1. The property was granted to George Washington's great-grandfather, John Washington, by King Charles II of England
The grant consisted of a peninsula in the Potomac River, bordered by Dogue Run and Little Hunting Creek. The land would be divided equally between Washington and Spencer, but the entirety of the grant would one day become George Washington's Mount Vernon.
previous owners of mount vernon
2. The estate was named after British Admiral Edward Vernon
George Washington's half-brother Lawrence inherited the Little Hunting Creek Plantation from his father in 1743. Lawrence changed the name of the estate to Mount Vernon after Admiral Edward Vernon, his old commander from the British Navy.
Lawrence had served under Admiral Vernon in 1741 during the Battle of Cartagena de Indias during the War of Jenkins' Ear.
3. The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association bought the estate from George Washington's great-grand nephew in 1858
Augustine made unsuccessful attempts to sell Mount Vernon to the federal government, and to the state of Virginia. Thankfully, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association stepped in to become the owner of the property in 1858. For the last 150 years, the organization has worked tirelessly to restore and maintain the Mansion, grounds, and outbuildings.
Our Continuing Mission
The mission of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association is to preserve, restore, and manage the estate of George Washington to the highest standards and to educate visitors and people throughout the world about the life and legacies of George Washington, so that his example of character and leadership will continue to inform and inspire future generations.
Virtual Tour
Mount Vernon Virtual Tour
You can explore historic Mount Vernon from your home or classroom. Our new Virtual Tour includes 360-degree panoramic images and clickable points of interest.
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As a privately funded institution we rely upon people just like you to help keep George Washington's legacy alive.
4. Thomas Edison installed electricity at Mount Vernon in 1916
One of the most perplexing issues regarding historic preservation is whether or not to install modern utility systems. Such was the case when the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association assembled at Mount Vernon in 1916 to discuss a proposal by Thomas Edison's firm to "electrify" the Mansion for the first time.
5. Henry Ford donated a built-to-order fire truck, effectively creating the Mount Vernon fire department
After touring the estate with his wife in 1923, Henry Ford informed superintendent Colonel Harrison Dodge that he believed the estate was ill-prepared for a fire outbreak. When he returned home, Ford directed his staff to send Mount Vernon its first fire engine.
The built-to-order American-LaFrance Combination Chemical and Hose Car arrived at the estate on August 16, 1923. Thirteen years later, he replaced the engine with a more advanced model and encouraged the Association to form its own fire department, to install fire hydrants, and to upgrade alarms. Ford's philanthropy effectively created Mount Vernon's Fire Department, which still operates today.
Thomas Edison at the Washingtons' tomb (MVLA)
A 1931 photograph of Mount Vernon employee James Garfield Duvall with the 1923 American-LaFrance Combination Chemical and Hose Car.
6. At least 27 United States presidents have visited Mount Vernon
In the 19th and most of the 20th centuries, sitting presidents of the United States were frequent visitors to George Washington's home. Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and many others have paid their respects to the first president.
Especially in recent years, we have also welcomed many of the First Ladies, including Melania Trump, Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, and many others.
President Roosevelt on April 14, 1939, as part of the celebration of the sesquicentennial of the U.S. Constitution
7. To preserve Washington's view from the mansion piazza, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association purchased nearly 500 acres on the other side of the Potomac River
In the 1950s, rumors of an oil tank farm on the banks of the Potomac River brought increasing fears that the timeless view from the mansion’s piazza was at risk of disappearing forever.
Knowing this would irreversibly change the landscape across the river, Mrs. Frances Payne Bolton, Vice Regent for Ohio of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, purchased the nearly 500 acres, which led her to organize one of the nation’s earliest land trusts.
George Washington's view across the Potomac River from the mansion piazza (Ron Hirshon)
Later, President Kennedy later signed Public Law 87-362, effectively authorizing the creation of Piscataway National Park. The government continued to purchase land along the riverbank and the Park now encompasses over 4,650 acres (roughly the size of more than 3,500 football fields) and stretches six miles along the Maryland shoreline opposite George Washington’s home.
Frances Payne Bolton, Vice Regent for Ohio (MVLA)
As an adult, George Washington recognized and celebrated the beauty of the Potomac and its connection to his life at Mount Vernon, once describing the Potomac as “one of the finest Rivers in the world.”
8. Before the construction of the George Washington Memorial Parkway in 1932, visitors arrived via steamboat and electric railway
The George Washington Memorial Parkway is a picturesque drive, maintained by the National Park Service, that runs the length of the Potomac River. Today one can travel from Washington, D.C. to Mount Vernon in approximately 30 minutes by way of the Parkway. However this wasn't always the case.
Steamboats ran as early as 1874 to Mount Vernon, the first the Mary Washington was built by Quaker Paul Hillman troth in 1874. It held 1,500 passengers and would run round trip to Mount Vernon for 50 cents and included admission to the Estate.
In 1892, construction began on the Alexandria & Mount Vernon Electric Railway which connected Alexandria and Mount Vernon. The trolley was cheap, convenient, and enormously popular, immediately replacing the steamboat as the preferred means of visiting Mount Vernon.
9. Mount Vernon wasn't just a home, it was also a highly profitable business
George Washington established himself as an innovative farmer, who switched from tobacco to wheat as his main cash crop in the 1760's. In an effort to improve his farming operation, he diligently experimented with new crops, fertilizers, crop rotation, tools, and livestock breeding.
Shortly after taking up wheat as his main cash crop, Washington built a large gristmill outfitted with two pairs of millstones. One pair of stones ground corn into meal for use at Mount Vernon and the other ground wheat into superfine flour for export to foreign ports.
Washington also began making whiskey on the advice of his farm manager, James Anderson, a trained distiller from Scotland. He soon built one of the largest distilleries in America. At its peak, Washington’s distillery produced over 11,000 gallons of rye whiskey, becoming one of his most successful enterprises.
The 16-sided barn at the Pioneer Farm site (MVLA)
10. The New Tomb at Mount Vernon is the final resting place of George and Martha Washington
After his death in 1799, a mourning nation wanted to honor their first president by burying him at the United States Capitol building in Washington D.C. That never happened.
In his last will and testament, George Washington included explicit instructions to be entombed at his home at Mount Vernon in Virginia. He also left provisions for a new brick tomb to be constructed which was not completed until 1831.
Inside the new tomb, two marble sarcophagi mark the final resting place of George and Martha Washington, which can be seen by visitors today.
Today, the gently wooded enclosure that surrounds the Washingtons' final resting place is a lovely, fitting space to pay homage to the Father of Our Country and the first First Lady.
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