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Mount Vernon, Home of the Washingtons

No visit to the DC area is complete without visiting Mount Vernon, home to the first President of the United States of America. The last time I was in the DC area, I did the Book of Secrets tour of Mount Vernon and that only got us into the basement of the building. I was very happy to be able to do an actual walk through of George and Martha’s home.

After purchasing our tickets we went into the Ford Orientation Center we walked watched the short film, ‘We Fight to Be Free’ about the Revolutionary War, and then we walked up to the house. Here we waiting in a line that was filled with people who had tickets for a certain time frame. Our time in line was enjoyable, a family with two small boys were answering questions, in a small paper booklet they received. It was fund watching them try to figure out the clues…

The House:

As you walk towards the house, there are trees that line both sides of the front of the home, the tree lines go from the front lawn towards the house. So nothing obstructs your view of the mansion. You enter from the Bowling Green Gate, which is a great place to stop and take multiple pictures.   From the line you walk into small out type buildings and moved from there into the main building. Each building / room we went into had someone telling us about the room we were in. Unfortunately, the tour moved really fast as we exited one room and entered another. I would have loved more time to ask questions and really take in all they were telling us.

Family Connection:

I believe while we were in the kitchen one of the volunteers was discussing why George was so well off and where the family money came from. I did have to go and find someone to ask more questions. The hubby’s line connects with George through the Ball family, Joseph Ball being George’s maternal Grandfather. I was hoping to connect the story to our family history. Unfortunately, the story was from the Washington side. Which means I did not go back to get the full story.

The Grounds:

I find it truly amazing that you can see trees that were planted in the time of George Washington. To walk the grounds that he planned is mind-blowing. From the Upper Garden filled with fruits and vegetables that grow along shaded paths to the Lower Garden which is an example of a Colonial Revival garden which represents the formal English kitchen garden producing vegetables like it did when George and Martha lived there. Just past the Lower Garden is the nursery and fruit garden. We only saw a small amount of the gardens, but what we did see was stunning.

Mount Vernon Ladies Association:

The foresight these ladies had in saving and preserving the land and home amazes me. Their mission,

The mission of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association is to preserve, restore, and manage the estate of George Washington to the highest standards and to educate visitors and people throughout the world about the life and legacies of George Washington, so that his example of character and leadership will continue to inform and inspire future generations.1

There is a great map of the estate that can help you plan your visit to Mount Vernon.


  1. Mount Vernon, About, Our Mission, accessed 12 Jul 2017 

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