
Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association
George Washington’s home is owned and maintained by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, the oldest national historic preservation organization in the United States.
In the 1850s, Ann Pamela Cunningham and the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association began preserving the home of George Washington.
More than 160 years later, the work continues. The restoration of each room in the Mansion and each outbuilding is accomplished through the collaboration of experts in multiple fields, including architectural historians, archaeologists, carpenters, curators, conservators, and collections managers on Mount Vernon’s staff and craftspeople and colleagues from other historic sites.
As new documents and artifacts come to light and technological and analytical tools advance, we continually refine our understanding of Mount Vernon, the Washingtons, and life during the 18th century in order to give visitors accurate and engaging views of the past.
George Washington’s home is owned and maintained by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, the oldest national historic preservation organization in the United States.
Mount Vernon's preservation team is constantly working to restore and preserve George Washington's estate.
Mount Vernon is one of the best documented and most complete examples of an estate from early America, but discovering, analyzing, and interpreting the extraordinary mass of available evidence is an ongoing process. In recent years many rooms inside the Mansion have undergone extensive restoration work.
There are four different types of standing historic structures at Mount Vernon: Original Structures, Reconstructions, Replicas, and MVLA and Period Support Structures. Each of these structures helps tell the story of life at Mount Vernon.
The question of what color to paint each room in the Mansion has been asked since the 1860s. Today we use modern paint analysis to help answer the question.
One of the most recognizable features at Mount Vernon is the iconic red roof of the Mansion, but the shingles were not always red.
Preservationists use a wide range of terminology in their work. Explore this list of some of their most commonly used terms and tools.
When the Mount Vernon Ladies Association purchased the estate in the 19th century, the mansion was almost completely empty... with three priceless exceptions!
An unusual example of Martha Washington’s needlework augmented our preeminent collection and further highlighted her often-overlooked artistic ability and creativity.
John Watson, Conservator of Early Keyboard Instruments, is working to create a replica of George Washington’s 1793 Longman & Broderip 2-Manual Harpsichord.
Adam Erby, an associate curator at Mount Vernon, explores what it means to be a curator.
Between May 2014 and the fall of 2017, archaeologists excavated a total of 211 5 x 5 ft. test units in the Slave Cemetery, and discovered 63 burial features.
Curious when and where you can see Mount Vernon's archaeology team at work? Want to understand what they are looking for?
Archaeological investigations show Mount Vernon was an attractive location for Native communities for thousands of years prior to the arrival of the Washington family.
Joe Bondi, Senior Vice President of Development, explores how his staff supports Mount Veron's preservation efforts.