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WASHINGTON'S HOME. 
 
 (By permission of The Colonial Magazine.) 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ^' MOUNT VERNON ASSOCIATION/ 
 
 By Susan £♦ Johnson Hudson, Secretary* 
 
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 Hanzsche & Co. 
 
 Printers and Engravers^ 
 
 Baltimore. 
 
Washington's Home* 
 
 HISTORY of the MT. VERNON ASSOCIATION. 
 
 By SUSAN E. JOHNSON HUDSON, Secretary. 
 
 **The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the 
 Union" was founded in 1854, by Miss Cunningham of 
 South Carolina, the first Regent. She appointed as 
 Vice-Regents one lady from each State. 
 
 The immediate object of this first woman's society 
 was to raise funds for the purchase of two hundred 
 acres of the Mount Vernon estate, including the man- 
 sion and the tomb wherein repose the mortal remains 
 of Gen. Washington. The ultimate design was to 
 teach the people of the United States to remember 
 Washington and his great achievements. To attain 
 this result and bring the people into sympathy with 
 this great man and his daily life, here, in this home so 
 dear to his heart, there must needs be a faithful res- 
 
toration of the surroundings and conditions existing 
 during his residence, while above and beyond all was 
 the fervent hope that Mount Vernon should become a 
 shrine whither all liberty-loving pilgrims should resort 
 in reverence and veneration. 
 
 The association appealed to the country for ;^200,- 
 000, the price demanded for this portion of Mount 
 Vernon. The pledge given was the preservation and 
 restoration of the home of Washington. How has 
 the association redeemed its pledge ? 
 
 It is needless here to recount the disasters and dis- 
 couragements which attended the initiative efforts of 
 this small band of devoted women. One formidable 
 cause of opposition, scarce credible in our day, was 
 the prejudice then prevailing against women as work- 
 ers in any public affairs. 
 
 But, inspired by the enthusiasm of Miss Cunning- 
 ham and guided by her marvellous ability and execu- 
 tive talent, each State was canvassed and officered, and 
 enthusiastic interest awakened, with the result that the 
 sum required was collected, and that in 1858 Mount 
 Vernon became the property of the Mount Vernon 
 Association. 
 
 Once in possession, the association realized that 
 their work had but begun, for ruin and decay showed 
 on every side. Nothing daunted, repairs were insti- 
 
tuted, a small steamboat was leased for the convey- 
 ance of visitors to Mount Vernon from Washington — 
 the gate fee being twenty-five cents ; and there was 
 much to encourage the hope that in a few years Mount 
 Vernon would be restored to order and beauty. 
 
 MOUNT VERNON MANSION. 
 (West or original front.) 
 
 Alas, civil war burst upon us ! The Government 
 took possession of the Mount Vernon steamboat, and 
 all means of self-support ceased. The superintendent 
 alone was left in charge, all work was necessarily 
 stopped, and through those terrible days and years 
 the place stood isolated. With hostile armies surging 
 
.up and down past its gates, with no defence, Mount 
 .Vernon stood self protected ; no harm came near it. 
 Officers and soldiers in grey and blue knocked at the 
 gates, which were opened to them. Their arms were 
 stacked outside, while they entered and sought the 
 tomb, where they met as brothers. A few hours later 
 and these men were again arrayed in battle against 
 each other ! There is but one act of desecration re- 
 corded during these years. An eagle which sur- 
 mounted the iron railing of the tomb w^as stolen. 
 This was returned two years ago as mysteriously as 
 it had disappeared. 
 
 As soon as peace was proclaimed the association 
 was called together by the Regent, for consultation 
 and to devise ways and means to recommence the re- 
 pairs at Mount Vernon. At this juncture the condi- 
 tion of the estate was appalling. The mansion showed 
 rotten timbers, leaking roof, decayed floors, and not a 
 stick of furniture. The great barn held up a roof 
 like a sieve, through wdiich the rain poured down 
 upon crops and stock ; there had been no new roof 
 since Washington's day. 
 
 The roads were almost impassable, the wharf un- 
 safe, the servants' houses scarce habitable, and above 
 all the channel of the river was nearly filled up. 
 Where to begin work in this chaotic ruin was the 
 
question. Another steamboat, was leased, friends 
 arose on every side, material aid flowed in, if not in 
 money, in building material, in fertilizers, in food for 
 the stock — assistance came in all shapes. The press 
 throughout the land stood by the association. The 
 
 MOUNT VERNON MANSION. 
 
 (East Front ) 
 
 Masonic lodges responded to the call to save the 
 great Mason's home from destruction. Wall Street's 
 Brokers' Board sent money, while little children 
 clubbed together to rebuild a gate, others to rebuild 
 the colonnades. The work of repair progressed 
 steadily year by year. The association has adhered 
 
strictly to two rules : " Do thoroughly whatever is to 
 be done, and, No debts.'' 
 
 The necessary repairs accomplished, then came the 
 task of restoration. In the mansion the replacement 
 of such furniture as was owned by Washington has 
 been accomplished where possible ; when this was not 
 obtainable, furniture of historic value and of the past 
 century style has been placed in the rooms. The 
 bedstead on which Gen. Washington died stands in 
 his room, mirrors are restored to their former posi- 
 tions. Nellie Custis' piano stands in the music room 
 again and Washington's flute lies upon it. Clocks 
 are returned to their mantels, chairs, tables and a 
 sideboard have resumed their places. The large 
 silver-mounted plateau, used at Washington's state 
 dinners, is now returned to Mount Vernon, a recent 
 gift from a Vice-Regent, herself, a great granddaughter 
 of Martha Washington. There are also in the cabi- 
 nets, laces of Mrs. Washington, jewelled buckles of 
 Gen. Washington, fans, china, etc. The collection of 
 original letters from Washington and the rare collec- 
 tion of engravings of his generals are most valuable 
 and interesting. Each room in the mansion is in 
 charge of a Vice-Regent, who furnishes it in the name 
 of her State, and through whose personal exertion 
 and expenditure it is maintained. A most valuable 
 
9 
 
 acquisition has been received this year from a Vice- 
 Regent — an exact architectural plan of the mansion, 
 detailed in a book of fifty-six pages, of minute meas- 
 urements, wherein every niche is given, every decora- 
 tion, bit of carving, ornamented ceiling and chimney 
 
 THE ROOM IN WHICH GEN. WASHINGTON DIED. 
 
 piece, and elevation of each floor, so complete that 
 should any accident occur, the mansion could be re- 
 stored with entire fidelity. 
 
 The association has sought and obtained every 
 possible means to guard against the destructive work 
 of fire. A comprehensive water system is in opera- 
 tion, also a steam-engine that raises the water from 
 
10 
 
 the Potomac. A large chemical fire extinguisher 
 plant is placed under ground. All of these safeguards 
 can be operated upon three minutes' notice by a well- 
 drilled fire brigade of employees 
 
 Many of the large improvements are the result of 
 the generosity of the Vice-Regents. The last exten- 
 sive work has been eliminating the sw^amp near the 
 boat landing. This tangle of trees, undergrowth and 
 morass was the foul centre of the malarial fevers 
 always incident to Mount Vernon. These twelve 
 acres have been reclaimed and reduced to a meadow 
 of sweet clover, from which the river is shut out by 
 a substantial water wall. The cost has been over 
 5^,000. 
 
 This board of willing, quiet workers is governed 
 by the one principle : the preservation of the home of 
 Washington. Now the roads are in fine order, the 
 fences are all good, the drainage is sanitary and ex- 
 cellent. A fine new wharf with a commodious pavil- 
 ion receives the thousands of visitors brought to 
 Mount Vernon on a large steamer ; and the eighteen 
 and more cottages and outbuildings are all in perfect 
 condition The garden is as Washington left it, with 
 the quaint box-wood hedges and borders, the old-time 
 roses, pinks, lilies, mignonette, -sweet-william, lilacs, 
 magnolia trees, and acacias, while even the green- 
 
11 
 
 houses and servants' quarters are restored and are as 
 Washington saw them. The lawns he loved, the 
 trees he planted, all are there, silent but eloquent. 
 
 :^^^ 
 
 WASHINGTON'S TOMB AT MOUNT VERNON. 
 
 The dream of the enthusiastic founder of the 
 Mount Vernon Association is realized. The home of 
 Washington is restored, and has become the shrine 
 of liberty-loving pilg-rims from home and foreign 
 lands. His tomb is religiously cared for by women 
 
12 
 
 who love and revere bis memory. Washington is 
 remembered, and never can be forgotten while his 
 home and tomb are there to appeal to the heart and 
 soul of all. Follow him through the winding walks, 
 under the trees he planted, and into his library sur- 
 rounded by his books or seated before his secretary. 
 Then pass into his room ; stand by the bed on which 
 he died. At last, go over to his tomb, there rever- 
 ently bow ; for you have communed in spirit with 
 George Washington, the great and good, the brave 
 
 and 
 
 wise 
 
 Has not the Mount Vernon Association redeemed 
 its pledge given to the country ? 
 
LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 
 
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