Mount Vernon

On the drive back to DC from Philadelphia, my parents and I stopped at Mount Vernon, the home of our first president and his wife for more than 40 years. During my quarter here in DC, I have always wanted to visit Mount Vernon, but have not had the chance. I knew that the estate was the home of George Washington but until I stepped foot on its grounds, I had no idea how prized a possession his estate was and what it means to many people--it even has been recreated in gingerbread form by a former White House Chef!

From his 1,000 volume library to the fine garments, antiques, and objects, George Washington was truly a man who left behind an important collection in the context of history. I was most shocked to learn, however, that in the period after his death, Mount Vernon fell into a state of disrepair, and its fate was uncertain until the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, a group of women who banded together to restore and locate his possessions, determined to rescue it. The estate reopened to the public in 1860, nearly a century after his death, and these brave women dedicated their lives to restoring Mount Vernon to its former appearance.

This Association has worked diligently to uphold the Washingtons' memory and in the past 150 years, pursued belongings and artifacts that can help piece together the puzzle of the Washingtons and their daily lives. Artifacts are returned to Mount Vernon frequently, and it has become a national effort to restore Mount Vernon. It was remarkable to see over 200 people visiting the ground so close to closing time and nearly all ages groups represented. And especially during this holiday season, I am thankful the Mount Vernon Ladies rescued the estate so that we may have the chance to see what life may have been like for our first president and his family and take a step back into the 18th century.

Regent Ann Pamela Cunningham 1874--
"Ladies, the home of Washington is in your charge. See to it that you keep it the Home of Washington...those who go to the home in which he lived and died wish to see in what he lived and died. Let one spot in this grand country of ours be saved from change."

-AMC