Mount Vernon

Washington's Greenhouse

George Wshington spent much of his life experimenting with plants and crops.  He built this greenhouse to cultivate rare and exotic plants.  It had a very modern heating system; fireplaces and a series of flues heated the back wall and slate floor so that he could grow grapes, limes, oranges and more to the delight and entertainment of his guests.

In winter a slave slept on a pallet in this room to keep the greenhouse fires burning day and night.

Espalier cherry tree, trained to grow on a trellis, is on the outside greenhouse wall.

Upper Garden

Fall vegetables are still abundant in the upper garden.  Martha Washington once wrote that vegetables "were the best part of living in the country".

Slave Quarters

Men's sleeping area; attached to the greenhouse.

Women's cooking area.  Notice the dark bricks on the lower wall; they are original to the building.  Slaves that worked in the mansion most likely lived in these quarters.

The Mansion

The porch overlooking the Potomac River.  The mansion has two front doors, this one, and one on the other side to accommodate arrival by carriage.

Pecan tree circa 1850.

Porch lantern 

Scott relaxing on the front porch at Mount Vernon.  When we arrived he said, "these chairs used to be green" and the guide told us that they were green until a few days ago.  The curators at Mount Vernon are continually researching the grounds and they discovered that the chairs were brown when George and Martha lived here, so they got rid of the worn green chairs and replaced them with brown ones!

View of the Potomac River.

Here I am looking out at the river on a beautiful fall day!

1787 Dove of Peace weathervane.

Mansion Kitchen

The kitchen is it's own building next to the mansion.  In the fireplace is a unique rotisserie that would turn the meat automatically!

Kitchen utensils hanging on the wall; if you want water just go out the door on the right - there's a pump out back!

Pantry off the kitchen.

Holly in bloom - I didn't know that holly was so fragrant.  This plant smelled wonderful!

Martha Washington headed to tea; she invited us to come along...

Carriage entrance to Mount Vernon.

Meet "Martha Washington"

Martha Washington told us about her life and answered any and all of our questions.  This woman was a wealth of knowledge about the Washingtons.  I didn't know that Martha traveled to General Washington's winter camp each year and tended to the soldiers.  She was an extraordinary woman.

Stable

George Washington had many horses but his favorites included Magnolia, an Arabian race horse, and Nelson and Blueskin, the horses he rode in the Revolutionary War.

Smokehouse

Each December 100-150 hogs were butchered, cured in salt, and smoked in this smokehouse.  Martha Washington supervised the process and prided herself in the hams often giving them as gifts.

Old Vault

George Washington wrote in his will, "The family vault at Mount Vernon requiring repairs and being improperly situated besides, I desire a new one of Brick, and upon a larger Scale, may be built at the foot of what is commonly called the Vineyard Inclosure..."

Washington's Tomb

George Washington died at here on December 14, 1799 and his will directed that he be buried at his beloved Mount Vernon.  Each day they have a wreath laying ceremony ( notice the wreath next to the American flag).

George and Martha are both buried here along with many relatives.

 The most faithful likeness of George Washington; terra cotta bust done by Jean Antoine Houdon in 1785.

I thought this sign was so funny!  I found a picture of his teeth on the internet, he actually had four different sets made from human teeth, cow teeth, and elephant and walrus ivory!  His teeth were NOT made of wood!