Huzzah! George Washington’s Distillery Wins Silver at American Craft Spirits Awards
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
George Washington’s Rye Whiskey®, the official state spirit of the Commonwealth of Virginia, received a silver medal at the 2019 American Craft Spirits Association Awards earlier this year—a top award among white (unaged) whiskies nationwide.The unaged rye whiskey was made from Washington's original recipe using 18th-century methods and equipmen...
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George Washington's Front Parlor Opening
Monday, February 18, 2019
George and Martha Washington's front parlor is now opened to the public after a multi-year restoration. Visitors can see the newly restored and refurnished room on their Mansion tour. The entertainment space features a new paint color and striking upholstery dyed "Saxon blue". While none of the original pieces survives, the curatorial team worke...
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Hair as Historic Artifact
Friday, February 15, 2019
In Mount Vernon’s collection, more than 50 examples of George Washington’s hair are preserved inside frames, paper, and jewelry. Some pieces of jewelry containing Washington’s hair were made before or immediately after his death, most were made in later periods. Public displays of hair from friends or loved ones peaked in the 19th century, but h...
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Bringing George Washington into the Classroom
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
by Zerah Jakub, Manager of Education Communication and OutreachOne of the focuses of the Mount Vernon Education Department is finding ways to bring George Washington into classrooms around the country. We do this by providing teachers with professional development training opportunities, with classroom resources, and through our digital presence...
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Front Parlor Form and Function: Architectural Clues
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Photo Credit: Gavin Ashworth by Caroline Spurry, Architectural Historian The architecture of a room, particularly its form and finishes, can provide a great deal of information about the function of the space within a building. Form and function in gentry houses experienced a marked evolution in the 18th century. The evolution of Mount Vernon’s ...
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Recent and Upcoming Archaeological Projects at Mount Vernon
Wednesday, January 09, 2019
by Sean Devlin As archaeologists we use diverse bits of evidence to learn more about how people have shaped the landscape of Mount Vernon over time, and in turn how the landscape has shaped the interactions of people with each other throughout the past. This evidence is incredibly diverse in form and age. Everything from a building foundation to...
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'Twas the Night of Christmas
Monday, December 24, 2018
General George Washington reminiscences about the famous crossing of the Delaware River on the evening of December 25, 1776. Watch the Video
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Law and Order: How a Founding Father was Robbed
Sunday, December 16, 2018
Mount Vernon’s staff have rediscovered an interesting story from George Washington’s youth: During a summertime swim in the 1750s, Washington was robbed while in the Rappahannock River. In December 1751, Ann Carrol and Mary McDaniel stood trial for “Suspicion of Felony, & Charged with robing the Cloaths of Mr. George Washington.” At some point,...
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In-Depth Look At George Washington's Will
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
A will is the last piece of documentation you would expect to gain insight to a person's thought process and personality. However, George Washington's will surprisingly humanizes a man who has been immortalized in history books and public statues. Join us as we visit the Fairfax County Courthouse and learn about the personal side few know of the...
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Making George Washington Bourbon™
Tuesday, December 04, 2018
by Steve Bashore, Director of Historic Trades This November the distilling team in the historic trades department branched out from our usual rye whiskey production run, working with our consulting distiller, Lisa Wicker, to create the very first George Washington Bourbon™. The first question that arises: did Washington produce bourbon at Mount ...
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Preservation
Mansion Revitalization Project
Mount Vernon has embarked on a landmark preservation project to ensure the Mansion's structural integrity for generations to come.