These come from a visit to Mt. Vernon in March of 2003. No, we were not in garb for the visit (it was too warm, so we're saving that for next time). NOTE: Double images in some wide images due to stitching software that's cleverer than the photographer

View of the main house from the entrance line by the visiting slave quarters

As is shown, the blocks that Mt. Vernon appear to be made of aren't blocks at all. What is interesting is that George Washington was quite wealthy (making most of his money from growing wheat on his plantation, since he didn't have much luck with the normal cash crop of Virginia, tobacco). Yet, all throughout his house, imitation materials are used (the rustic wood substituted for brick, wood painted to look like mahogany, ornate trim painted on, made to look carved). Then again, given the amount of entertaining he did (he had 677 overnight house guests in 1798), he had quite a few other demands made on his finances

As you can see, the wood warps

This is a picture from within the visiting slave quarters, which was used to house the slaves of visitors (yes, I have a firm grasp of the obvious)

This is more or less the view from the front porch

Above, kitchen, separate from the main Mansion (for fire safety purposes). Below, Kenmore, circa 1798

Moving south from the mansion, one passes the paint cellar. Paint was manufactured abroad so, to cut down on expenses, only the power was shipped to America, and linseed oil was mixed with the pigment by hand on the premesis

Maytag, circa 1798

Coach given to the Washingtons by the state of Pennsylvania. Although they owned several coaches (including one once owned by William Penn), this coach came from the mayor of Philadelphia and close friend of the family, Samuel Powell

Washington's stable. Managing the stable required the work of six slaves, one of whom had the unenviable duty of collecting the manure for fertiliser

Sheep Thrills

The lamb seems to be udderly enthralled

Recreation of some of the farm buildings

Octagonal barn designed by George Washington

 

Random stack of farm equipment. George Washington, like Thomas Jefferson, was always on the lookout for new-fangled farm equipment and often designed his own farming implements

Tobacco wasn't a cash crop on the Washington plantation, though some would've been grown for local consumption

Mama hog and piglets, penned up in a manner not usually bothered with in Washington's day. Since pigs were expert in burrowing out of pens, they were allowed to roam free throughout most of the year, and were not rounded up until the fall, when they would be fattened up for slaughter

slave quarters

An original Grand Union flag (the immediate predecessor to Old Glory)

Overseer's quarters. The overseer did most of the actual handling of slaves on plantations, since the master was usually away on some sort of business. Thus, the common question about what kind of a "slave owner" a particular Founding Father was is pretty immaterial, since the overseer was usually responsible for how the slaves were treated.

Spinning room. Washington viewed thread and textile manufacturing were seen as vital to the nation as the rift between the colonies and Great Britain grew. Although spinning, sewing and knitting were performed by workers on the plantation, a professional weaver was employed to make actual cloth.

Cobbler's shop. Having a cobbler was important, in that slaves were typically given only one pair of shoes a year, and these would have to be repaired frrequently. The cobbler would've been used to work on other leather items on the plantation, such as saddles.