Tag: National Historic Landmark

George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate

On By nationalparkswithtIn Virginia4 Comments
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DC Trip 2023➤

Washington, DC possesses the largest concentration of National Park Service units of any metropolitan area. I decided to use one of my long weekends in April to visit DC and check a few units off my list. I toured several memorials, monuments and other sites, including George Washington’s Mount Vernon.

With a DC-based company, I took the half-day tour of Mount Vernon. Our bus left from a DC hotel and traveled through old town Alexandria. We drove on the G.W. Parkway, a National Park Service unit.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon➤

Mount Vernon, located on the banks of the Potomac River in Virginia, was George Washington’s plantation home. Built in the 18th century, it became Washington’s residence and the center of his estate. The mansion reflects Georgian architecture and is surrounded by gardens, outbuildings and scenic landscapes. Mount Vernon holds historical significance as the place where Washington lived and eventually died in 1799.

The Washington family acquired land in the area in 1674. George Washington’s father Augustine Washington built the original house in 1734. George Washington expanded the house twice, once in the late 1750s and again in the 1770s. The estate contained 8,000 acres when Washington lived there, today it is 500 acres.

Following George Washington’s death in 1799, the estate declined. Several successive generations of the family inherited it, but revenues were insufficient to maintain it properly. The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association acquired the estate in 1858. They still manage it today, keeping it open to the public in accordance with Washington’s wishes. I was surprised to learn this was the original house. I’d expected a period-appropriate reproduction, but the docents told me the mansion survived the Civil War unscathed.

The Grounds➤

Mount Vernon features beautiful gardens and extensive grounds. The gardens have been restored to their 18th-century appearance and include the Upper Garden, Lower Garden, and Botanical Garden. The Pioneer Farm is a four-acre demonstration farm that showcases 18th-century agricultural practices. Visitors can see rare breeds of animals, crops, and farming techniques used during Washington’s time.

Mount Vernon acknowledges the history of slavery on the estate, and there is a memorial dedicated to the enslaved people who lived and worked there. The Slave Memorial is located near the Slave Cemetery. When I visited that area, I saw a costumed performer playing the flute.

Visitors can also see the tomb where George and Martha Washington are buried. The tomb is located on the grounds, and it is the final resting place of the Washingtons.

2023 DC Trip Posts➤

Location: 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy, Mt Vernon, VA
Designation: National Historic Landmark
Date designated/established: December 19, 1960
Date of my visit: April 7, 2023