George Washington's Mount Vernon

George Washington's Mount Vernon Mount Vernon, located in Northern Virginia, is the historic home of America’s first president, George Washington. Mount Vernon is open 365 days per year.
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Visit George Washington’s Virginia estate to learn about the daily lives of the first U.S. president, his family, and the enslaved people who lived and worked here. Wander the gardens, meet farm animals, and pay your respects at George Washington's tomb and at the Slave Memorial and Cemetery. Between visits, make sure to follow us for daily posts about the founding era and what life was like in the 1700s.

Drunkard, Madame Moose, Sweet Lips, Taster, Tippler, Venus, and Vulcan.Would you believe these were some of the names of...
09/04/2026

Drunkard, Madame Moose, Sweet Lips, Taster, Tippler, Venus, and Vulcan.

Would you believe these were some of the names of George Washington’s dogs? It’s true! When it came to pooches, George Washington had a sense of humor – and a tender side, too. He kept many breeds including French hounds, Greyhounds, Dalmatians, Newfoundlands, Briards, and various types of spaniels, terriers, and toys.

Washington is even credited by the American Kennel Club with being one of the people who helped develop the breed known as the American Foxhound. The breed resulted from a mixture of different hounds imported from England and France, with local American stock.

Even today, dogs are welcome to visit Mount Vernon! Check out the guidelines for bringing your pup here: https://bit.ly/4ibgQe1

Celebrate Virginia Spirits Month and save 20% on whiskey and brandy made at George Washington's reconstructed distillery...
09/03/2026

Celebrate Virginia Spirits Month and save 20% on whiskey and brandy made at George Washington's reconstructed distillery!

In 1799, George Washington's distillery produced nearly 11,000 gallons, making it one of the largest whiskey distilleries in America. Our distilled spirits are made using those same 18th-century methods on wood-fired copper pot stills.

Our newest release, George Washington’s Bourbon Whiskey, is a seven-year bourbon inspired by Washington’s ingenuity as a distiller. When a dry season devastated his rye harvest, Washington turned to corn, a grain that would later become synonymous with American bourbon.

Join us Saturdays in September for a whiskey tasting at the Distillery & Gristmill, then take home your favorite bottle!

09/02/2026

This week in 1776, after the defeat on Long Island, George Washington accomplished one of the greatest escapes of the Revolutionary War, quietly evacuating the Continental Army across the East River under cover of darkness.

But the crisis was far from over. With enlistments expiring and soldiers leaving in large numbers, Washington urged his men to “conquer or die,” warning that “the fate of unborn millions” rested on the courage of the Continental Army.

09/01/2026

🗓️ Mark your calendars! 🗓️
There's so much to do this September at George Washington’s Mount Vernon:

🥃 George Washington Whiskey Tasting at the Distillery & Gristmill – Saturdays in September

🪴 Fall Plant and Garden Sale – 9/12

🏃‍♂️‍➡️ George Washington Patriot Run – 9/13, sponsored by Lockheed Martin

✏️ Fall Homeschool Days – 9/16 & 9/17

🧺 Colonial Market and Fair – 9/19 & 9/20

We hope to see you there!

K-12 teachers, delve into George Washington's 18th-century world at these free continuing education programs from the Ge...
08/29/2026

K-12 teachers, delve into George Washington's 18th-century world at these free continuing education programs from the George Washington Teacher Institute.

📍 September 9: Reno, Nevada
📍 September 19: Winnemucca, Nevada
📍 September 22: Hartford, Connecticut
📍 September 25: Phoenix, Arizona
📍 September 25: Oshkosh, Wisconsin
📍 September 26: Boston, Massachusetts

Thank you to our sponsor, The Boeing Company

See the comments for the link to learn more and register.

08/28/2026

☀️ The end of August is here on the estate ☀️

08/27/2026

On this day 250 years ago, the Battle of Long Island began. It was fought in what is now the borough of Brooklyn, including Prospect Park (Prospect Park Alliance), Gowanus, Flatbush, and Crown Heights. It was a crushing defeat for George Washington and the Patriot cause, with a nighttime escape across the East River on August 29. Here's Ken Burns introducing a new UNUM playlist on NYC's Revolutionary History.

“No estate in United America is more pleasantly situated than this—It lyes in a high, dry & healthy country, 300 miles b...
08/27/2026

“No estate in United America is more pleasantly situated than this—It lyes in a high, dry & healthy country, 300 miles by water from the Sea—and … on one of the finest Rivers in the world.” - George Washington, 1793

In the 18th century, the Potomac River was a scene of local trade and constant activity. Visitors to Mount Vernon described the steady traffic of sailing vessels passing up and down the river.
Ferries carried passengers and livestock back and forth to the Maryland shore. Flatboats carried flour from George Washington’s gristmill to meet larger ships on the Potomac. Washington regularly sent enslaved men to pilot a boat to Alexandria for supplies. He directed flat-bottomed scows into the middle of the river, where laborers gathered mud from the riverbed to spread on fields as a kind of fertilizer.

Each spring, the Potomac saw massive spawning runs of herring and shad — one of the most consistently profitable ventures at Mount Vernon. Dozens of enslaved field laborers would leave their agricultural work and haul seines into the river to collect vast numbers of herring, which were then salted and packed.

08/26/2026

This week in 1776, the Battle of Long Island turned into a disaster for the American army.

Outflanked by the British, the Continental Army suffered heavy losses as Generals John Sullivan and William Alexander (Lord Stirling) were captured, and American forces found themselves trapped at Brooklyn.

If you're visiting Mount Vernon with kids, don't miss the Hands-on-History Center! Learn more about George Washington's ...
08/22/2026

If you're visiting Mount Vernon with kids, don't miss the Hands-on-History Center! Learn more about George Washington's life, the buildings and landscapes, and the people who called Mount Vernon home through interactive displays, activities, and exhibits.

Address

3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway
Mount Vernon, VA
22121

Telephone

+17037802000

Website

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