Archive for the ‘Research/Lectures’ Category

Many visitors and GWW readers do not know that Mount Vernon is owned by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association. Fifty years after Washington’s death, a group of women banded together to raise money and purchase Mount Vernon in order to preserve it for future generations (as you can see from the picture on the left, it was in pretty sorry shape- there was even an old ship mast holding up one end of the piazza). One of these brave women was Sarah Cornelia Tracy, a secretary to the regent, Ann Pamela Cunningham of South Carolina.

As the Civil War was descending on the nation, Sarah Tracy (and her sister as chaperone) moved into Mount Vernon to protect the estate and ensure absolute neutrality. She was left with little money, a crumbling house, and rumors swirling that Washington’s body had been removed from the tomb to the mountains of Virginia. At one point, she braved barricades, destroyed roads, and a night in a commandeered house, for promises of neutrality and supplies from General McClellan. For eight years, she served as doctor and manager at Mount Vernon while selling flowers, produce, and jewelry she made out of coffee beans in order to raise money. The Ladies Association also appointed a Superintendent to care for the estate, Upton Herbert, who was trapped at Mount Vernon through the war- as a Southerner he could not go to Alexandria, which was being held by Federal forces, and he could not go into Virginia without being conscripted into the Confederate forces. After Miss Tracy finally resigned in 1868, she married Mr. Herbert and they finally passed on the care of George Washington’s home to make their own home together in Burke, Va. More information about the preservation and archaeology of Mount Vernon can be found on our website.

Last weekend, three piglets were born to our proud Ossabaw Island hog parents. These rare breed hogs date back to the Spanish explorers of the 17th century. George Washington’s hogs ran wild in the woods until they were caught, fattened on corn and potatoes, and slaughtered for food each fall. Pork, bacon, sausage, scrapple, chitterlings, and lard were enjoyed by the whole Mount Vernon community, and Martha Washington often presented hams as gifts to relatives and friends. Today these heritage breed hogs are bred at Mount Vernon once a year, much to the delight of the children (and adults) who crowd their pen for a glimpse of the piglets. Fortunately for the hogs, the current Mount Vernon community does not enjoy them in the same way as our 18th-century forebears.

The Marquis de Lafayette (full name: Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roche Gilbert du Motier- whoa!) was born to immense wealth in France, but at 19 years old he bought a ship and sailed to South Carolina to join the American Revolution, arriving on June 13th. He volunteered to serve in the Patriot army without pay, saying that, “the welfare of America is intimately connected with the happiness of all mankind.” His intelligence and passion for the American cause were quickly appreciated, leading Congress to commission him a Major General. His famous friendship with George Washington led him to later give Washington a key to the Bastille (still displayed in the front hall at Mount Vernon) and name his own son after the man he saw as an honorary father.

After the Revolution, the Marquis returned to France but visited America twice; the first time at Washington’s invitation and the second time as an old man in 1824. As he toured America, crowds of cheering people greeted him wherever he traveled, and at one place, an old soldier saluted him and asked Lafayette if he remembered the snows of Valley Forge. He showed the blanket that he was carrying and said that at one point Lafayatte came upon a shivering soldier in the snow on guard, he sent the soldier to get his blanket out of his tent, and then cut the blanket in half, giving half to the soldier. He said, “I am the soldier whose life you saved.”

As we celebrate the patriotic holidays of summer, sometimes it is important to remember that it was not only Americans who were fighting for our independence. Let us know if you teach about about the Marquis de Lafayette, Thaddeus Kosciuszko, or any of the other international heroes that helped our fledgling country…

As we celebrate Earth Day today, we would just like to take a second to recognize George Washington as America’s First Environmentalist. Unlike another famous Founding Father who wrote a lot about his gardening practices (we’re looking at you, TJ), Washington’s contributions to farming are often overlooked because he was too busy leading an army and then a country to really write extensive tomes on them. But, we will have you know that:

• Washington was the first American composter. Who knew, right?! His “repository for dung” was the first of its kind in America.
• The Obamas could certainly learn a lot about gardening from a visit to Mount Vernon (hint, hint). The Washingtons had a pleasure garden, kitchen garden, orchard, plant nursery, and even an experimental garden where exotic plants and seeds were tested to see if they would survive the Virginia climate.
• Washington introduced the concept of crop rotation to American farmers. After watching tobacco ravage the soil of Virginia plantations, Washington employed many land conservation measures, such as switching his main crops to corn and wheat, planting green cover crops in the winter, and using organic fertilizers.
• And as a random fact, Washington introduced the mule to America. Just some cocktail party triva for you as a special treat.

Image by L. Toshio Kishiyama