Early Wash House

The earlier Wash House was one of four outbuildings constructed on the west side of the Mansion probably during Lawrence Washington’s ownership of Mount Vernon in the 1740s and 1750s. All four were demolished and replaced by new construction around 1775, during George Washington’s ownership of the estate. Documentary and archaeological evidence suggests that the earlier outbuildings stood in two lines that extended at approximately 45-degree angles from the northwest and southwest corners of the Mansion, which was considerably smaller during that period.

Besides a Wash House, documentary sources identify the other three early outbuildings as a Kitchen, Store House and Dairy. Nothing is visible of the old Wash House today, but during renovations of the Servants' Hall archaeologists uncovered portions of the foundation and one chimney, as well as artifacts from a small trash pit outside the building deposited before 1775.