Presidential Places: Mount Vernon
I have never been to Mount Vernon, but I desperately want to go someday. Just from their tweets alone, it sounds like such a great place, the Disneyland for 
potus_geeks!
Mount Vernon is located in Fairfax County, Virginia near Alexandria. It was George Washington's home and his plantation. Mount Vernon is located on the banks of the Potomac River across from Prince George's County, Maryland. The Washington family had owned land in the area since the time of Washington's great-grandfather in 1674, and in 1739 more land was added to the estate, one that George Washington eventually owned. He came into possession of the estate in 1754, but did not become its sole owner until 1761.
On the estate today is the mansion, built of wood in what is called a "loose Palladian style". It was constructed under the supervision of George Washington in stages between 1757 and 1778. The mansion occupies the site of an earlier, smaller house built by George Washington's father Augustine, some time between 1726 and 1735. It remained Washington's country home for the rest of his life. Following his death in 1799, under the ownership of several successive generations of the family, the estate progressively declined. But in 1858, the house's historical importance was recognized and it was saved from ruin by the The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, a philanthropic organization that acquired it together with part of the Washington estate. Likely out of respect for the great man, Mount Vernon escaped the damage suffered by many plantation houses during the American Civil War, and it was restored following the war.
Mount Vernon was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960. It is still owned and maintained in trust by The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, and is open every day of the year. This is in keeping with Washington's wishes. Three years before his death, he wrote: "I have no objection to any sober or orderly person's gratifying their curiosity in viewing the buildings, Gardens, &ca. about Mount Vernon."
After Washington's death, ownership of the plantation passed through a series of relatives who lacked either the will or the means to maintain the property. After trying unsuccessfully for five years to restore the estate, John Augustine Washington offered it for sale in 1848. The Commonwealth of Virginia and United States governments declined to buy the house and estate. In 1858, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, under the leadership of Ann Pamela Cunningham, acquired the mansion and a portion of the land from Washington's great-grandnephew, John A. Washington, Jr., rescuing it from a state of disrepair and neglect. They paid the final installment of the purchase price of $200,000 ($5,110,370 today) on December 9, 1859, taking possession on February 22, 1860. The estate was considered as neutral ground by both sides during the American Civil War, although fighting raged across the nearby countryside. The mansion has been restored by the Association, independent of the US government, with no tax dollars expended to support the 500-acre estate, its educational programs or activities.
Development and improvement of the estate is an ongoing concern, Following a $110 million fundraising campaign, in 2006, two new buildings were opened as venues for additional background on George Washington and the American Revolution. On November 7, 2007, President George W. Bush hosted French President Nicolas Sarkozy for a general press conference on the front lawn of Mount Vernon following Sarkozy's address to a joint session of Congress earlier that day. On March 30, 2007, the estate officially opened a reconstruction of George Washington's distillery. This fully functional replica received special legislation from the Virginia General Assembly to produce up to 5,000 US gallons of whiskey annually, for sale only at the Mount Vernon gift shop. The construction of this operational distillery cost $2.1 million, and is located on the exact site of Washington's original distillery, a short distance from his mansion on the Potomac River. Frank Coleman, spokesman for the Distilled Spirits Council that funded the reconstruction, said the distillery “will become the equivalent of a national distillery museum” and serve as a gateway to the American Whiskey Trail.
Since first opening to the paying public in 1860, the estate had received over 80 million visitors. In addition to the mansion itself, today, visitors can see original and reconstructed outbuildings and barns (including slaves' quarters), an operational blacksmith shop and the Pioneer Farm. Each year on Christmas Day, "Aladdin the Christmas Camel" recreates Washington's 1787 hiring of a camel for 18 shillings to entertain his guests with an example of the animal that brought the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem.
Mount Vernon remains a privately owned property. Its income comes solely from sales or tickets, produce and goods to visitors and charitable donations. Its non-profit making owners, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, continue their 150-year-old mission statement, which 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."
Following is some more information about Mount Vernon:
Website: http://www.mountvernon.org/
Location: 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, Virginia
Hours of Operation: April through August, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; March, September, and October, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
November through February, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Mount Vernon is open 365 days of the year.
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HistoricMountVernon
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/HistoricMountVernon
Twitter: @VisitMtVernon
potus_geeks!Mount Vernon is located in Fairfax County, Virginia near Alexandria. It was George Washington's home and his plantation. Mount Vernon is located on the banks of the Potomac River across from Prince George's County, Maryland. The Washington family had owned land in the area since the time of Washington's great-grandfather in 1674, and in 1739 more land was added to the estate, one that George Washington eventually owned. He came into possession of the estate in 1754, but did not become its sole owner until 1761.
On the estate today is the mansion, built of wood in what is called a "loose Palladian style". It was constructed under the supervision of George Washington in stages between 1757 and 1778. The mansion occupies the site of an earlier, smaller house built by George Washington's father Augustine, some time between 1726 and 1735. It remained Washington's country home for the rest of his life. Following his death in 1799, under the ownership of several successive generations of the family, the estate progressively declined. But in 1858, the house's historical importance was recognized and it was saved from ruin by the The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, a philanthropic organization that acquired it together with part of the Washington estate. Likely out of respect for the great man, Mount Vernon escaped the damage suffered by many plantation houses during the American Civil War, and it was restored following the war.
Mount Vernon was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960. It is still owned and maintained in trust by The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, and is open every day of the year. This is in keeping with Washington's wishes. Three years before his death, he wrote: "I have no objection to any sober or orderly person's gratifying their curiosity in viewing the buildings, Gardens, &ca. about Mount Vernon."
After Washington's death, ownership of the plantation passed through a series of relatives who lacked either the will or the means to maintain the property. After trying unsuccessfully for five years to restore the estate, John Augustine Washington offered it for sale in 1848. The Commonwealth of Virginia and United States governments declined to buy the house and estate. In 1858, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, under the leadership of Ann Pamela Cunningham, acquired the mansion and a portion of the land from Washington's great-grandnephew, John A. Washington, Jr., rescuing it from a state of disrepair and neglect. They paid the final installment of the purchase price of $200,000 ($5,110,370 today) on December 9, 1859, taking possession on February 22, 1860. The estate was considered as neutral ground by both sides during the American Civil War, although fighting raged across the nearby countryside. The mansion has been restored by the Association, independent of the US government, with no tax dollars expended to support the 500-acre estate, its educational programs or activities.
Development and improvement of the estate is an ongoing concern, Following a $110 million fundraising campaign, in 2006, two new buildings were opened as venues for additional background on George Washington and the American Revolution. On November 7, 2007, President George W. Bush hosted French President Nicolas Sarkozy for a general press conference on the front lawn of Mount Vernon following Sarkozy's address to a joint session of Congress earlier that day. On March 30, 2007, the estate officially opened a reconstruction of George Washington's distillery. This fully functional replica received special legislation from the Virginia General Assembly to produce up to 5,000 US gallons of whiskey annually, for sale only at the Mount Vernon gift shop. The construction of this operational distillery cost $2.1 million, and is located on the exact site of Washington's original distillery, a short distance from his mansion on the Potomac River. Frank Coleman, spokesman for the Distilled Spirits Council that funded the reconstruction, said the distillery “will become the equivalent of a national distillery museum” and serve as a gateway to the American Whiskey Trail.
Since first opening to the paying public in 1860, the estate had received over 80 million visitors. In addition to the mansion itself, today, visitors can see original and reconstructed outbuildings and barns (including slaves' quarters), an operational blacksmith shop and the Pioneer Farm. Each year on Christmas Day, "Aladdin the Christmas Camel" recreates Washington's 1787 hiring of a camel for 18 shillings to entertain his guests with an example of the animal that brought the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem.
Mount Vernon remains a privately owned property. Its income comes solely from sales or tickets, produce and goods to visitors and charitable donations. Its non-profit making owners, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, continue their 150-year-old mission statement, which 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."
Following is some more information about Mount Vernon:
Website: http://www.mountvernon.org/
Location: 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, Virginia
Hours of Operation: April through August, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; March, September, and October, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
November through February, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Mount Vernon is open 365 days of the year.
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HistoricMountVernon
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/HistoricMountVernon
Twitter: @VisitMtVernon