Mount Vernon Blog

President and CEO of George Washington’s Mount Vernon Dr. Doug Bradburn recently appeared on the podcast Ben Franklin’s World. Bradburn discussed George Washington, Mount Vernon, and the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. He begins by explaining how the Washington family came to own Mount Vernon and how the estate was structured. Bradburn then illuminates…

Behind the Lines with a Revolutionary War Reenactor

Thursday, May 03, 2018

Marshall Smith has been a reenactor with the First Virginia Regiment for decades. He answered a few questions about his experiences: Who do you portray? I am an infantry officer, a captain in the First Virginia Regiment. How did you get involved with reenacting? I came across a magazine in the early 1980s called Living History. They had an article…

Front Parlor Form and Function: Architectural Clues

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

by Caroline Spurry, Architectural Historian The architecture of a room, particularly its form and finishes, can provide a great deal of information about the function of the space within a building. Form and function in gentry houses experienced a marked evolution in the 18th century. The evolution of Mount Vernon’s Mansion, and specifically its front…

Building 18th-Century Doors

Monday, April 09, 2018

The double doors leading from Mount Vernon’s piazza to the Mansion’s central passage serve as the gatekeepers to George Washington’s beloved home, granting access to Mount Vernon’s visitors and keeping the interior safe from the elements. These overlooked architectural marvels have weathered 63 years of devastating storms and heavy usage. Mount Vernon…

Through My Eyes: Martha's Arrival

Wednesday, April 04, 2018

By Elizabeth Keaney, Character Interpreter Martha Dandridge Custis was a young woman of 26 when her first husband, Daniel Parke Custis, died from a fever. People often reference Martha as the “wealthiest young widow in all of Virginia," although she technically only received one third of the estate to support herself and the children. However, we should…

Spring Changes in the Mansion

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

The Collections staff recently made changes to some of the rooms in the Mansion to celebrate the arrival of spring. As we know, the Washingtons welcomed numerous guests to Mount Vernon. George Washington sheds light on this fact in a letter to his mother, Mary Ball Washington, where he likens his home to a “well resorted tavern.” The Washingtons and…

Season of Lambs

Saturday, March 24, 2018

The month of March has again brought adorable additions to the estate: baby sheep. The annual "lambing" began on February 27 when the first new additions were born. Twenty ewes were pregnant this year, and as of March 20, we have 23 lambs.  Mount Vernon raises Hog Island sheep, a rare breed that is native to Virginia and dates back to the 1600s. Learn…

Spring Snow at Mount Vernon

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Snowfall creates a picturesque landscape at Mount Vernon, and today the area experienced the largest snowstorm in the last two years. While the estate is closed today due to inclement weather, many Mount Vernon staff members—including vice president of operations & maintenance Joe Sliger and his team—still go to work to keep the estate, its staff, and…

A Teacher's Perspective: George Washington and the Creation of the Professional American Army

Monday, March 12, 2018

by James Lautzenheiser Thirty-nine miles south of Crestview Local Schools (Convoy, Ohio), in the present-day town of Fort Recovery, Ohio, stands a physical reminder of one of the costliest days in the history of the United States Army. The rural agricultural town looks a lot like my community except for the large obelisk-shaped memorial across the…

The Patriotic Spirit of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association

Thursday, March 08, 2018

by Rebecca Baird, Archivist Throughout World War I, thousands of American women volunteered for patriotic service organizations that supported the military and the war effort. While the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association (MVLA) was not involved in this movement in an official capacity, the Regent and Vice Regents, as patriotic and civic-minded women…