This is about the George Washington residence. For other uses, see Mount Vernon (disambiguation).

Mount Vernon
(U.S. National Historic Landmark)
George Washington's Mount Vernon
Nearest city:	Alexandria, VA
Built/Founded:	1757
Architect:	George Washington
Architectural style(s):	Georgian
Added to NRHP:	December 19, 1960
NRHP Reference#:	66000833[1]
Governing body:	Mount Vernon Ladies' Association

Mount Vernon, located near Alexandria, Virginia, was the plantation home of the first President of the United States, George Washington. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A National Historic Landmark (NHL is a Building, site, Structure, Object, or District, that is officially recognized by the Alexandria is an Independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the Georgian architecture is the name given in most English -speaking countries to the set of Architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840 The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP is the United States government's official list of districts sites buildings structures and objects deemed worthy of Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Alexandria is an Independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Fundamentally a plantation is usually a large Farm or estate, especially in a tropical or semitropical country on which Cotton, Tobacco The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the The mansion is built of wood in neoclassical Georgian architectural style, and the estate is located on the banks of the Potomac River. Neoclassicism (sometimes rendered as Neo-Classicism or Neo-classicism) is the name given to quite distinct movements in the decorative and Georgian architecture is the name given in most English -speaking countries to the set of Architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840 The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid- Atlantic coast of the United States.

Mount Vernon was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A National Historic Landmark (NHL is a Building, site, Structure, Object, or District, that is officially recognized by the The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP is the United States government's official list of districts sites buildings structures and objects deemed worthy of It is owned and maintained in trust by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association.

History

The early history of the estate at Little Hunting Creek is separate from that of the home, which was not erected until 1741-42 and occupied for the first time in 1743. For other uses see Estate. An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds Little Hunting Creek is a tidal In 1674, John Washington and Nicholas Spencer came into possession of the land from which Mount Vernon plantation would be carved. John Washington (c 1631-1677 was a Virginia Planter and Politician. When John Washington died in 1677, his son Lawrence, George Washington's grandfather, inherited his father's stake in the property. In 1690, he agreed to formally divide the estimated 5,000 acre (20 km²) estate with the heirs of Nicholas Spencer. The acre is a unit of Area in a number of different systems including the imperial and U The Spencers took the southern half bordering Dogue Creek (originally called "Epsewasson" in the September 1674 land grant from Lord Culpeper, after the former name of the creek), leaving the Washingtons the portion along Little Hunting Creek. Dogue Creek is a tidal Tributary of the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia. Thomas Culpeper 2nd Baron Culpeper of Thoresway (baptized 21 March 1635 &ndash 27 January 1689) was the Colonial governor of

The Eastern facade, facing the Potomac.

Upon Lawrence Washington's death, he left the property to his daughter, Mildred. In 1726, at the urging of her brother Augustine Washington (George Washington's father), Mildred sold him the Potomac River estate. Augustine Washington ( 1694 - April 23, 1743) was the father of George Washington. In 1735, Augustine Washington moved his young, second family to the estate, settling into a 'Quarter' alongside Little Hunting Creek. In 1738, Augustine recalled his eldest son Lawrence (George's half-brother) home from The Appleby School in England and set him up on the family's Little Hunting Creek tobacco plantation, thereby allowing Augustine to move his family back to Fredericksburg at the end of 1739. Lawrence Washington (1718-1752 was a soldier and prominent landowner in colonial Virginia. Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana.

In 1739, Lawrence, having reached his 'majority' (age 21), began buying up parcels of land from the adjoining Spencer tract, beginning with the land around the Grist Mill on Dogue Creek. In the summer of 1740, Lawrence received a coveted officer's commission in the Regular British Army, and made preparations to go off to war in the Caribbean with the newly formed American Regiment. An officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority Part of his preparations included ensuring his father had legal control over the tracts Lawrence had purchased from Spencer. While he was away at war (the War of Jenkins' Ear, 1739-1743), Lawrence wrote to his father from Jamaica in May 1741, that, should he survive the war, he intended to make his home in the town of Fredericksburg, building a town home on one of the three lots he owned there. The War of Jenkins' Ear was a conflict between Great Britain and Spain that lasted from 1739 to 1748 Fredericksburg is an Independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is located 50 miles south of Washington D

Map of the estate, drawn by Washington

At this same time, the Spencer family was in a legal dispute over additional land sales to Lawrence's neighbors. To adjudicate the boundary line dispute, a general court for Prince William County ordered a new survey of the entire 5,000 acre (20 km²) Washington-Spencer land grant. Prince William County is a county located in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The surviving map of that 1741 survey, a plat, by County Surveyor Robert Brooke, revealed the estate had been grossly mis-measured back in April 1669, and it contained only about 4,200 acres (17 km²), not the 5,000 acres (20 km²) conveyed in the 1674 land grant. The gross mis-measurement can be attributed to the fact that the property was bounded on three sides by water, and that neither the River nor the two creeks ran straight. Pursuant to the Culpeper land grant, the original 1669 surveyor was charged with estimating an area of 5,000 acres (20 km²) and then blazing a straight-line "back" boundary along a tree line between the winding courses of Dogue Run and Little Hunting Creek. Dogue Creek is a tidal Tributary of the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia. Little Hunting Creek is a tidal More importantly, this surviving May 1741 property survey by Brooke reveals that the location of the present-day mansion house was then vacant, with the Washingtons depicted as having their Quarter alongside Little Hunting Creek (as was shown on a similar, larger-scale Potomac River survey of 1738).

Upon receiving word of Lawrence's intent to live in Fredericksburg, Augustine Washington appears to have undertaken to erect a modest farm house on the vacant bluff overlooking the Potomac River (where the mansion house now sits) in 1741-42. Fredericksburg is an Independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is located 50 miles south of Washington D It is estimated Lawrence received news of his father's plans in late 1741, while at Jamaica, and presumably wrote back instructing his father to call the new home "Mount Vernon" in honor of Captain Lawrence Washington's commanding officer, Vice Admiral Edward Vernon (then regarded as the greatest military hero of the age in England. Edward Vernon ( "Old Grog") (12 November 1684 &ndash 30 October 1757 was an English naval officer ) In early August 1742, the place name "Mount Vernon" first appears in a surviving letter, penned by Lawrence's Potomac River neighbor, William Fairfax, of Belvoir. Lawrence Washington returned from the war in late 1742, buried his father in April 1743, married into the Fairfax family and took up residence at his "Mount Vernon" in July 1743. By the late 1740s Lawrence undertook an expansion of the home Augustine had built for him.

Washington standing among slaves harvesting grain; Mt. Vernon in background.

Upon Lawrence's untimely death in July 1752, his will provided that his widow should own a life estate in Mount Vernon, with the remainder interest falling to Lawrence's beloved half-brother, George. A life estate is a concept used in Common law and Statutory law to designate the ownership of land for the duration of a person's life A remainderman is a person who inherits or is entitled to inherit property upon the termination of the estate of the former owner George Washington was already living at Mount Vernon and probably managing the plantation. Lawrence's widow, Anne Fairfax, promptly remarried into the Lee family and moved out. Lee family, in the United States of America, is a historically significant Virginia Political family, whose many prominent members are known for their accomplishments Upon the death of Anne and Lawrence's only surviving child in 1754, George, as executor of his brother's estate, arranged to lease "Mount Vernon" that December. Later, he bought his sister-in-law's life estate and became owner of the property. In 1757, George began the first of two major additions and improvements to the home. The second expansion was begun shortly before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. On those occasions he entirely rebuilt the main house atop the original foundations, doubling its size each time. The great majority of the work was performed by slaves and artisans. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another It is important to note that while he twice rebuilt the home, George never changed its patriotic British name.

Upon Anne Fairfax Washington Lee's death in 1761, George was the only claimant to the Mount Vernon estate. From 1759 until the American Revolutionary War, Washington, who at the time aspired to become a prominent agriculturist, operated the estate as five separate farms. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" Washington took a scientific approach to farming and kept extensive and meticulous records of both labor and results. One of his most successful ventures was the establishment of a distillery; he became one of the new nation's largest, if not the largest, distillers of whiskey. [1]

George & Martha Washington's tomb at Mount Vernon

George & Martha Washington's tomb at Mount Vernon

Following his service in the war, Washington returned to Mount Vernon and in 1785-1786 spent a great deal of effort improving the landscaping of the estate. Year 1785 ( MDCCLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1786 ( MDCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land including but not limited to living elements, such as It is estimated that during his two terms as President of the United States (1789-1797) Washington spent 434 days in residence at Mount Vernon. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by After his presidency, Washington tended to repairs to the buildings, socializing, and further gardening. The remains of George and Martha Washington, as well as other family members, are entombed on the grounds. Martha Custis Washington (née Dandridge) ( June 2, 1731 &ndash May 22, 1802) was the wife of George Washington, the first

Mt. Vernon depicted on a 1936 U. S. postage stamp

After Washington's death in 1799, plantation ownership passed through a series of descendants who lacked either the will or the means to maintain the property. A postage stamp is an adhesive paper evidence of pre-paying a fee for postal services After trying unsuccessfully for five years to restore the estate, John Augustine Washington offered it for sale in 1848. The Commonwealth of Virginia and United States governments declined to buy the home and estate. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

In 1858, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, under the leadership of Ann Pamela Cunningham, acquired the mansion and a portion of the land from Washington's great-grandnephew, John A. Washington, Jr. , rescuing it from a state of disrepair and neglect. They paid the final installment of the purchase price of $200,000 on December 9, 1859, taking possession on February 22, 1860. Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Year 1859 ( MDCCCLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1495 - King Charles VIII of France enters Naples to claim the city's throne Year 1860 ( MDCCLX) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year starting ^[2] The estate served as neutral ground for both sides during the American Civil War, although fighting raged across the nearby countryside. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South

Mount Vernon was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 19, 1960 and later administratively listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A National Historic Landmark (NHL is a Building, site, Structure, Object, or District, that is officially recognized by the Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP is the United States government's official list of districts sites buildings structures and objects deemed worthy of

The mansion has been restored by the Association (without accepting any state or Federal funds), complete with period furniture and decor, and today serves as a popular tourist attraction. The estate is also well known for its exceptional landscaping and ancillary buildings.

Touring

Mount Vernon is open every day of the year, including holidays and Christmas. Visitors may tour the Mansion house and more than a dozen outbuildings including the slave quarters, kitchen, stables, and greenhouse. There are four gardens, a Forest Trail, and a George Washington: Pioneer Farmer site, a four-acre working farm that includes a re-creation of Washington's 16-sided treading barn. George and Martha Washington are interred tomb where wreath laying ceremonies are held daily. The Slave Memorial and Burial Ground is nearby. George Washington expanded his plantation from 2,000 acres (8. 1 km²) to 8,000 and the mansion house from six rooms to twenty one.

Since it was first opened to the public in 1860, 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 (2. 0 km²) estate, its educational programs or activities. ^[3]

English boxwoods, taken from cuttings sent by Maj. Gen. Henry Lee III "Light Horse Harry" (Governor of Virginia and father of Robert E. Lee), were planted in 1786 by George Washington and now crowd the entry path. Henry Lee III called "Light Horse Harry", ( January 29 1756 – March 25 1818) was a Cavalry officer in The Governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term Robert Edward Lee (January 19 1807 &ndash October 12 1870 was a career United States Army officer, an Engineer, and among the most celebrated

A museum dedicated to the life and death of George Washington is on the grounds. The museum has George Washington's survey equipment, weapons, and clothing, as well as dentures worn by the first President.

Recent development

On March 30, 2007, Washington’s Mount Vernon estate officially opened a reconstruction of Washington’s distillery. Events 240 BC - 1st recorded Perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. This fully functional replica received special legislation from the Virginia General Assembly to produce up to 5,000 gallons of whiskey annually, for sale only at the Mount Vernon gift shop. The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia. A gallon is a measure of Volume. It is in current use in the United States and still has limited use in many other English-speaking countries The construction of this operational distillery cost $2. 1 M and is located on the exact site of Washington's original distillery, a short distance from his mansion on the Potomac River. Frank Coleman, spokesman for the Distilled Spirits Council that funded the reconstruction, said the distillery “will become the equivalent of a national distillery museum” and serve as a gateway to the American Whiskey Trail. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS is the national Trade association representing producers and marketers of Distilled spirits sold in the The American Whiskey Trail is a cultural heritage and tourism initiative of the Distilled Spirits Council in cooperation with historic Mount Vernon. ^[4]

In October 2006, following a $110 million fund raising campaign, two new buildings designed by GWWO, Inc. /Architects were opened as venues for additional background on George Washington and the American Revolution.

On November 7, 2007, President George W. Bush hosted French President Nicolas Sarkozy for a general press conference on the front lawn of Mt. Events 1492 - The Ensisheim Meteorite the oldest Meteorite with a known date of impact strikes the Earth around noon in a Wheat Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. The President of the French Republic (Président de la République française colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is France 's elected Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced, Vernon following Sarkozy's address to a joint session of Congress earlier the same day, briefing the press on the two leaders' earlier meetings. Joint sessions of the United States Congress are the gatherings together of both houses of the United States Congress (the House of Representatives

Notes

References

• George Washington's Mount Vernon: At Home in Revolutionary America by Robert F. Dalzell, Jr. and Lee Baldwin Dalzell. New York, Oxford University Press, 1998.
• Mount Vernon: Washington's Home and the Nation's Shrine by Paul Wilstach. Indianapolis, The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1918, 1930.
• Virginia: A Guide to the Old Dominion. New York, Oxford University Press, 1940. pp. 338-342.

External links

• Official website of Mount Vernon
• National Historic Landmark: Mount Vernon

• Mount Vernon is at coordinates 38°42′28″N 77°05′10″W / 38.7079, -77.0861 (Mount Vernon)Coordinates: 38°42′28″N 77°05′10″W / 38.7079, -77.0861 (Mount Vernon)