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Annie Fox, M.Ed., is an internationally respected parenting expert, award-winning author, and a trusted online adviser for tweens and teens.

#18: Mount Vernon – Welcome home, President Washington

February 1, 2009

President George Washington, age 57 from a forensic reconstruction

President George Washington, age 57 from a forensic reconstruction

My fascination with old houses probably began one day when I was 9 and wandered through a wooded area at the end of my street. The trail led into a clearing where I discovered the remains of an abandoned old mansion. Pretty cool find! Ever since, I’ve been hooked on the challenge of what could be pieced together about a life from the clues people leave behind.

Over the years I’ve gone out of my way to check out the former dwellings of the likes of Elvis Presley, William Shakespeare, President Franklin Roosevelt, Russian Czar Peter the Great, and Anne Frank.

That’s why, on our last day in DC, I was eager to visit Mount Vernon, home of George Washington. Turns out the  Father of our Country never spent a whole lot of time at home. OK, so he didn’t much help Martha around the house, but  let’s give the man his due respect. He was very busy serving his country, pretty much continuously from 1752-1797, without a lot of down time. He fought with the British in the French and Indian War (1754–1763).  Then he fought against the British as Commander of the Continental Army in the American Revolution (1775-1783).

With American independence won, Washington figured he’d retire to his working farm on the Potomac River. But in less than four years, he was off to Philadelphia to preside over the Constitutional Convention that drafted the U.S. Constitution.  And two years after that, in 1789, he was inaugurated as our first President. He served excellently for 2 terms – refusing to extend it to a third and thus setting a very wise precedent that two consecutive terms is all any US President gets. By all accounts, Washington was one of the top three of all times.

Done with public service in 1797, GW happily returned to Martha at Mount Vernon with the idea that he’d finally get to enjoy his home, his family, and his gardens. Unfortunately, just 2 years later, he died of pneumonia at the age of 67.  

Inside the slave quarters at Mt. Vernon

Inside the slave quarters at Mt. Vernon

Yes, Washington was a great man and as a nation we are incredibly fortunate to have had him as our first leader. But he wasn’t perfect. It might surprise you to know that Washington owned slaves. Probably not the way you want to think about him, but it’s true. And facts need to be remembered and factored into the mix for history to create a complete picture of the way things really were.

Here are some of the other sights from the wonderful and highly recommended Mount Vernon…

Mt. Vernon, as it is today

Mt. Vernon, as it is today

Not a bad view of the Potomac from the back porch of Mt. Vernon.

Not a bad view of the Potomac from the back porch of Mt. Vernon.

Annie gets needlepoint lessons from Lady Martha Washington, Oscar-worthy reenactor.

Annie gets needlepoint lessons from Lady Martha Washington, Oscar-worthy reenactor.

Recreation of General Washington at age 45

Recreation of General Washington at age 45

45 year old General Washington

45 year old General Washington from a forensic reconstruction

George Washington, taking the Oath of Office, New York, 1789

George Washington, taking the Oath of Office, New York, 1789

Ella from San Francisco

Ella from San Francisco

While we waited in line to get inside the house, we met a 9 year old girl and her mom. They were from San Francisco and pretty much like everyone else we’d talked to all week, they’d come for the Inauguration. I asked the girl why Obama’s election was important to her. Here’s what she told me:

Ella (age 9, San Francisco): I think it will  be part of the future. If there is a first black American President… who knows? We could be president too one day.

Annie: You mean women too?

Ella (smiling broadly): Yeah!

Yes we can.

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8 Comments »

  1. Excellent inauguration job, Annie, and thanks for the sharing. Great pictures, too. Keep up the good work!
    thanks,
    Neal and Laurie

    Comment by neal levy — February 2, 2009 @ 4:17 am

  2. Good Work !

    Thanks for sharing a interesting piece of history as well.

    A mom from the bizymoms Mount-vernon community.
    http://www.bizymoms.com/mount-vernon/index.php

    Comment by Leanne — October 19, 2009 @ 2:14 am

  3. Hi Annie,
    Can you tell me where you shot the photos of the forensic reconstructions of Geo. Washington? I am in need of some 360 degree photos of him. Thanks in advance.

    Comment by paula — December 2, 2009 @ 12:54 pm

  4. Hi paula,

    We took these photos at Mt. Vernon Visitor Center. They’ve got a fabulous museum that includes an entire exhibit detailing the process involved in the forensic reconstructions of Washington. We had a great time there! http://www.mountvernon.org/

    I hope this helps!

    In friendship,
    Annie

    Comment by Annie — December 2, 2009 @ 1:39 pm

  5. Our Pops, Mensch of the United States. “A republic, if you can keep it.” Waiting for Chernow’s biography. Loverly blog, Annie. Salute!

    Comment by Mike Snyderman — October 1, 2010 @ 12:04 pm

  6. I share your interests, but where on earth did ‘they’ get forensic evidence of what Gen. Washington really look like?

    Richie

    Comment by Richie — January 4, 2011 @ 8:02 pm

  7. Wow ohy god, this was great, I like
    Mt. Vernon, very nice thank you this,
    I always wanted to know what mr. washington looked like
    At a younger age, they should
    Totally do somemore like when
    He was a child, then teens,then
    Young adult, amazing,now
    As for martha I dont think
    She was that big, do better
    Next time you get someone
    To play martha,

    P.S. The slave qaurters or huts were
    Huge,i didnt know they was that big,
    Ithought they was always small,,,,but
    I guess at that time, it depends on how
    Nice the slave owner was and if he had alot of money
    ,but come on its Mr. washington he could
    Do just about anything, but thought he was
    Kindve sexy when he was in his 45, and
    For some reason I always thought he was
    Blonde not a brunette,that really shocked
    Me, god bless thank you l had fun 🙂

    Comment by India black — August 8, 2012 @ 6:37 pm

  8. […] is a school holiday here in the States (Happy Birthday General Washington. You too, Mr. Lincoln!) And last week was National Random Acts of Kindness Week. In case you […]

    Pingback by Presidents’ Day Acts of Kindness Challenge | Annie Fox's Blog — February 16, 2014 @ 6:34 pm

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