Hog Pen

Hogs were very popular in the 18th-century as a valuable source of food. Ham, salted pork, bacon, lard, scrapple, and chitterlings were all very common foods in colonial times. George Washington’s hogs ran loose in the woods, foraging on nuts and insects until they were gathered in the fall for fattening.

Today, Mount Vernon raises Ossabaw Island hogs. They are descendants of pigs brought to the Americas over 400 years ago by Spanish explorers. Ossabaw Island hogs come in a variety of colors – gray, black, red, tan and even spotted. Often in the spring through fall months, we have a litter of piglets for our visitors to see. A typical litter size for the Ossabaw is 4-8 piglets, our largest litter had 11 piglets.

Renovations of the historic area hog pen are sponsored by Pork Checkoff.