I thought I’d take this opportunity to write about a bit about George Washington and his Mount Vernon Estate. Mount Vernon is the perfect place to take a trip back in time and enjoy the history, scenery, and fine dining. If you are not likely to visit Mount Vernon anytime soon, I can recommend an excellent film about George Washington in the Revolutionary War.
The Residents and the Estate
George Washington’s resume includes successful stints as Revolutionary War general, first president of the United States, farmer, and distiller of whiskey. Interestingly, his wife Martha was actually wealthier than he was at the time of their marriage. Her previous husband, Daniel Parke Custis, was a successful planter and politician prior to his death from a heart ailment.
Martha measured less than five feet tall; whereas George Washington stretched to six foot two. At the time of the Revolutionary War, the average height for an American adult male was 5’ 7”. While George and Martha never had children together, Martha’s family would come to live at Mount Vernon. Additionally, George Washington’s important status brought constant visitors to the estate, thus causing him to refer to Mount Vernon as a well-resorted tavern.
There are many historic low tech artifacts on display in the mansion, including the first presidential chair. The chair, while built in the 1700s, rotates much like today’s modern office chairs. There is also a fan chair, designed by Benjamin Franklin, which fans the sitter as he operates foot pedals.
In addition to the numerous historic displays, another highlight of the tour is seeing Martha’s granddaughter Eliza Parke Custis’s yellow bedroom, in which she etched her name into the glass pane of the window. The dining room is also very impressive; the room is painted green, a color thought to aid in digestion.
Mount Vernon is located south of Alexandria, Virginia along the Potomac River. Be sure to enjoy the beautiful views of the Potomac from the mansion’s back porch. Mount Vernon is open to the public every day of the year (admission fee charged). The site is the first historic house to be preserved in America and is maintained entirely through private funding. Union soldiers took the first tours during the Civil War, paying 25 cents to see the historic mansion.
In addition to the mansion, you can also learn more by exploring the other nearby historic sites. The gardens, slave quarters, slave memorial, family tomb, and pioneer farm are also open to the public. The pioneer farm serves as a small-scale example of how George Washington ran his five farms. On the farm you can see a 16-sided barn, where horses and mules stomped wheat. The wheat would fall through the floor to be gathered and taken to the nearby gristmill. The gristmill is located a short distance from the Mount Vernon grounds and has recently been restored and opened to the public (separate fee applies). In the gristmill, wheat and corn were ground into flour for bread and the mash would be distilled into whiskey. In 1799, George Washington was the largest manufacturer of American whiskey.
Fine Dining
Also located on the grounds, the Mount Vernon Inn provides an authentic taste of old Virginia cuisine. Popular items include stewed tomatoes, bread pudding, and the peanut soup served with flat bread crackers. The dinner menu features excellent seafood choices.
The Crossing
My favorite movie about George Washington is The Crossing. Thinking of Jeff Daniels in Dumb and Dumber, I was a bit skeptical of how he would portray Washington in the movie. However, Daniels proved he can do an excellent job in a serious role. I highly recommend this film.