Day 26 - 7/16

Today we visited Mount Vernon in Virginia. This was the home of George Washington. His estate today is comprised of some museums, fields, recreated buildings and a dock in the Potomac River. Mom came up with a brilliant plan in that to escape the hot weather, we would tour the outside buildings in the morning and see the museums in the afternoon. Even though it was still significantly hot in the morning, the temperature skyrocketed by mid-afternoon. We first saw the dock and a thresing barn. The view that one has from the Mount Vernon property of the Potomac is absolutely beautiful. Washington loved to be at Mount Vernon as long as he could. Julia loved running around and playing with every stick she could find.

Washington invented a specialized 16 sided barn where horses would run over wheat to separate the kernal from the rest of the wheat stock. They also had a station where anyone could use weaved disks to separate the chaff from the seed. Lydia, for example, would toss a mixture of kernals and chaff into the air, and let the chaff blow off in the wind. She was actually quite good at this process and was able to collect lots of good wheat kernals.

We also saw Washington's tomb. Here, George Washington and Martha, his wife, are buried side by side. It was a very humbling experience for all of us to know that just a mere five feet away from us is buried a man who influenced the birth of a nation that has brought prosperity and freedom to many. Other members of Washington's family are also buried in the crypt.

Washington's mansion was the highlight of the day for me. For one, it was air conditioned, which was a relief. It also had many furnishings that were original. One of the bedrooms was occupied by LaFayette, who was a friend of Washington and helped him during the Revolutionary War. Another room was painted with this green that seemed to emanate and call attention to itself. Nathan told me he thought it was very fashionable. Washington's mansion was much nicer than the slaves' quarters. Their home was a simple cabin that provided only the necessities. His slaves worked very hard in the fields all day to come home to sleep briefly and be ready to work the next day.

The museum's were very fun for all ages. There were numerous films and interactive stations. They had a movie about Washington's life that highlighted his remarkable accomplishments. Washington's original dentures were also on display. After examining them closely I have concluded that I am forever grateful to live in a period where dental hygiene is emphasized and our knowledge is great. Mount Vernon was a delightful place to visit and left me with a greater appreciation for a great founder.