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Mount Vernon

Plan Your Visit

The Estate

George Washington

Preservation

Education

Washington Library

Teach Business of Mount Vernon

Business of Mount Vernon explores Washingtons varied agricultural and commercial enterprises at Mount Vernon.

MOUNT VERNON RESOURCES

"One More Bowl and Then?": A Material Culture Analysis of Punch Bowls

Research article by archaeologist Dr. Eleanor Breen describing the importance of the punch bowl in 18th-century life.

"One More Bowl and Then?": A Material Culture Analysis of Punch Bowls

10 Facts about the Gristmill

Illustrated list of facts about George Washington's gristmill.

10 Facts about the Gristmill

10 Facts about the Mansion

Illustrated list of facts about the home of George Washington.

10 Facts about the Mansion

10 Facts about Washington's Crossing of the Delaware River

Illustrated article with facts about Washington's Crossing of the Delaware River.

10 Facts about Washington's Crossing of the Delaware River

16-Sided Barn Digital Encyclopedia Entry

Article about the 16-sided barn with photographs and a short film illustrating how the wheat was threshed by horses.

16-Sided Barn Digital Encyclopedia Entry

Food Supply Ledger, May 19-25, 1794

Ledger detailing the food ordered and the associated costs for one week in the Presidential household in Philadelphia.

Food Supply Ledger, May 19-25, 1794

George Washington and Agriculture

Illustrated article on agriculture at Mount Vernon.

George Washington and Agriculture

George Washington the Farmer

Student worksheet on a painting depicting George Washington as a farmer at Mount Vernon.

George Washington the Farmer

George Washington, Entrepreneur

Teacher Resource page featuring select primary and secondary sources, classroom materials, and essentials questions for teaching about the business of Mount Vernon.

George Washington, Entrepreneur

Great Cake Digital Encyclopedia Entry

Article about Martha Washington's great cake recipe.

Great Cake Digital Encyclopedia Entry

Great Cake Recipe

Recipe for making Martha Washington's favorite cake.

Great Cake Recipe

Gristmill Glossary of Terms

Glossary of 29 terms associated with the Gristmill along with a video (3:19 minutes) of the gristmill at work.

Gristmill Glossary of Terms

Home at Mount Vernon

Readers' Theater and Read Aloud Story exploring the daily lives of the people who lived and worked at Mount Vernon.

Home at Mount Vernon

Ice Cream at Mount Vernon

An inquiry based module that asks students to answer a why ice cream was an exclusive treat at Mount Vernon by exploring three Supporting Questions and analyzing primary and secondary sources.

Ice Cream at Mount Vernon

Kitchen Digital Encyclopedia Entry

Article describing the construction of Mount Vernon's kitchen and how it was used.

Kitchen Digital Encyclopedia Entry

Kitchen Excavation

Short video (2:37 minutes), photographs, and a brief description of Team Archaeology of Mount Vernon's Historic Preservation and Collections Department excavating in front of the kitchen in the spring of 2013.

Kitchen Excavation

Milling Process

Video (3:01 minutes) of Mount Vernon's master miller, Steve Bashore, describing the 18th-century milling process used by Washington in the gristmill on his plantation.

Milling Process

Mount Vernon Mansion Expansion

An animation (1:02 minutes) of the changes to Mount Vernon's structure during the 18th century.

Mount Vernon Mansion Expansion

Mount Vernon Virtual Tour

Tour the Mansion House, support buildings, gristmill and distillery online.

Mount Vernon Virtual Tour

Overview of the Gristmill Digital Encyclopedia Entry

Article that provides an overview of Washington's gristmill and an explanation and diagram of the Evans system.

Overview of the Gristmill Digital Encyclopedia Entry

Punch Bowl

Object page for the punch bowl that Martha Washington brought to Mount Vernon to use for social events.

Punch Bowl

The Milling Process Step-by-Step

Mount Vernon's master miller, Steve Bashore, describes the 18th-century milling process used by Washington in the gristmill on his plantation in this video (3:01 minutes).

The Milling Process Step-by-Step

The Vaughan Plan Digital Encyclopedia Entry

Map showing how the Mansion and outbuildings looked in 1787.

The Vaughan Plan Digital Encyclopedia Entry

Virtual Tour of the Gristmill and Distillery

Tour George Washington's Gristmill and Distillery online.

Virtual Tour of the Gristmill and Distillery

Washington's Kitchen, Mount Vernon 1864 by Eastman Johnson Digital Encyclopedia Entry

Image of a slave woman in the Mount Vernon kitchen at time of John Augustine Washington's ownership.

Washington's Kitchen, Mount Vernon 1864 by Eastman Johnson Digital Encyclopedia Entry

Wheat Treading at the 16 Sided Barn

Video (2:51 minutes) discussing the wheat crop, threshing, and treading.

Wheat Treading at the 16 sided barn

Teach Business of Mount Vernon

Methodology

• PLACE
• OBJECTS
• DOCUMENTS
• VISUAL RESOURCES
• MUSIC
• FOOD
• BIOGRAPHY

Themes

• GOVERNMENT
• LEADERSHIP
• SLAVERY
• WOMEN
• AT WAR
• ECONOMICS