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Information about Mount Vernon (plantation)

This is about the George Washington residence. For other uses, see Mount Vernon (disambiguation).


Mount Vernon
(U.S. National Historic Landmark)
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George Washington's Mount Vernon
George Washington's Mount Vernon
Nearest city:Alexandria, VA
Built/Founded:1757
Architect:George Washington
Architectural style(s):Georgian
Added to NRHP:December 19, 1960
NRHP Reference#:66000833[1]
Governing body:Mount Vernon Ladies' Association
Mount Vernon, located near Alexandria, Virginia, was the plantation home of the first President of the United States, George Washington. The mansion is built of wood in neoclassical Georgian architectural style, and the estate is located on the banks of the Potomac River.

Mount Vernon was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is owned and maintained in trust by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association.

History

The early history of the estate at Little Hunting Creek is separate from that of the home, which was not erected until 1741-42 and occupied for the first time in 1743. In 1674, John Washington and Nicholas Spencer came into possession of the land from which Mount Vernon plantation would be carved. When John Washington died in 1677, his son Lawrence, George Washington's grandfather, inherited his father's stake in the property. In 1690, he agreed to formally divide the estimated 5,000 acre (20 km²) estate with the heirs of Nicholas Spencer. The Spencers took the southern half bordering Dogue Creek (originally called "Epsewasson" in the September 1674 land grant from Lord Culpeper, after the former name of the creek), leaving the Washingtons the portion along Little Hunting Creek.
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Back of the main house.
Upon Lawrence Washington's death, he left the property to his daughter, Mildred. In 1726, at the urging of her brother Augustine Washington (George Washington's father), Mildred sold him the Potomac River estate. In 1735, Augustine Washington moved his young, second family to the estate, settling into a 'Quarter' alongside Little Hunting Creek. In 1738, Augustine recalled his eldest son Lawrence (George's half-brother) home from The Appleby School in England and set him up on the family's Little Hunting Creek tobacco plantation, thereby allowing Augustine to move his family back to Fredericksburg at the end of 1739.

In 1739, Lawrence, having reached his 'majority' (age 21), began buying up parcels of land from the adjoining Spencer tract, beginning with the land around the Grist Mill on Dogue Creek. In the summer of 1740, Lawrence received a coveted officer's commission in the Regular British Army, and made preparations to go off to war in the Caribbean with the newly formed American Regiment. Part of his preparations included ensuring his father had legal control over the tracts Lawrence had purchased from Spencer. While he was away at war (the War of Jenkins' Ear, 1739-1743), Lawrence wrote to his father from Jamaica in May 1741, that, should he survive the war, he intended to make his home in the town of Fredericksburg, building a town home on one of the three lots he owned there.

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Map of the estate, drawn by Washington
At this same time, the Spencer family was in a legal dispute over additional land sales to Lawrence's neighbors. To adjudicate the boundary line dispute, a general court for Prince William County ordered a new survey of the entire 5,000 acre (20 km²) Washington-Spencer land grant. The surviving map of that 1741 survey, a plat, by County Surveyor Robert Brooke, revealed the estate had been grossly mis-measured back in April 1669, and it contained only about 4,200 acres (17 km²), not the 5,000 acres conveyed in the 1674 land grant. The gross mis-measurement can be attributed to the fact that the property was bounded on three sides by water, and that neither the River nor the two creeks ran straight. Pursuant to the Culpeper land grant, the original 1669 surveyor was charged with estimating an area of 5,000 acres (20 km²) and then blazing a straight-line "back" boundary along a tree line between the winding courses of Dogue Run and Little Hunting Creek. More importantly, this surviving May 1741 property survey by Brooke reveals that the location of the present-day mansion house was then vacant, with the Washingtons depicted as having their Quarter alongside Little Hunting Creek (as was shown on a similar, larger-scale Potomac River survey of 1738).

Upon receiving word of Lawrence's intent to live in Fredericksburg, Augustine Washington appears to have undertaken to erect a modest farm house on the vacant bluff overlooking the Potomac River (where the mansion house now sits) in 1741-42. It is estimated Lawrence received news of his father's plans in late 1741, while at Jamaica, and presumably wrote back instructing his father to call the new home "Mount Vernon" in honor of Captain Lawrence Washington's commanding officer, Vice Admiral Edward Vernon (then regarded as the greatest military hero of the age in England.) In early August 1742, the place name "Mount Vernon" first appears in a surviving letter, penned by Lawrence's Potomac River neighbor, William Fairfax, of Belvoir. Lawrence Washington returned from the war in late 1742, buried his father in April 1743, married into the Fairfax family and took up residence at his "Mount Vernon" in July 1743. By the late 1740s Lawrence undertook an expansion of the home Augustine had built for him.
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Washington standing among fieldworkers harvesting grain; Mt. Vernon in background.
Upon Lawrence's untimely death in July 1752, George Washington was already living at Mount Vernon and probably managing the plantation. Lawrence's widow, Anne Fairfax, promptly remarried into the Lee family and moved out. Upon the death of Anne and Lawrence's only surviving child in 1754, George, as executor of his brother's estate, arranged to lease "Mount Vernon" that December. In 1757, George began the first of two major additions and improvements to the home. The second expansion was begun shortly before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. On those occasions he entirely rebuilt the main house atop the original foundations, doubling its size each time. The great majority of the work was performed by slaves and artisans. It is important to note that while he twice rebuilt the home, George never changed its patriotic British name.

Upon Anne Fairfax Washington Lee's death in 1761, George legally inherited the Mount Vernon estate. From 1759 until the American Revolutionary War, Washington, who at the time aspired to become a prominent agriculturist, operated the estate as five separate farms. Washington took a scientific approach to farming and kept extensive and meticulous records of both labor and results. One of his most successful ventures was the establishment of a distillery; he became one of the new nation's largest, if not the largest, distillers of whiskey.[1]

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George & Martha Washington's tomb at Mount Vernon
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George & Martha Washington's tomb at Mount Vernon
Following his service in the war, Washington returned to Mount Vernon and in 1785-1786 spent a great deal of effort improving the landscaping of the estate. It is estimated that during his two terms as President of the United States (1789-1797) Washington spent 434 days in residence at Mount Vernon. After his presidency, Washington tended to repairs to the buildings, socializing, and further gardening. The remains of George and Martha Washington, as well as other family members, are entombed on the grounds.

Mt. Vernon depicted on a 1936 U.S. postage stamp
After Washington's death in 1799 , plantation ownership passed through a series of descendants who lacked either the will or the means to maintain the property. After trying unsuccessfully for five years to restore the estate, John Augustine Washington offered it for sale in 1848. The Virginia and United States governments declined to buy the home and estate.

In 1860, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, under the leadership of Ann Pamela Cunningham, acquired the mansion and a portion of the land for $200,000, rescuing it from a state of disrepair and neglect. The estate served as neutral ground for both sides during the American Civil War, although fighting raged across the nearby countryside. Mount Vernon was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 19, 1960 and later administratively listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The mansion has been restored by the Association (without accepting any state or Federal funds), complete with period furniture and decor, and today serves as a popular tourist attraction. The estate is also well known for its exceptional landscaping and ancillary buildings.

Touring

Mount Vernon is open seven days a week, every day of the year, including holidays and Christmas. Visitors are invited to tour the Mansion house and more than a dozen outbuildings including the slave quarters, kitchen, stables, and greenhouse. Stroll four different gardens, hike the Forest Trail, and explore the George Washington: Pioneer Farmer site, a four-acre working farm that includes a re-creation of Washington's 16-sided treading barn. George and Martha Washington rest in peace in the tomb where wreathlaying ceremonies are held daily, and scouts are welcome to participate. The Slave Memorial and Burial Ground is nearby. George Washington worked tirelessly to expand his plantation from 2,000 acres to 8,000 and the mansion house from six rooms to twenty one.

The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association purchased Mount Vernon from the Washington family in 1858 and opened the estate to the public in 1860. Since that time, nearly 80 million visitors have toured Washington's home. Mount Vernon is independent of the government and no tax dollars are expended to support the 500-acre estate, its educational programs or activities.

English boxwoods, taken from cuttings sent by Maj. Gen. Henry Lee III "Light Horse Harry" (Governor of Virginia and father of Robert E. Lee), were planted in 1786 by George Washington and now crowd the entry path. Cuttings of these same boxwoods are now on sale at the Mount Vernon gift shop for $8.00 dollars or they can ship.

A museum dedicated to the life and death of George Washington is on the grounds. The museum has George Washingtons survey equipment, weapons, clothing, and dentures worn by the 1st President.

Recent development

On March 30, 2007, Washington’s Mount Vernon estate officially opened a reconstruction of Washington’s distillery. This fully functional replica received special legislation from the Virginia General Assembly to produce up to 5,000 gallons of whiskey annually, for sale only at the Mount Vernon gift shop. The construction of this operational distillery cost $2.1 M and is located on the exact site of Washington's original distillery, a short distance from his mansion on the Potomac River. Frank Coleman, spokesman for the Distilled Spirits Council that funded the reconstruction, said the distillery “will become the equivalent of a national distillery museum” and serve as a gateway to the American Whiskey Trail. [2]

In October 2006, following a $110 million fund raising campaign, two new buildings designed by GWWO, Inc./Architects were opened as venues for additional background on George Washington and the American Revolution. The Ford Orientation Center introduces visitors to George Washington and Mount Vernon with displays and an 18-minute film about Washington's life entitled "We Fight to be Free." The Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center houses many artifacts related to Washington along with multimedia displays and further films using modern entertainment technology.

I have no objection to any sober or orderly person's gratifying their curiosity in viewing the buildings, Gardens, &ca. about Mount Vernon.
George Washington, letter to William Pearce (November 23, 1794)

Notes

1. ^ National Register Information System on page on Mount Vernon.. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
2. ^ Barakat, Matthew (March 31, 2007). Replica of distillery of Washington Opens. The Associated Press. Retrieved on 2007-04-01.

References

  • George Washington's Mount Vernon: At Home in Revolutionary America by Robert F. Dalzell, Jr. and Lee Baldwin Dalzell. New York, Oxford University Press, 1998.
  • Mount Vernon: Washington's Home and the Nation's Shrine by Paul Wilstach. Indianapolis, The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1918, 1930.
  • Virginia: A Guide to the Old Dominion. New York, Oxford University Press, 1940. pp. 338-342.
  • http://www.mountvernon.org/index.cfm/

External links

Mount Vernon is the name of George Washington's, the first President of the United States, estate in Virginia. The name may also refer to several other places around the world:
  • In Australia:

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Motto
"In God We Trust"   (since 1956)
"E Pluribus Unum"   ("From Many, One"; Latin, traditional)
Anthem
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National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, site, structure, or object, almost always within the United States, officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance.
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Alexandria, Virginia

Seal
Location in Virginia
Coordinates:
Country United States
State Virginia
Founded 1749
Government
 - Mayor William D.
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George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1][2] was a central, critical figure in the founding of the United States of America, as well as the nation's first president (1789–1797).
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Georgian architecture is the name given in English-speaking countries to the architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840, named after the four British monarchs named George.
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National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects worthy of preservation. The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) established the National Register and the process for adding properties
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December 19 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

  • 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor.

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19th century - 20th century - 21st century
1930s  1940s  1950s  - 1960s -  1970s  1980s  1990s
1957 1958 1959 - 1960 - 1961 1962 1963

Year 1960 (MCMLX
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Alexandria, Virginia

Seal
Location in Virginia
Coordinates:
Country United States
State Virginia
Founded 1749
Government
 - Mayor William D.
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Commonwealth of Virginia

Flag of Virginia Seal
Nickname(s): Old Dominion, Mother of Presidents
Motto(s): Sic semper tyrannis

Official language(s) English

Capital Richmond
Largest city
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George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1][2] was a central, critical figure in the founding of the United States of America, as well as the nation's first president (1789–1797).
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Neoclassicism (sometimes rendered as Neo-Classicism or Neo-classicism) is the name given to quite distinct movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw upon Western classical art and culture (usually that of
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Georgian architecture is the name given in English-speaking countries to the architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840, named after the four British monarchs named George.
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Potomac River (Cohongorooton)

Great Falls of the Potomac River in winter.

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National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, site, structure, or object, almost always within the United States, officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance.
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National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects worthy of preservation. The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) established the National Register and the process for adding properties
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For other uses, see Estate.
An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion.
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Little Hunting Creek is a tidal tributary of the Potomac River located in Fairfax County, Virginia, not to be confused with Hunting Creek farther north. A stone-arch bridge, completed in 1931,[1]
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John Washington (circa 1631-1677) is the great-grandfather of George Washington, first president of the United States of America. Washington, son of Lawrence, was born in Purleigh, Essex, England around 1631 and emigrated to the Colony of Virginia in 1656.
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Grandparents are family members, the father or mother of a person's own father or mother, being respectively grandfather and grandmother. Grandparents form an important element of the extended family.
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To inherit something is to get it from one's ancestors.
  • In the sense of biology or genetics, see Heredity;
  • In the sense of computer science, see Inheritance (computer science);
  • In the sense of law or society, see Inheritance.

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Dogue Creek is a tidal tributary of the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Variant names

The Board on Geographic Names decided upon Dogue Creek as the stream's official name in 1892.
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Thomas Culpeper, 2nd Baron Culpeper of Thoresway (baptized 21 March 1635–27 January 1689), was the colonial governor of Virginia, 1677–1683.

He was the son of Judith and John Colepeper.
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Augustine Washington (circa 1694 - April 23, 1743) was the father of George Washington. Born in 1694, Augustine was only four years old when his father died. He inherited about 1,000 acres on Bridges Creek in Westmoreland from his father (the Little Hunting Creek property went to
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Lawrence Washington (1718-1752) was George Washington's half-brother and mentor. He married Anne Fairfax (1728-1761), daughter of Colonel William Fairfax of Belvoir, himself a land agent for his cousin, Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron.
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sibling is one's brother or sister, respectively meaning a male or female with whom one shares at least one parent. This is usually taken to mean that the two people are genetically very close, though it is not always necessarily the case, for example one or more siblings
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Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana.

Tobacco has been growing on the American Continent since about 6000 BC and began being used by native cultures at about 3000 BC.
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For other uses, see Officer.
An officer is a member of an army, navy, air force or, in some cases, other uniformed service who holds a position of responsibility.
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