Recent Posts

Categories

Archive

More >

Recent Comments

  • Michael Whorley: “I read somewhere where as a young member of the House of Burgesses, with the help of George...”
  • Catherine Helms: “I would like to submit my idea for the children’s new website. It is “Walking with...”
  • Greg Evans: “Where can I get a bottle of George Washington Whiskey”
  • james crawford: “Very detailed and knowlegble blacksmith”
  • Chuck: “So glad to hear that the survey has gotten off to a successful start! Its very exciting to be a part of...”

Posts Tagged ‘the lost symbol’

September 24, 2009

Are You Looking for “The Lost Symbol”? It’s Not Here!

by Mount Vernon Education Department

masonYes, George Washington was a Freemason. Yes, we know you are reading Dan Brown’s recently released “The Lost Symbol” and are now planning your trip to Mount Vernon to come look for hidden Masonic symbols. Well, hate to disappoint but you won’t find them here. But here is what we do know about George Washington and freemasonry:

  • He joined a Fredericksburg, Va lodge at age 20 and eventually rose to the rank of Master Mason.
  • Many of his friends were Masons, most of his Revolutionary War officers, and over a third of the delegates at the Constitutional Convention were Masons. So yes, there were lots of Masonic connections.
  • The Bible used at his Inauguration belonged to a New York Masonic lodge.
  • Just as Dan Brown writes, the Capitol’s cornerstone was laid by Washington in a Masonic ceremony and he wore a Masonic apron.
  • He received a letter from a G.W. Snyder about the Illuminati but Washington’s response was very critical of the group.
  • Washington was placed in the family vault upon his death in 1799 with full Masonic honors.

So that is what we DO know… the rest is just conjecture. There are no secret hidden Masonic symbols at Mount Vernon- but feel free to come look for yourself! And click here to learn a little more about Freemasonry as it is described in Brown’s book.

Category: Popular Culture/Media Literacy

Subscribe

Subscribe to GWW (What are feeds?)

Portraits in Schools

Kids holding George Washington Portrait

Mount Vernon recently invited K-12 schools nationwide to request framed portraits of George Washington to display in a respectful, prominent place.

The response was overwhelming: thousands of schools submitted letters! Along with the portrait, schools received curriculum materials to help explore our first president’s contributions.

Where has George Washington gone back to school? Click here to see!

Related Links