Visiting Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon is the most popular historic estate in America
. It is located just 16 miles south of Washington, D.C. and 8 miles south of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, the plantation rests on the banks of the Potomac River.
Visitors are invited to tour the Mansion house and more than a dozen outbuildings including the slave quarters, kitchen, stables, and greenhouse. You can visit four different gardens, hike the Forest Trail, and explore the George Washington: Pioneer Farmer site.
The Pioneer Farmer site is 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 wreath laying ceremonies are held daily, and the Slave Memorial and Burial Ground is nearby.
The Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center and the Ford Orientation Center include 25 new theaters and galleries that tell the detailed story of George Washington's life. More than 500 original artifacts, eleven History Channel videos, and immersion theater experiences illuminate the remarkable story of the first American hero.
Tourists should plan to spend at least several hours touring Mount Vernon. There are plenty of activities to fill an entire day, but many visitors plan to see all Mount Vernon offers with a return trip.
Mount Vernon was the beloved home of George and Martha Washington from the time of their marriage in 1759 until General Washington's death in 1799. He 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. The centerpiece of a visit is seeing George Washington's home; an original building filled with 18th-century treasures, many of them owned by Washington.
The Mansion house sits high above the Potomac River with a stunning view of the Maryland shore. A spectacular view of the Potomac River from the Mansion's piazza transports visitors back in time.
Four gardens showcase heirloom plants known to have been at Mount Vernon in the late 1700s. Washington himself designed the landscape which includes 13 trees that stand today as the last living witnesses of Washington's lifetime.
Children love the George Washington: Pioneer Farmer exhibition, a four-acre demonstration farm that features a recreation of Washington's 16-sided treading barn. The "Hands-on History Exhibit" is full of interactive games and activities for children of all ages.
The Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center offer twenty-three theater and gallery experiences. Many of them have interactive technology and illuminate the detailed story of Washington's life, including his military and political careers.
George Washington's Distillery & Gristmill is a water-powered mill that is operated by millers in colonial attire who explain how the mill works and the role it played in Washington's entrepreneurial farming operation. The Distillery demonstrates 18th-century techniques and includes five copper stills.
The Collections Department acquires, preserves, researches, and interprets the holdings of Mount Vernon. After George and Martha Washington's deaths, their possessions were dispersed through bequests and private and public auctions.
When the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association took possession of the estate in 1860, there were only a handful of original Washington pieces still there. Since that time, Mount Vernon has brought back thousands of original artifacts that range from paintings and sculpture to ceramics, glass, metals, textiles, cooking utensils and tools, the famous Washington dentures, rare books, manuscripts, and prints.
The Collections of the museum hold more than 500 documents in Washington's hand and the largest extant group of letters by Martha Washington. The Association also collects objects that document the ancestral Washington family in the 17th century and commemorative objects from the 18th century to the present day that assist in interpreting the life and context of the Washington family and legacy.
by: Terry Daniels
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