Uncover the Story of Mount Vernon’s Spring Fishery Season
Did you know that Mount Vernon was once a fishery?
Each spring, millions of shad and herring travel up the Potomac River to spawn. For a very busy 5-6 week period, fishing became the main priority for the community. The fish were caught, cleaned, salted, and packed in barrels to help them last longer.
These fish were a large part of the enslaved community's rations, so most of the fish remained at Mount Vernon. However, if there were extra fish, they might be sold to merchants or neighbors.
Join the Youth Programs team to discover more about Mount Vernon's fisheries and how the fish were preserved with salt.
