Mount Vernon


We spent Saturday at George Washington’s Mount Vernon plantation. Owned by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and open to the public since the 1850s, the plantation reflects the nature and character of its owner who regarded himself not as a soldier or leader but a farmer.

While one cannot fail to be impressed by monumental Washington, that is the job of great imperial capitals, these sites, Mount Vernon, Yorktown, Jamestown, remind us of who and what the founders thought they were.

The monuments reflect the face we turn to the world, these sites represent what we were and might yet be.

The reflecting pool in DC is drained, the Mall dug up, the Capitol sheathed in scaffonding and draped and now Mount Vernon. WTF??

An eighteenth century visitor to Mt. Vernon would travel with his or her personal servants who would be housed here, right next to the mansion

The kitchen, joined to the house by breezeway

The site, chosen by Augustus Washington, George's father


Various other outbuildings

The plantation stables


The ancient tomb. Washington did not want to be interred here . . .

so he built a new tomb

The association also interprets Washington's innovative farming. Early on, he recognized the severe damage done to the soil by tobacco, so he gave it up in favor of various varieties of wheat. Farm stables

This woman really knows the history of textiles

Washington's innovation, a sixteen sided barn for threshing wheat

A slave cabin. Were they this neat and orderly?

Since the beginning of this portion of the trip Rosa has wanted a colonial mob cap, but we could find none that fit. This one is rather fetching, doncha think?

Y'r humble servant.

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