Mount Vernon was the plantation home of George Washington, during his childhood and again after his marriage to Martha.  One thing we learned about our founding fathers on this trip: they sure knew how to pick a site for a home.  Mount Vernon overlooks the Potomac River and it’s pretty clear why guests loved to come visit the Washingtons and stay for weeks at a time.  Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take pictures of the interior of the house, but we did get some of the outside.

Mount Vernon was home to George Washington for more than 45 years. First known as Little Hunting Creek Plantation, the Estate was originally granted to Washington’s great grandfather John Washington in 1674. It eventually passed to Washington’s older half-brother, Lawrence, who renamed the property Mount Vernon after his commanding officer, Admiral Edward Vernon of the British navy. George Washington inherited the property upon the death of his brother Lawrence’s widow in 1761.

Over the years, Washington enlarged the residence and built up the property from 2,000 to nearly 8,000 acres. He divided the acreage into five working farms, including the Mansion House Farm, where he lived with his family. At the Mansion House Farm, Washington sought to create a landscape combining beauty and functionality in a serenely harmonious setting.

Washington also transformed the Mansion’s modest frame exterior, using a process called “rustication.” This meant replacing the original plain wooden siding with bevel-edged pine blocks that had been coated with a mixture of paint and sand to give the appearance of stone.

Today the Mansion has been restored to its appearance in 1799, the last year of Washington’s life.

George Washington’s Tomb

Who can resist a photo op with the first president himself?