner is the Landscape Historian at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. In this role, she researches, writes about, and supports the restoration and interpretation of Mount Vernon’s historic gardens and outdoor landscapes.
She holds a Ph.D. in history from William & Mary, where her graduate work – now a book project – focused on kitchen gardens and horticultural knowledge making in early America.
Rebecca Baird
Rebecca Baird has been the archivist for the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association for 11 years. In this role, she serves as a collections manager for the archives of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association’s archives by organizing and providing access to the collections.
Before joining the Washington Library’s staff in 2015, she worked as an archivist for the Daughters of the American Revolution, another historic women’s organization. Rebecca has been a Certified Archivist (CA) for 14 years.
She holds a master’s of library science (MLS) from Emporia State University and a BA in History and French from Texas Tech University.
Amanda Isaac
As Chief Curator at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Amanda Isaac oversees a collection that ranges from George and Martha Washington’s personal possessions to the fine art and historical relics that reflect on their multifaceted legacy.
During her time at Mount Vernon, Isaac has spearheaded the research and conservation of the remarkable clothing and textile collection and led the refurnishing of several of the major rooms in the mansion.
She also curated the ground-breaking 2013 exhibit, Take Note! George Washington the Reader, which highlighted Washington’s diverse intellectual interests. She holds an MA from the University of Delaware’s Winterthur Program in Early American Culture and a BA from the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia.