Open 365 days a year, Mount Vernon is located just 15 miles south of Washington DC.
From the mansion to lush gardens and grounds, intriguing museum galleries, immersive programs, and the distillery and gristmill. Spend the day with us!
Discover what made Washington "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen".
The Mount Vernon Ladies Association has been maintaining the Mount Vernon Estate since they acquired it from the Washington family in 1858.
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The Washington Library is open to all researchers and scholars, by appointment only.
American demand for exotic Chinese imports increased with the onset of direct trading between China and the United States in 1784. While President, George Washington took advantage of the wide variety of Chinese luxury goods arriving in New York and Philadelphia. He purchased a number of lacquerware…
American demand for exotic Chinese imports increased with the onset of direct trading between China and the United States in 1784. While President, George Washington took advantage of the wide variety of Chinese luxury goods arriving in New York and Philadelphia. He purchased a number of lacquerware…
As the Revolutionary War drew to a close, George Washington consulted booksellers' catalogues and made lists of titles he wished to purchase. On June 20, 1783, while camped at Newburgh, George Washington wrote to Lieutenant Colonel William Stephens Smith requesting the purchase of this two-volume revised…
As the Revolutionary War drew to a close, French and American officers formed the Society of the Cincinnati in the name of mutual support and friendship. The fraternity’s name was inspired by the 5th-century B.C.E. Roman Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, who left his plow to defend Rome in battle, afterwards…
John Trumbull's portrayal of General Washington, graceful and relaxed, as the victorious commander-in-chief of the American forces is one of the most vivid portraits of Washington. In the background, Trumbull depicted the Continental army as it appeared in 1782 at the encampment of Verplanck's Point…
On May 15, 1750, Martha Dandridge married Daniel Parke Custis, marking her ascension into the highest echelon of Virginia society. As befitting her new station, she and her husband outfitted their home with the finest wares from England. This silver tablespoon, engraved with the early and distinctive…
Jellies, clear or colored confections flavored with spices and fruit, were typically served in individual glasses. Their presentation was further enhanced by the cut decoration lavished on each glass. By the late eighteenth century, elite households presented the dessert amid a dramatic table setting…
In a note written on July 4, 1830, Eliza Parke Custis Law, Martha Washington's granddaughter, identified this trunk as the one Mrs. Washington used when travelling to visit her husband each winter throughout the Revolutionary War. The printed label of trunkmaker John Sunnocks, working in Philadelphia…
The silver flatware George Washington acquired in the 1780s included a host of specialized utensils adapted to distinct foods and occasions. Salt spoons allowed the condiment to be served from a small glass or silver salt cellar placed within easy reach of diners at, or between, each place setting. This…
During the time George Washington spent in Philadelphia before and after the Revolution and during the Presidency, he came to appreciate the quality, style, and affordable price of the furnishings produced by its artisans. Pierced "scroll'd splatt" chairs were among the most popular offerings of Philadelphia…
As the Revolutionary War drew to a close, George Washington was again free to direct his attention to his beloved Mount Vernon. Eager to update his outmoded tablewares, he asked his nephew, Bushrod Washington, to discreetly discover whether fused silverplate "is fashionable and much used in genteel houses…
Family history maintains Abigail McLean of Wilmington, Delaware purchased a set of eight Gothic-splat side chairs at Mount Vernon in the 1850s, with the understanding they had been owned by George and Martha Washington. Daniel Lammot, also of Wilmington, later purchased four of these eight chairs, three…
During the time Washington spent in Philadelphia before and after the Revolution and during the Presidency, he came to appreciate the quality, style, and affordable price of the furnishings produced by its artisans. Pierced "scroll'd splatt" chairs were among the most popular offerings of Philadelphia…
This bell may have been among those that the workman Thomas Fenton installed at Mount Vernon in 1788. The Washingtons relied on skilled slaves as well as white overseers and servants to ensure that the estate ran with efficiency. The house bell system enabled the Washingtons to call slaves and servants…
