Animals

Hogs

Hogs

Months before his death, George Washington admitted that while he had "a large stock of Hogs—the precise number is unknown." During this period, Washington let his hogs run free to feed on vegetable…

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Birds

Birds were a feature of life at the Mount Vernon mansion for at least three decades. As early as April?

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Buffalo

One of the foods that sustained George Washington during his travels on the frontier was buffalo.

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Camel

George Washington brought a camel to Mount Vernon for Christmas in 1787.

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Cattle

Just after the Revolutionary War, Washington had almost 350 heads of cattle at Mount Vernon.

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Deer

During the 1780s and 1790s, George Washington transformed the area just below the lawn overlooking the?

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Dogs

There were many dogs living at Mount Vernon during George Washington's lifetime. These animals were owned by George and Martha Washington, by her grandchildren, by friends, and by slaves who lived on the estate. There is evidence from George Washington's papers that there were a large variety of dogs at Mount Vernon including many different breeds.

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Donkeys

Donkeys were utilized to breed mules for work on the Mount Vernon plantation, by mating with female horses?

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Hogs

Months before his death, George Washington admitted that while he had "a large stock of Hogs—the precise number is unknown." During this period, Washington let his hogs run free to feed on vegetable matter found on the forest floor, including roots, nuts, wild herbs, and fungi.

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Nelson (Horse)

Thomas Jefferson once referred to George Washington as

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Prescott (Horse)

From the time of his early youth, George Washington had a deep appreciation for his horses, which he rode on a daily basis.  Washington favored white horses, and he continually sought more for purchase, even in his final years. Washington once specified his ideal body measurements and fur color for a horse, stating that he “would prefer a perfect white” horse before “a dapple grey” or a “deep bay.”1  Prescott, one of Washington’s “white chargers,” or parade horses, fulfilled this description. 

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Royal Gift (Donkey) New

Royal Gift was the name George Washington chose for the Spanish jack that King Charles III of Spain gave to him in November 1784. The prized animal arrived at Mount Vernon one year later.

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Sheep

The sheep population at Mount Vernon soared after the conclusion of the Revolutionary War. In the fall?

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