Mount Vernon Ladies Association Of The Union

TO PRESERVE, RESTORE, AND MANAGE THE ESTATE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON AND EDUCATE VISTORS ABOUT HIS LIFE.

EDUCATION:WITH THE RETURN OF IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION NATIONWIDE, MOUNT VERNON CONTINUED TO PROVIDE A SUPPORTIVE SPACE FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND DISCOURSE AMONG TEACHERS AND STUDENTS AS THEY NAVIGATED ANOTHER TUMULTUOUS YEAR AND LOOKED TO GEORGE WASHINGTON'S LEGACY AND THE 18TH CENTURY HISTORY FOR INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION.2022 MARKED THE RETURN OF THE SUMMER RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2019. OVER THE COURSE OF SIX WEEKS IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, WE WELCOMED TEACHERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO MOUNT VERNON IN PERSON WHERE THEY STROLLED THE GROUNDS, HAD BEHIND-THE-SCENES EXPERIENCES, AND BUILT LASTING RELATIONSHIPS AS THEY EXPLORED THE HOME TO WHICH GEORGE WASHINGTON FELT SO CONNECTED. EACH WEEK, TEACHERS WERE IMMERSED IN A SAFE, FUN, AND INTELLECTUALLY STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT AS THEY STAYED IN HISTORIC OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA, AND RECEIVED VIP EXPERIENCES AT AFFILIATED HISTORY AND CIVIC INSTITUTIONS IN THE DC METRO AREA. ATTENDEES DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIPS AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES WITHIN THEIR COHORT, AND PARTICIPANTS CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH EACH OTHER AND MOUNT VERNON STAFF LONG AFTER THE PROGRAMS CONCLUDED.NEW TOPICS SUCH AS THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF RETURNING TO IN-PERSON LEARNING WERE WOVEN INTO DISCUSSIONS, AND TEACHERS ALSO ENGAGED IN DEEP CONVERSATIONS WITH VISITING SCHOLARS THAT CONNECTED EVENTS OF THE PAST WITH UNIQUE OBSTACLES FACING STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS TODAY.WE CONTINUED TO BUILD FROM THE SUCCESSES OF PRIOR NATIONAL DIGITAL INSTITUTES AND SYMPOSIUMS FOR TEACHERS. UNIQUE WEBSITES FOR EACH WEEK ALLOWED FOR EASIER DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION AND COLLABORATION. OUR ANNUAL TWO-DAY DIGITAL SYMPOSIUM CENTERED ON WOMEN OF THE 18TH CENTURY WITH A FOCUS ON MARTHA WASHINGTON AND THE NEW EDITED VOLUME OF HER PAPERS PUBLISHED IN 2022. THIS FREE SYMPOSIUM SERVED TEACHERS NATIONWIDE AND PROVIDED INCLUSIVE CONTENT, CLASSROOM APPLICATIONS, AND A PROGRAM-DEDICATED WEBSITE.WITHIN THE CLASSROOM WE CONTINUE TO UTILIZE OUR DIGITAL DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM AND RESOURCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE BE WASHINGTON INTERACTIVE GAME CONTINUE TO GROW IN POPULARITY AND RELEVANCE TO CIVICS AND HISTORY CLASSROOMS. THE WHISKEY REBELLION SCENARIO REMAINS OUR MOST POPULAR, ONE EASILY ADAPTED TO CIVIC DISCUSSIONS IN THE CLASSROOM AS IT DEFTLY (WITH HISTORICAL CONTEXT) INTRODUCES THE CAREFUL BALANCE THAT MUST BE STRUCK BETWEEN NATIONAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS TO ACHIEVE THE ARTFUL BALANCE OF FEDERALISM.ON A LOCAL SCALE WE INITIATED THE MOUNT VERNON STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND ENGAGEMENT WITH LOCAL STUDENTS FROM THE WASHINGTON DC, VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND AREA BY INVITING THEM TO SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND IDEAS ON HOW TO MAKE INSTITUTIONAL AND PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES TO ENGAGE AND EDUCATE MODERN YOUTH AND FAMILY VISITORS ON MOUNT VERNON AND GEORGE WASHINGTON'S LEGACY.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND COLLECTIONS:IN 2022, THE ARCHITECTURE TEAM BEGAN THE EXTERIOR RESTORATION OF THE EAST ELEVATION OF THE MANSION AND PIAZZA. IN ADDITION TO PAINT REMOVAL, DOCUMENTATION, PAINTING, AND SANDCASTING, THE TEAM COMPLETED EXTENSIVE REPAIRS TO THE PIAZZA COLUMNS AND ENTABLATURE. STAFF WERE PLEASED TO FIND EVIDENCE OF SURVIVING 18TH-CENTURY PAINT ON THE UPPER SOUTHEAST PORTION OF THE ELEVATION. IN PREPARATION FOR EXPANDING THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS BUNKER AS PART OF THE MANSION REVITALIZATION PROJECT, THE ARCHAEOLOGY TEAM COMPLETED EXCAVATIONS IN THE GROVE NORTH OF THE MANSION, RECOVERING THOUSANDS OF ARTIFACTS, SOME DATING AS FAR BACK AS 6,000 YEARS.THE NEW TOMB WAS RESTORED BY INSTALLING VENTS TO IMPROVE THE AIR CIRCULATION, WATERPROOFING THE ROOF TO RESIST MOISTURE INFILTRATION, REPAIRING THE WOODEN RAFTERS AND REPLASTERING THE VESTIBULE. DAMAGING MORTAR WAS REMOVED FROM THE STRUCTURE'S FAADE AND SURROUNDING BRICK WALLS AND REPLACED WITH APPROPRIATE MORTAR. THE CURATORIAL TEAM FACILITATED THE REINSTALLATION OF THE FINE AND DECORATIVE ARTS COLLECTION IN A NEW PERMANENT EXHIBITION, MOUNT VERNON: THE STORY OF AN AMERICAN ICON. WITH MORE THAN 500 OBJECTS, THE EXHIBIT SHOWCASES MOUNT VERNON'S UNPARALLELED HOLDINGS OF ORIGINAL WASHINGTON OBJECTS. IN THE MANSION FOLLOWING EXTENSIVE NEW RESEARCH, THE LAFAYETTE ROOM RECEIVED AN ARCHITECTURAL REFRESH AND COMPLETE CURATORIAL RESTORATION INSTALLING WALLPAPER REPRODUCED FROM PATTERNS AVAILABLE TO THE WASHINGTONS IN THE LATE 18TH CENTURY.

ACQUISITIONS:IN 2022, MOUNT VERNON WAS AFFORDED AN EXTREMELY RARE OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT COLLECTION OF APPROXIMATELY 90 WASHINGTON OBJECTS FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION DESCENDED THROUGH MARTHA (PATSY) PARKE CUSTIS PETER, MARTHA WASHINGTON'S GRANDDAUGHTER. EACH OF THESE ITEMS HAS A METICULOUS PROVENANCE RECORDED BY THE FAMILY. THIS EXTRAORDINARY ASSEMBLAGE INCLUDES 45 PIECES OF PORCELAIN INCLUDING THOSE USED IN THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL HOUSEHOLD; A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF MARTHA WASHINGTON'S ICONIC SHELL-PATTERNED CUSHION; A 1785 FRENCH CHESS SET; RARE SURVIVING EXAMPLES OF GLASSWARE; AND FRAGILE TEXTILE FRAGMENTS. OBTAINING AN AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE THE COLLECTION IN THREE PARTS, THE FIRST GROUP OF OBJECTS WAS ACQUIRED IN THE 4TH QUARTER OF 2022.