Posts Tagged ‘George Washington’

Living in Eastern Virginia, ever-famous for its humid, hot weather, meant that George Washington and those who called Mount Vernon home had to make a few adjustments when the warmer months rolled around. Today Mount Vernon’s curators do the same, making subtle, but important changes to the accoutrements in the house.

Mosquito netting is put over the Washingtons’ bed, summer vegetables are put on the table and ice cream becomes a central feature in both the small dining room and the kitchen. Check it out!

George Washington is on the move once again! Students have been taking “Paper George” to historic sites across the country in order to find out whether George Washington ever visited them. Six- year old Isaac from Baltimore visited Hampton Mansion National Site in Towson with “Paper George” recently and discovered that while Washington likely socialized with the family that owned the site, the house itself was built when he was in his later years and so he probably never visited. Thanks, Isaac, for sharing your findings with us! For more information about “Paper George” or to request a copy, please email Diana Cordray at dcordray@mountvernon.org.

As bulletin boards get refreshed and schools are squeaky cleaned, why not redecorate your main entrance or library? We can help! Mount Vernon is pleased to be distributing beautiful oil portraits of George Washington by Rembrandt Peale, accompanied by our Celebration Kit featuring a flag flown over Mount Vernon and teaching resources, for FREE to any school that would like one. Just have your principal send us a request on letterhead with the school’s street address, where the painting will hang, and a contact email address. What a fabulous way to start the school year! Check out our Portrait Map on the right hand side of this page to see other schools that have already received their portraits. And yes, that is former First Lady Laura Bush presenting the very first portrait in the picture above.

We know that visitors often wonder about the blue blazer-ed interpreters here who can describe in detail every piece of furniture in Mount Vernon and know exactly what George Washington was doing on April 7, 1798. Today, we want to introduce you to Diana Dinsick, who has been a Mount Vernon interpreter for over ten years:

GWW: If you could be any 18th century historical figure, who would it be?

DD: I suppose I would choose Mrs. Samuel (Eliza) Powell, wife of the mayor of Philadelphia during Washington’s years there as President. Few women of Eliza’s time were worldly and wise enough to win the friendship and respect of men such as George Washington, yet, by all accounts, he actually solicited her opinion on matters of political importance.

GWW: If George Washington had a middle name, what do you think it should be and why?

DD: Well, why not pay tribute to Washington’s royal ancestors? Let’s see… King John of England was his great(x16)-grandfather. “George John Washington,” perhaps?

GWW: What is the funniest thing that ever happened when you were interpreting?

DD: One afternoon I was speaking to a group of third graders at Washington’s tomb. I pointed out Washington’s Commander in Chief’s flag and asked the group why they thought there were 13 white stars on the blue background. One little boy explained to me that, “people back then didn’t know that there were 50 states.” I am also a bit taken aback when visitors insist that the mansion used to face in the opposite direction.

GWW: What is your favorite place at Mount Vernon?

DD: I love the private wing of the Washington’s home. Sometimes, when I am alone there, I can almost feel their presence and I realize what an honor it is to work where I do.

GWW: What are some fun tidbits about you?

DD: I am from Tyrone, PA, although through marrying a military man, I have left small town America behind. My three children are grown now, and I am inordinately proud of them. I still love traveling in Europe with them to revisit places we once lived. Last year, a fellow interpreter interested me in joining the Daughters of the American Revolution, and now I can claim genealogy as one of my hobbies. Finding one Revolutionary War ancestor leads to another, and another!