Tag Archives: George Washington

Mount Vernon: George Washington’s Home and Legacy

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George and Martha Washington’s Mount Vernon overlooks in Potomac River in Virginia. Photo ©Bylandersea

As a child growing up in Arlington, Virginia, Mount Vernon was where my parents took out-of-town visitors. Family and friends wanted to see George Washington’s home, and we happily made the short drive along the Potomac River. I toured the mansion, wandered through the gardens and admired the sweeping river view many times over the years. I always loved the canopy beds and begged my parents for one at home. Later, I continued the tradition by bringing my own children to Mount Vernon.

Only much later did I realize how extraordinary the place really was.

As the United States marks 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, Mount Vernon offers far more than a glimpse into the life of the nation’s first president. It reveals Washington as a farmer, businessman, husband, military leader and statesman whose decisions helped shape the young republic. It is difficult to imagine the birth and survival of the United States without him.

A Family Inheritance

The story of Mount Vernon began before George Washington was born.

The property had been in the Washington family since the 17th century, but George’s father, Augustine Washington, established a household at what was then called Little Hunting Creek Plantation and built the core of the present mansion in the 1730s. In 1738, the family moved to Ferry Farm, across the Rappahannock River from Fredericksburg, Virginia. (To read about Washington’s early years, click here.)

was just eleven when Augustine died in 1743. Little Hunting Creek passed to George’s older half-brother, Lawrence Washington, who renamed it Mount Vernon in honor of Admiral Edward Vernon. Lawrence had served under Vernon as an officer with Virginia’s provincial forces during the War of Jenkins’ Ear. The oddly named conflict was fought between Britain and Spain over trade and colonial power in the Americas.

When Lawrence died in 1752, George was twenty years old. Lawrence initially left Mount Vernon to his young daughter, Sarah, with his widow, Ann Fairfax Washington, holding a life interest in the property. After Sarah died, George leased Mount Vernon from Ann beginning in 1754. He did not become its outright owner until Ann’s death in 1761. During these years, he pursued careers as a soldier and planter while gradually assuming responsibility for the estate that would define the rest of his life.

In 1759, Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis, a wealthy widow with two surviving children. Their marriage became a warm and enduring partnership, while Martha’s considerable wealth strengthened Washington’s financial and social position. Her dower estate included land, investments and the labor of enslaved people, providing resources that helped Washington expand Mount Vernon into one of Virginia’s most prominent plantations.

Model of a young George Washington as he might have looked when working as a surveyor.

Building a Plantation

Washington expanded the house several times, transforming what began as a modest farmhouse into the elegant mansion visitors see today. Its distinctive piazza overlooking the Potomac remains one of the most recognizable views in America, and one of my favorites. (In my next story, I will explain how Mount Vernon was rescued from decline and specifically how that view was preserved for future generations.)

By the time of the Revolution, the estate had grown into a complex operation of five farms covering thousands of acres. Like many Virginia planters, Washington initially relied heavily on tobacco.

Mount Vernon depended upon the labor of enslaved men, women and children. In 1799, 317 enslaved people lived on Washington’s five farms. They cultivated crops, cared for livestock, prepared meals, maintained the mansion, practiced skilled trades and worked at the gristmill and distillery. Today, Mount Vernon interprets many of their individual stories throughout the estate, giving visitors a fuller understanding of plantation life and the profound contradictions of the founding era.

Washington’s views on slavery changed during his lifetime, but he did not free the people he owned while he was alive. In his will, he directed that the 123 enslaved people he owned be emancipated after Martha’s death. Martha freed them early, on January 1, 1801. Neither George nor Martha could legally free the 153 people held by the Custis estate, many of whom remained enslaved and were later separated from family members.

The Slave Memorial stands within Mount Vernon’s African American Burial Ground, where enslaved and free Black people were buried during the 18th and 19th centuries. Photo by Sarah Stierch, via Wikimedia Commons.

Over time, Washington recognized tobacco’s limitations and shifted toward diversified agriculture. He experimented with wheat, corn and other grains, and practiced crop rotation and soil conservation techniques that were advanced for his era. His experiments transformed Mount Vernon into one of Virginia’s most varied and closely managed agricultural operations. Visitors often remember Washington as a military hero, but he considered himself a farmer first.

My youngest daughter in the gardens, 2003. ©Copyright Bylandersea.

George and Martha

Statues of George and Martha with their grandchildren at Mount Vernon. ©Copyright Bylandersea

Although George and Martha never had children together, they raised Martha’s two surviving children and later helped care for several grandchildren. Mount Vernon remained their emotional center whenever public duty called Washington elsewhere.

During the Revolutionary War, Washington spent more than eight years away from Mount Vernon while commanding the Continental Army. Throughout the conflict, he wrote frequently to his managers, requesting detailed reports about crops, livestock and improvements to the estate.

Even while fighting for independence, his thoughts often returned home.

Washington’s Office at Mount Vernon Photo ©Bylandersea

One of America’s Largest Whiskey Distilleries

One of Mount Vernon’s lesser-known stories involves whiskey.

After two terms as president, Washington eagerly returned to Mount Vernon in 1797. At the suggestion of his Scottish farm manager, James Anderson, he invested in whiskey production and built a commercial distillery near his gristmill. Enslaved men, including Hanson, Peter, Nat, Daniel, James and Timothy, performed much of the hot, demanding work of producing the whiskey.

Washington’s standard whiskey used approximately 60 percent rye, 35 percent corn and 5 percent malted barley. It was distilled at least twice and generally sold unaged, which was customary at the time.

George Washington’s Premium Straight Rye Whiskey

In 1799, the distillery produced nearly 11,000 gallons of whiskey valued at approximately $7,500, making it one of the largest commercial distilleries in the United States and one of Mount Vernon’s most profitable enterprises.

What Visitors See Today

The original distillery operated for several years after Washington’s death, but eventually fell out of use and disappeared during the 19th century. The present building is a faithful reconstruction, completed on the original archaeological site and opened to visitors in 2007.

Inside, visitors see a working interpretation of the 18th-century operation, including copper pot stills, wooden mash tubs, a boiler, wood-fired furnaces and the distiller’s work area. Mount Vernon still produces limited batches of spirits there using historical methods. Grain is ground at the adjoining reconstructed, water-powered gristmill, fermented in wooden tubs and distilled in copper stills heated by wood fires.

The Distillery and Gristmill stand 2.7 miles from the main estate entrance. They operate seasonally, generally on weekends from April through October, so visitors should check the current schedule. Admission is included with a Mount Vernon grounds pass, and visitors can drive or, when available, take the seasonal shuttle.

Retirement at Last

Washington established two important precedents by voluntarily resigning his military commission in 1783 and stepping down after two presidential terms in 1797. He returned eagerly to Mount Vernon, although retirement did not mean idleness. Washington continued managing the estate, corresponding with political leaders, hosting a steady stream of visitors and overseeing ongoing improvements.

Welcome to Mount Vernon Photo ©Bylandersea

Visiting Mount Vernon Today

A visit to George and Martha Washington’s home is much more than a tour of a colonial mansion. Visitors begin in the Ford Orientation Center, where an introductory film provides context before they enter the historic estate.

The Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center, originally opened in 2006, was extensively redesigned (at $20 million) for America’s 250th anniversary and reopened in June 2026. Its nine galleries combine original documents, rare artifacts, interactive exhibits and six immersive media experiences. The Revolutionary War Theater presents a 22-minute 4-D film, while the Hands-on-History Center offers replica objects and activities designed for children and their families.

Hands on activities for little ones visiting Mount Vernon. Photo ©Bylandersea

Much of the museum complex was built into the landscape, preserving the historic appearance of the estate rather than imposing a large modern building upon it.

Plan ahead because Mount Vernon can easily fill an entire day, although many visitors allow approximately three to four hours. In addition to touring the mansion, visitors can explore the gardens and outbuildings, visit Washington’s tomb and the Slave Memorial, walk through the working farm, and spend time in the Museum and Education Center. The reconstructed Distillery and Gristmill require a short drive or seasonal shuttle ride from the main estate. Mount Vernon also includes a restaurant, food court and extensive gift shop.

Washington’s Final Days

On December 14, 1799, George Washington died at Mount Vernon following a severe throat infection. The nation mourned the loss of its most revered leader.

Washington was buried on the estate he loved. Today, visitors can pay their respects at the tomb where George and Martha Washington rest.

We all know the familiar claim that “George Washington slept here.” As a child standing beside his tomb, I remember thinking, “George Washington really sleeps here.”

The Washington Tombs at Mount Vernon.

For me, Mount Vernon remains far more than a historic attraction. It is woven into my childhood memories and is likely where I first developed my love of colonial-era furnishings. It is also a place that grows richer and more complicated with every visit. Few destinations reveal George Washington more completely, both his remarkable accomplishments and the contradictions of the world in which he lived, than the home he cherished above all others.

The Famous View overlooking the Potomac River.

Coming next: Mount Vernon might not be standing today without the determination of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. In my next article, I’ll share how a group of visionary women rescued the neglected estate in the 1850s, raised the money to purchase it, and began the painstaking work of preservation and restoration. Their remarkable effort became one of America’s earliest and most successful historic preservation stories.

Yorktown: The Victory That Secured American Independence

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In the summer of 1781, the Revolutionary War had dragged on for more than six years.

The British still held New York City. Their army remained one of the most powerful fighting forces in the world. Yet events set in motion during the Southern Campaign were about to converge on a small Virginia tobacco port called Yorktown.

As discussed in my previous article, British General Charles Cornwallis entered Virginia after a frustrating campaign in the Carolinas. Although he had won several tactical victories, British defeats at Kings Mountain and Cowpens, combined with General Nathanael Greene’s relentless strategy of attrition, steadily weakened Britain’s hold on the South.

Cornwallis hoped Virginia would provide a secure base for future operations. Instead, Yorktown became a trap.

A French Fleet Changes Everything

One of the greatest “what if” moments in American history occurred at sea.

In August 1781, a French fleet commanded by Admiral François Joseph Paul de Grasse sailed into the Chesapeake Bay. His arrival transformed the strategic situation.

The British navy, long considered invincible, attempted to regain control of the bay. The resulting Battle of the Chesapeake proved decisive. The French prevented British ships from reaching Yorktown and cut off Cornwallis’s most reliable escape route.

For the first time during the war, British forces found themselves vulnerable and isolated.

Seige of Yorktown Map, from Mount Vernon website.

Washington Sees His Opportunity

General George Washington had spent years watching British forces occupy New York City. Although he had hoped to recapture the location, circumstances rarely favored such an attack.

When news arrived that de Grasse would support operations in Virginia, Washington quickly changed plans.

Together with French General Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau, Washington secretly moved thousands of American and French troops south. The march covered more than 400 miles and remains one of the most impressive military maneuvers of the war.

The British commander in New York did not fully realize Washington’s intentions until it was too late.

By late September, allied forces were converging on Yorktown.

The Siege Begins

Unlike many famous Revolutionary War battles, Yorktown was NOT decided in a single dramatic afternoon.

Instead, it became a carefully executed siege.

American and French troops surrounded the town while the French fleet blocked escape by sea. Cornwallis’s army found itself trapped between land and water.

Engineers dug trenches closer and closer to British defenses. Artillery batteries bombarded the town day and night. The thunder of cannon fire echoed across the Virginia countryside.

Yorktown Redoubt 10

As the siege tightened, British options dwindled.

Two key British defensive positions, Redoubts 9 and 10, became critical obstacles. In one of the most celebrated actions of the war, American troops led by Alexander Hamilton stormed Redoubt 10 with fixed bayonets during a nighttime assault. French forces simultaneously captured Redoubt 9.

The fall of the redoubts brought allied artillery within range of the British interior defenses and accelerated the collapse of Cornwallis’s position.

Canon at Yorktown Battlefield today. Photo ©Bylandersea

The Surrender

On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered.

Nearly 8,000 British soldiers laid down their arms.

The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis
The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis (at Yorktown, Virginia, on October 19, 1781), oil on canvas by John Trumbull, completed in 1820; in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Washington, D.C. The painting captures the moment when major fighting during the American Revolution ended and the colonies achieved independence.

Legend holds that Cornwallis claimed illness and sent a subordinate to represent him at the surrender ceremony. Whether motivated by pride or genuine sickness, the gesture reflected the magnitude of Britain’s defeat.

The war did not officially end until the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, but Yorktown effectively ended major combat operations in North America.

Parliament soon recognized that continuing the war would be costly and increasingly unpopular. The American Revolution had been won.

Why Yorktown Matters

As America commemorates its 250th anniversary, Yorktown offers more than a history lesson. It is a place to reflect on the perseverance, sacrifice, and international cooperation that made independence possible. The victory achieved here on October 19, 1781, did not end the Revolutionary War overnight, but it marked the decisive turning point that led to the birth of the United States.

After following the Road to Revolution from Lexington and Concord through the battles of New England, the Middle Colonies, and the Carolinas, there is no more fitting place to conclude the journey than Yorktown—where the dream of independence became a reality.

Yorktown Travel Guide

Start your visit at the multi-media American Revolution Museum of Yorktown. Photo ©Bylandersea

Few places bring the story of American independence to life more vividly than Yorktown.

The battlefield, riverfront village, and museums bring the final chapter of the Revolution vividly to life, while the quiet landscape encourages reflection on the extraordinary events that unfolded here in October 1781.

Although I first visited the former Yorktown Victory Center years ago, the experience today is dramatically different. The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, which opened in 2017, brings the story of the Revolution to life through immersive exhibits, films, and engaging living- history experiences. It is wonderful for children, as well.

An interactive exhibit called The Liberty Tree in the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. Photo ©Bylandersea

Stepping into history at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown’s living-history area. Trying on the uniform of an eighteenth-century soldier offered a small glimpse into the lives of those who fought for independence in 1781.
Activities at the Encampment at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown Photos ©Bylandersea

Afterward, continue to the  Colonial National Historical Park for the Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center and follow the self-guided battlefield driving tour. Stop at the siege lines, Surrender Field, the Moore House where the surrender terms were negotiated, and the monuments commemorating the American and French victory. The visitor center and interpretive exhibits provide additional context for one of the most significant military campaigns in American history.

The Yorktown Victory Monument commemorates the decisive Allied victory that secured American independence. Authorized by the Continental Congress in 1781, the monument was not completed until 1884 and today stands overlooking the York River where history changed forever.

Allow time to stroll Historic Yorktown’s charming waterfront, browse its small museums and shops, and enjoy views of the York River that remind visitors why this peninsula became the setting for a world-changing victory. While you are in this area, known as the Virginia Historic Triangle, be sure to visit Colonial Williamsburg (my favorite) and Jamestown.  

Yorktown’s Waterfront offers shops and restaurants. Photo ©Bylandersea

Did You Know?

Legend says the British army that surrendered at Yorktown marched out to the tune of “The World Turned Upside Down.” While historians still debate whether that tune was actually played, the phrase has become a lasting symbol of how the Revolutionary War transformed the world.

The stories of the Treaty of Paris and Washington’s resignation will follow soon.

The Road to Yorktown: How the Southern Campaign Won the Revolution

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When Americans think of the Revolutionary War, they often picture Lexington and Concord, Valley Forge, or Washington crossing the Delaware, (all stories I have covered earlier in this series). Yet the road to independence did not end in New England. It ended hundreds of miles to the south at Yorktown, Virginia.

The final victory at Yorktown in October 1781 was not the result of a single battle. Instead, it was the culmination of a long and grueling Southern Campaign that slowly wore down British forces and changed the course of the war.

By 1778, Britain had shifted its focus to the southern colonies. British leaders believed they would find large numbers of Loyalists willing to support the Crown in Georgia and the Carolinas. Capturing the South, they hoped, would isolate the rebellious northern colonies and restore royal control.

Initially, the strategy seemed successful.

The British captured Savannah in 1778 and Charleston in 1780. Charleston’s surrender was one of the worst American defeats of the war. Thousands of Patriot soldiers were taken prisoner, and British General Charles Cornwallis appeared poised to restore British authority throughout the South. Then the tide began to turn.

Kings Mountain: The First Blow

In October 1780, Patriot militia from the frontier settlements gathered at what is now known as the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail. These rugged backcountry fighters crossed the Appalachian Mountains and pursued Loyalist forces under Major Patrick Ferguson.

At Kings Mountain, on the border of North and South Carolina, the Patriots surrounded Ferguson’s force and won a decisive victory. Ferguson was killed, and more than 1,000 Loyalists were captured, killed, or wounded.

Thomas Jefferson later called Kings Mountain “the turn of the tide of success.” The victory shattered British hopes of raising large numbers of Loyalist supporters in the Carolina backcountry.

Cowpens: A Tactical Masterpiece

Three months later, another Patriot victory further weakened British control.

At Cowpens, South Carolina, General Daniel Morgan devised one of the most brilliant battle plans of the Revolution. He arranged his militia and Continental troops in successive lines, carefully anticipating how the British would attack.

The plan worked perfectly. British commander Banastre Tarleton’s forces were routed. More than 800 British soldiers were killed, wounded, or captured.

Cowpens not only damaged British military strength but also boosted Patriot morale throughout the South.

The Race to the Dan

General Nathanael Greene

After Cowpens, General Nathanael Greene faced a difficult challenge. His army was smaller and less experienced than Cornwallis’s veteran troops. Rather than risk destruction in a major battle, Greene chose a strategy of movement and endurance.

For weeks, Patriot forces retreated across North Carolina while Cornwallis pursued them. The campaign became known as the Race to the Dan.

Greene successfully crossed Virginia’s Dan River and escaped. Cornwallis had failed to destroy the American army. Greene then turned and marched south again.

Guilford Courthouse: A Costly Victory

In March 1781, Greene confronted Cornwallis at Guilford Courthouse in present-day Greensboro, North Carolina. The British won the battle and held the field at day’s end. On paper, it appeared to be a British victory.

But the cost was enormous.More than a quarter of Cornwallis’s army became casualties. The British could not easily replace experienced soldiers operating far from their bases.

Greene’s army remained intact. The battle demonstrated a critical truth: Cornwallis could win battles and still lose the campaign.

The Long Fight for the South

Photo from Journal of the American revolution

Greene continued to pressure British forces throughout the Carolinas.

At Hobkirk’s Hill, Ninety Six, and Eutaw Springs, Patriot troops repeatedly challenged British positions. Although Greene did not win every engagement, he forced the British to expend men, supplies, and energy simply to hold territory.

British forces gradually abandoned much of the interior South and retreated toward coastal strongholds.

The Southern Campaign became a war of attrition.Greene later summarized his strategy:

“We fight, get beat, rise, and fight again.”

His persistence slowly achieved what dramatic victories alone could not.

Cornwallis Moves North

Unable to secure the Carolinas, Cornwallis shifted his attention to Virginia.

The decision marked a turning point in the war. British forces had captured major southern cities and won several battles, yet they had failed to crush the Patriot cause. Nathanael Greene’s relentless campaign had steadily weakened British control of the countryside and forced Cornwallis to seek a new strategy.

By the summer of 1781, the war’s center of gravity was moving north.

Cornwallis marched into Virginia, believing he could establish a secure base and continue British operations. Instead, he was heading toward a place that would become synonymous with the end of the Revolutionary War.

The Southern Campaign had accomplished its purpose. Through persistence, sacrifice, and a series of hard-fought victories, Patriot forces had worn down one of Britain’s finest armies and pushed the war toward its final chapter.

The road to Yorktown had begun.

Next in the America 250 series: Yorktown – The Victory That Won Independence.

Hikers may enjoy the Overmountain Victory Trail: Stretching 330-miles through four states (Virginia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina) the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail traces the route used by Patriot militia during the pivotal Kings Mountain campaign of 1780. Follow their campaign by utilizing a Commemorative Motor Route along existing state highways marked with the distinctive trail logo, or 80+ miles of walkable trail.