George Washington's Mount Vernon

How to Get There

From Alexandria, VA (8 mi): Take George Washington Memorial Parkway south, follow signs for Mount Vernon, and exit onto Mount Vernon Memorial Highway to reach the main entrance and parking area.

Overview

Mount Vernon is George and Martha Washington's estate on the Potomac River in Fairfax County, about 15 miles south of Washington, D.C. and Alexandria. It is one of the most visited historic homes in America, open every day of the year, and offers a look at the mansion, gardens, and working farm where the first president lived until his death in 1799.

The Washington family acquired the land in 1674, and George Washington took over the estate in 1754 (owning it outright in 1761), expanding the house twice and growing the property to 8,000 acres. After his death the estate declined until the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association saved it from ruin in 1858, and the group still owns and maintains it. It is a National Historic Landmark.

What to See

• The mansion: a loose Palladian house with an off-center door and octagonal cupola, restored to its look in the Washingtons' time, including Washington's private study and the grand New Room
• Gardens and grounds: boxwoods Washington planted in 1786, brick-walled upper and lower gardens, and a bowling green
• Outbuildings: the more than 30 buildings of the 500-acre property, including the kitchen, smokehouse, and stables
• Tombs: the tomb where George and Martha Washington rest, and a nearby slave burial ground
• Pioneer farm: a 4-acre working farm with a re-creation of Washington's 16-sided treading barn
• Museum and education center: Washington's surveying tools, weapons, clothing, and dentures; the Fred W. Smith National Library is open to scholars by appointment

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Mount Vernon", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0