Mt.Vernon

Our time in DC was short just four full days, and lots happening connected with the Vietnam Helicopter Pilot's annual reunion. We managed to fit in a few important places, Gettysburg and Mt.Vernon top the list. Both places have such historic significance that it is hard to choose just a few photos when every few yards there is another piece of our history.

 Restoration and preservation are ongoing on the property here you see evidence of it on the exterior of the house.

This tableau of President Washington and his family stands at the entrance to the information center, he is another of my super heroes!

 

 He died at his home from "quinsy", a nasty infection of the tonsils and an illness  that is completely treatable with antibiotics but of course there were none in 1799

This is the gravesite of the President and Martha his wife. 

 Below the slave gravesite and memorial, the President favored abolition of slavery and the fate of these people was his highest priority after the welfare of his wife, so upon his death he ordered that his own and his wife's slaves were to be freed upon her death, since his ability to do otherwise was hampered by the restrictions of the "dower" slaves from Martha's ex husband. Any person without trade training and the elderly or very young were to be provided for until they were self supporting, his vision for America was of a prosperous republic free from slavery.

The President was a farmer at heart and constantly sought improvements in farming methods.

 His farms reflect many of the innovative ideas he brought to life to improve production including a threshing barn where horses did the work formerly done by humans. He said that two horses could replace the labor of 30 humans. 

 We saw this process in action.

I learned so much more about this great man, the Father of our Nation and I was very impressed by his forward thinking and experiments with agricultural innovations all learned from visiting Mt.Vernon, so if you have the chance to visit I am sure you will enjoy it.