2019 Annual Report by gwmv

George Washington Walking in the Woods, genre painting attributed to Alejandro Casarin, late 19th century. Purchased with funds provided by Julia Cobey Gluck

MOUNT VERNON LADIES’ ASSOCIATION

MISSION

The mission of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association is to preserve, restore, and manage the estate of George Washington to the highest standards and to educate visitors and people throughout the world about the life and legacies of George Washington, so that his example of character and leadership will continue to inform and inspire future generations.

Letter from the Regent

As I am writing this annual letter, Mount Vernon, like the rest of the nation and the world, is suffering from the pandemic of the novel coronavirus, which swept over the country in the first half of 2020. But even in the face of this challenge, it is worthwhile to reflect on the great successes of last year and recognize that Mount Vernon’s mission is a longstanding continuum, not for one year, or one moment. Our goal is to preserve Washington’s beloved home not only for the present, but for future generations, and we find great strength in the continuity of our values and the persistence of our supporters during this trying period. Mount Vernon has endured prior financial panics, world wars, great depressions, and the more recent national crises, and as our last year’s efforts demonstrate, we will adapt successfully in the future.

In her farewell address to the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association (MVLA), the association’s founder, Ann Pamela Cunningham, remarked that our promises to maintain Washington’s home “were pledges to future generations as well as to ours.”

Our first Regent’s sentiments remain as relevant in 2019 as they were in 1874. The MVLA continues to preserve, restore, and manage the estate of George Washington and educate visitors about his example of character and leadership so that it may inspire future generations.

In 2019, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association successfully completed several major projects, including the restoration of the west front of the Mansion, the unveiling of the newly restored Front Parlor, and the construction of the new Linda Mars Livestock Facility.

The George Washington Teacher Institute celebrated twenty years of residential teacher programs, and we continue to expand our outreach to teachers and their students through our digital offerings.

The Washington Library was honored to receive an extraordinary gift from Richard H. Brown and Mary Jo Otsea containing an extensive collection of maps from both the French & Indian and Revolutionary Wars.

As a private institution, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association has always taken great care and responsibility with the funds we receive from private individuals. Since 1853 the American public has entrusted us with ensuring that Washington’s legacy remains always.

We look forward to your exploration of this report and hope you will celebrate with us all that has been accomplished in the name of Washington.

Sarah Miller Coulson Regent

Letter from the President

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has challenged Mount Vernon in 2020, but our mission remains as essential as it was when the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association rallied the nation to save the home of the father of our country. And as the country emerges from the challenges of fighting the pandemic, we will need the guiding example of George Washington’s character, nonpartisan leadership, courage, and vision to continue to inspire Americans to serve and sacrifice to make our experiment in democracy flourish.

When George Washington became the first President, he noted as “an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened.”

We are living in a period of low civic understanding. In some ways, this country is in a crisis of confidence. Faith in our institutions—in Congress, in the Presidency, in the justice system, in media, in universities—is polling at an all-time low. A recent poll conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of voting-age adults indicated that only 29% could name all three branches of government.

There has never been a better time for the moral leadership of George Washington than right now, and there is no place more suited to educate the public than Mount Vernon. In 2019, Mount Vernon welcomed more than 1 million visitors from across the nation and around the globe. Our commitment to education has never been more substantial; through our digital platforms, we reached 8 million people. Our George Washington Teacher Institute, this year in its 20th year, provides educators with the tools they need to teach students in the classroom.

We have seen the fruits of the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington produce a tremendous body of scholarly work that is making its way to the public through a record number of books published on Washington and the nation’s founding.

We are in the golden age of the individual’s pursuit of knowledge. With the abundance of information readily available to us, the need to study and know our history is more important than ever. Mount Vernon has not only become an icon of American preservation but a center for research and innovation. The vision of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association to save George Washington’s home has enabled a place for learning, for understanding, and for debate. It’s a place to re-discover the ideals of this great experiment of democracy.

I am excited for you to explore all of the achievements highlighted in this report. Mount Vernon’s benefactors are patriotic Americans who believe in and support our mission through their membership, ticket purchases, and donations. From our recent restorations in the Mansion to our educational outreach, none of these accomplishments would be possible

Preserving the Mansion & Historic Area

Front Parlor

West Front Restoration

North Garden House

Front Parlor

The Front Parlor was the formal entertaining space for the Washingtons, and this year marked the completion of its restoration and re-opening of the room to the public. It had been more than thirty years since the room underwent significant conservation and restoration. This room is a defining example of Mount Vernon’s interdisciplinary approach to historical restoration.

Work began on the project at the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington, where a ledger kept by the Fairfax family, of Belvoir plantation, provided documentary evidence of the original furniture in the room in 1799. This furniture was purchased in London in 1763 and later given by George William Fairfax to his close friend George Washington. The newly acquired ledger provided the curatorial team with detailed descriptions of furniture listed in the inventory taken upon Washington’s death. As none of the original furniture survives, Mount Vernon turned to upholstery conservator Leroy Graves of Williamsburg to recreate the room’s suite of backstools (upholstered chairs) using period techniques. The original upholstery fabric—a highlight of the room—is documented as being silk and worsted wool damask dyed “Saxon blue,” a vibrant color that curators worked with textile specialists to replicate.

To complement curatorial efforts, the preservation team also undertook in-depth documentary research and physical investigation of the space. When the carpenters carefully removed several molded wood panels for conservation, they discovered evidence of earlier architectural features predating the current paneling (installed between 1757 and the early 1760s). The team also revisited and updated paint analysis, working with conservator Dr. Susan Buck of Williamsburg. With advancements in technology, the team was able to identify a total of fifteen paint layers, eight more than in the prior examination in 1980, and this analysis identified the 1799 paint color as a light stone or cream color, a highly fashionable treatment at the time of the new republic, not only in America but in England as well.

The conservation and restoration have resulted in a space that shows off its lively architectural details, particularly the bold wood-carved ornament surrounding the fireplace mantel and the doors and the delicate neoclassical plasterwork on the ceiling. The extensively researched and painstakingly created replica chairs, sofa, looking glass, gilded sconces, and mirrors, return the Washingtons’ front parlor to its 18th-century splendor. The restoration recasts the space as Martha Washington’s parlor, where she presided over the tea table and showed off her family through the many family portraits that she largely commissioned. This room, where George and Martha Washington received their guests, now represents their vision more fully than at any time since 1799.

The restoration of the Front Parlor was supported by The Founders, Washington Committee for Historic Mount Vernon; the Dr. Scholl Foundation; Dr. and Mrs. James S. Reibel; the Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation; The Brown Foundation, Inc.; Mr. Paul Neely; Mr. Harold B. Smith; and hundreds of donors from across the country.

Learn more about this project, including a blog and a timeline of the room’s changes. mountvernon.org/frontparlor

West Front Restoration

From April to October of this year, guests approaching the west front of the Mansion from the Mansion circle had the unique opportunity to see behind the curtain of one of Mount Vernon’s key architectural features, the Mansion’s rusticated siding, the means by which George Washington tricked the eye by using paint and sand over wood siding cut to look like more expensive stone blocks.

During the 2019 restoration project, up to 28 modern layers of paint and sand were removed, and all architectural elements were assessed and conserved. These elements included the siding, windows, window and door trim, and shutters. Visitors had a rare and thrilling opportunity to see the Mansion’s original wood siding emerging from underneath generations of paint. The architectural team was able to determine that 83% of this side of the Mansion exterior was original. By removing the previous layers of paint, it was possible to make repairs to the original structure and address moisture issues that were causing deterioration including rusting nails.

The architectural preservation team systematically removed the window sashes, working with extreme care to disturb as little of the original material as possible. The team addressed loose joints, conserved the panes of glass, and installed new glazing to form a weather-tight seal.

To complete the exterior restoration, the team sourced sand from the same deposit of sandstone that Washington used. We know much about how Washington created the exterior color, and the process he directed for sand finishing, through his correspondence with several estate managers as well as US Capitol architect William Thornton. The finish you can see today was applied using the very same methods Washington described to Thornton in October 1799: “Sanding, is designed to answer two purposes—durability, & representation of Stone; for the latter purpose, and in my opinion a desirable one; it is the last operation, by dashing, as long as any will stick, the Sand upon a coat of thick paint. This is the mode I pursued with the painting at this place, & wish to have pursued at my houses in the City.”

The restoration of the west front of the Mansion was generously supported by Catherine M. and Frederick H. Waddell as well as the Neighborhood Friends Birthnight Supper and Ball and other generous donors.

North Garden House

Tucked away in the upper garden, the north garden house is an architectural gem with a personal connection to Mount Vernon and the Washington family.

This small, octagonal structure was built in 1785, soon after the Revolutionary War ended. Its primary function was likely as storage for tools and seeds. For a brief time, however, it also served as a schoolhouse where Martha Washington’s grandchildren, Nelly and Washy Custis, were tutored. Today the structure also features hundreds of signatures on the inside walls, left by guests visiting Mount Vernon during the late 19th century.

Removal of worn-out roof shingles revealed that the structure’s frame had been damaged by moisture penetration and rodent infestation. A thorough assessment determined that despite pronounced deterioration of some members, a significant among of the 18th-century framing survives.

The preservation of the exterior concluding in 2020, has entailed painstaking reinforcement of the building’s frame and execution of targeted repairs and replacements to ensure continued structural integrity. The interior plaster, which predates the Civil War, received initial treatment to stabilize it, to be followed by more in-depth conservation at a later date.

The restoration of the North Garden House was generously supported by an anonymous foundation; the Marietta McNeill Morgan & Samuel Tate Morgan, Jr. Trust; the Roller-Bottimore Foundation; the George L. Shields Foundation, Inc.; the Richard and Caroline T. Gwathmey Memorial Trust; and the Christine and Jaime Yordán Foundation.

Teaching America’s Story

George Washington Teacher Institute

Student Leadership Research Fellows

George Washington Teacher Institute

This year marked a very special milestone for the George Washington Teacher Institute as it celebrated 20 years of residential teacher programming. The residential programs, established in 1999, offer teachers from around the country a week-long immersive experience at Mount Vernon, where they interact with Mount Vernon staff to learn new ways to teach the founding era and the life of George Washington in their classrooms. Since the program began, Mount Vernon has welcomed 1,637 teachers from every state in the union. Programs are offered annually in the spring, summer, and fall. Each week is a deepdive into one of the following specialized themes:

• First in Business: Washington, Mount Vernon, and the New Nation

• George Washington at War: From Soldier to Commander in Chief

• Leadership and Legacy: Lessons from George Washington

• Martha Washington and the Women of the 18th Century

• Slavery in George Washington’s World

• The Great Experiment: George Washington and the Founding of the U.S. Government Teachers who complete the program join the Teacher Institute’s alumni network and become ambassadors in their school districts training other teachers in the skills and techniques discovered at Mount Vernon.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the program, Mount Vernon invited the alumni to the estate on July 4–6 for an extraordinary experience that included staff and guest lectures, tours, and a behind-the-scenes look at Mount Vernon’s collections. In addition to the celebration at Mount Vernon, seven regional reunions were held across the country. The 20th anniversary alumni reunions were generously sponsored by the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust.

Mount Vernon’s teacher outreach expands well beyond the estate. Educators can signup to receive monthly emails offering lesson plans, videos, digital interactives, and digitalized primary sources to aid learning in their classroom. Mount Vernon also continued to partner with McGraw-Hill Publishing and Discovery Education to share Mount Vernon-created materials within these school-based learning platforms.

Lead donors who supported the GWTI in 2019 include:

Dr. Stephanie M. Bennett-Smith

The Challenge Foundation

Mr. Lammot J. du Pont

Mr. and Mrs. Ken Eagon

Dr. and Mrs. Fritz Fischer

Honorable Terri Lynn Land and Daniel Tedford Hibma

Huether-McClelland Foundation

Helen Herboth Laughery

Dr. J. Phillip London and Dr. Jennifer Burkhart London

John and Adrienne Mars

The Ben May Charitable Trust

Mr. and Mrs. Clark Musser

George L. Ohrstrom, Jr. Foundation

Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation

Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Reh

Scandling Family Foundation

Shatz Charitable Foundation

The I. N. and Susanna H. Van Nuys Foundation

Student Leadership

From May 25th through July 5th Mount Vernon welcomed the fifth class of Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows. The fourteen rising college juniors attend The University of Alabama, American University, University of Chicago, Drury University, Georgetown University, Middlebury College, University of Mississippi, UNC-Chapel Hill, University of Oklahoma, Princeton University, St. Olaf College, Union College, and Yale University.

During the annual program, the students learned about the life and leadership of George Washington; explored the intricacies of the estate with the staff of collections, horticulture, archaeology, interpretation, and the library; met with national leaders; and completed capstone presentations on their personal, civic engagement project.

Through their studies and guest lecturers, the students gained a deeper understanding of strategic leadership, tactical leadership and institution building, strategic execution, and character-based decision making, the very key skills that made George Washington a successful leader. The students applied these new lessons to their capstone project and discovered how they can better their communities through the teachings of George Washington.

Guest speakers included David Rubenstein, Senators Tim Kaine and John Warner, Governor Dirk Kempthorne, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, General John Kelly, National Museum of American History Director Dr. Anthea Hartig, Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden, National Museum of the American Indian Director Kevin Gover, Kennedy Center Artistic Vice President Robert Van Leer, CNN White House Correspondent Abby Phillip, and C-SPAN Founder Brian Lamb.

Fourteen Mount Vernon staff members served as mentors for the fellows to help guide their capstone work and provide additional support and education about their work at Mount Vernon. Special thanks to Joe Bondi, Matt Briney, Carolina Camargo, Peter Cressy, Susan Doyle, Adam Erby, Phil Manno, Jessie MacLeod, Dean Norton, Rob Shenk, Joe Sliger, Joe Stoltz, Amy Turcotte, and Allison Wickens for their mentorship.

This program is generously sponsored by David M. Rubenstein.

Research Fellows

Mount Vernon continues to foster academic research in George Washington and the founding era. Now in its 7th year, the Research Fellowships program offers long and short-term fellowships for scholars. This program provides funding and living space at the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington. Fellows gain access to the Library’s entire archives and interact with Mount Vernon staff to advance their academic pursuits. This year, in particular, a record number of books were published by those who have held fellowships through this program. Those authors included: Mark Edward Lender, Matthew Costello, Lindsay Chervinsky, Trenton Cole Jones, and Colin Calloway. Calloway won the 2019 George Washington Prize for his work: The Indian World of George Washington

2018–2019 Research Fellows

Rachel Banke, Ph.D.

Bute’s Empire: Reform, Reaction, and the Roots of Imperial Crisis

Recipient of the Society of Colonial Wars Fellowship

Mark Boonshoft, Ph.D.

Education and the Fight over Who Should Rule at Home in the Early Republic

Recipient of the Amanda and Greg Gregory Fellowship

Kristen Brill, Ph.D.

The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and the Politics of Neutrality in the Civil War Era (1861–1874)

Justin Cherry

The Impact of George Washington’s Mount Vernon in 18th-Century Foodways

Sara Collini

Birthing A Nation: Enslaved Women and Midwifery in Early America, 1750–1820

Iris de Rode

The “soldier-philosopher”, marquis François-Jean de Chastellux (1734–1788) and American Independence

Recipient of the Chastellux Research Fellowship funded by the Richard Lounsbery Foundation

George Goodwin, FRHistS, FRSA

George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and the Propaganda and Intelligence War in the British Isles and Europe During the American Revolution

Recipient of the Dr. William M. and Betty H. Busey

Family Fellowship

Sean P. Harvey, Ph.D.

Albert Gallatin, the Early Republic, and the Atlantic World

Recipient of the James C. Rees Entrepreneurship Fellowship funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation

James F. Hrdlicka, Ph.D.

Federal Empire: Constitution-Making in Revolutionary America

Elizabeth Jamieson

A Carriage for the President? The Powel Coach and its Place in the Story of George Washington’s Mount Vernon

Joyce Zankel Lindorff, D.M.A.

A Harpsichord as Cultural Narrator: Eleanor Parke

Custis and Music-Making at Mount Vernon

Daniel Livesay, Ph.D.

Endless Bondage: Slavery in Old Age and the Origins of Paternalism

William D. Rieley, P.L.A.

The Guiding Geometry of George Washington’s Mount Vernon Landscape

Brian Douglas Steele, Ph.D.

“A Man to Whom the Whole World is Offering Incense”: The Founders Remember George Washington

Recipient of the James C. Rees Fellowship on the Leadership of George Washington

David O. Stewart

America’s Master Politician

Mark A. Tabbert

“A Deserving Brother”: George Washington & Freemasonry

Karin Wulf, Ph.D.

Founders on Founding: Genealogy and Political Legacies in Washington’s America

Hubert Zapf, Ph.D.

George Washington, Frederick the Great, and the Emergence of National Literary Cultures: A Transatlantic Comparison

2019–2020 Research Fellows

Sheila Arnold

New York Presidency: Slaves, Servants and the Washington Family

George W. Boudreau, Ph.D.

“Telling the Story:” Material Culture, Surviving Spaces, and the Presentation of Early America’s History

Lydia Mattice Brandt, Ph.D.

John Gadsby Chapman’s America

Recipient of the Dr. William M. and Betty H. Busey Family Fellowship

Valérie Capdeville, Ph.D.

George Washington, Clubbable Gentleman: The Role of Colonial Clubs in the Building of Social and Political Identities and Networks

Dusty Dye

“A Decent External Sorrow”: Death, Mourning, and the American Revolution

Recipient of the Amanda and Greg Gregory Fellowship

Ronald Fuchs II

George Washington, his Coat of Arms, and the Cincinnati Service

Alexi Garrett

Martha Washington and the Business of Slavery at Mount Vernon

Recipient of the James C. Rees Entrepreneurship Fellowship funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation

Ann Bay Goddin

Coming to the Rescue: Ann Pamela Cunningham and the Beginning of America’s Historic Preservation Movement

Cassandra Good, Ph.D.

Children of Washington: The Custis Grandchildren and the Politics of Family in America, 1776–1865

Odai Johnson, Ph.D.

Staging the Revolution: Washington and the Theatre of War

Recipient of the Society of Colonial Wars Fellowship

Martha J. King, Ph.D.

A Revolutionary Army at Play: Catharine Littlefield

Greene and Her Coterie in the Carolina Lowcountry

Gerard N. Magliocca

Washington’s Heir: The Life of Justice Bushrod Washington

Marcus P. Nevius, Ph.D.

“city of refuge”: Dismal Plantation in the Revolutionary War Era

Patrick O’Donnell

The Indispensables: A Band of Brothers and their Crucial Role Fighting the Revolution

Derek Kane O’Leary

Writing Washington for an Atlantic Audience before the Civil War

Franklin Sammons

Yazoo’s Settlement: Law, Finance, and Dispossession in the Southeastern Borderlands

Laura Sandy, Ph.D.

A Tale of Two Masters: Managing Free and Enslaved Labour at Mount Vernon and Monticello

Nora Slonimsky, Ph.D.

The Engine of Free Expression: Copyrighting The State in Early America

Jillian B. Vaum

Washington’s Body Servant: Freedom and Memory in Antebellum America

John C. Winters

The Peace Medal’s Glare: Red Jacket, the Washington Administration, and the Origins of Iroquois

Exceptionalism

Securing Our Future

Events and Leadership Groups

Donor Listings

Volunteers Board and Staff

Birthnight Supper & Ball

More than 220 guests gathered for the 72nd annual Neighborhood Friends

Birthnight Supper & Ball on Sunday, February 17. This black-tie fundraiser commemorated George Washington’s 287th birthday and celebrated FrancoAmerican friendship and the special relationship between Washington and Lafayette. Organized by the Neighborhood Friends, this sold-out event and pinnacle fundraiser supported the rustication and restoration of the west front of the Mansion exterior.

Event Sponsors

Gold

John and Stavroula Alachnowicz

Dick and Janice Crosby

Julia Gluck

Ronald and Elizabeth McCall

Jim and Jo Carol Porter

Silver

The Building Industry Policy Roundtable FASTSIGNS

Martijn and Karena Rasser

Joe and Ann Somerset

Wegmans

Bronze

John and Ruth Huber

Barry and Tracy Hutchison

John Kerby and Theresa Thompson

Donald and Shannon McGahn

Ed and Lori Ryan

Simply Sabrina

Friend

Peter Aliferis and Anna Schalk

Christine Bump and Elias Papasavvas

Daniel K. Chandler and Neysa M. Slater-Chandler

Ms. Jeanne M. Defliese and CAPT James

D. Huck, USN (Ret)

Roseanna and Jason Hill

Fritz and Suzanne McDougall

Paul and Janis Mikolashek

Perfecta

Bonnie Rideout and Jesus Medrano

Jeffrey Sinclair and Connor Harrison

Mr. Victor F. Splan and Ms. Patrice M. Kelly

Matthew and Allison Travis

John and Patricia Veatch

Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Wright

Neighborhood Friends Steering Committee

Neighborhood Friends are members who live on one of George Washington’s original five farms.

Brendon and Emily Dibella

Riverside Gardens on River Farm

Stephen Fahy and Marjorie Roddy

Stratford on the Potomac on River Farm

Daniel and Hyunjoo Fleming

Stratford Landing on River Farm

Matt and Audra Gannon

Riverwood on Union Farm

Julia Gluck

Waynewood on River Farm

Hunter and Jenna Hamilton

Mt. Zephyr on Muddy Hole Farm

Lynn and Lexalynn Hooper

Stratford on the Potomac on River Farm

Barry and Tracy Hutchison

Stratford Landing on River Farm

Scott and Gayla Keller

Tower House Place on River Farm

Mitch King and Mickey Fenyk-King

Westgate on Union Farm

Chris and Elizabeth Massey

Union Farm

Paul and Janis Mikolashek

Surrey-at-the-Potomac on Forest adjacent to Mansion House Farm

Ken and Phyllis Patterson

Mount Vernon Terrace on Union Farm

Greg and Melissa Prunchak

Yacht Haven on Union Farm

Farid Quraishi and Alina Hadi Fields of Woodlawn on Union Farm

Martijn and Karena Rasser

Waynewood on River Farm

Joe and Ann Somerset

Riverwood on Union Farm

John and Pat Veatch

Collingwood on The Potomac on River Farm

Life Guard Society’s Spring Fundraiser: Virtual Reality

The Life Guard Society held its spring reception on Saturday, May 11. More than 130 guests gathered on the east lawn for the event to enhance Mount Vernon’s online learning efforts through the creation of a virtual reality tour of the Mansion. The evening included music from the replica of Nelly Custis’s 1793 harpsichord, demonstrations of the Mount Vernon virtual reality prototype, and fireworks.

Since 2014, Mount Vernon’s Virtual Tour has welcomed more than 5 million guests virtually to Mount Vernon. Across the country, technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Facebook are providing virtual reality tools for teachers to take students on virtual field trips. The funds raised at the spring reception will be used to bring Mount Vernon’s popular virtual tour to these classroom-driven virtual reality platforms.

Event Sponsors

Patron Anonymous

Penn Lupovich

Jim and Jo Carol Porter

Jeffrey and Barbara Steele

Leader

John and Stavroula Alachnowicz

Cricket Bauer and Tim Messman

Claire Dwoskin

Robert and Mimie Helm

Edmund Ryan

Sponsor

Miguel Browne and Silvija Strikis

Mahesh and Renu Chandra

Dr. Thomas F. Cleary

Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Crosby

Scott and Kimberly David

Mr. and Mrs. John J. Huber

Jennifer and Walter Kelley

John Kerby and Theresa Thompson

James H. Lemon, Jr.

Chris and Betsy Little

Drs. Jennifer and Jack London

Maggie and Gareth Moore

Sean F. Murphy

Anne Rector and Timothy Allen

Peter J. Rogers, Jr.

Mr. Albert H. Small

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schott Stevens

Life Guard Society Members

Named after the elite group of soldiers responsible for ensuring the safety of George Washington, today’s members of the Life Guard Society hold fundraising events to support specific projects at Mount Vernon and support the estate through personal contributions. Membership in the Life Guard Society is not considered an honorary role, but rather a call to action—members give generously of time, talent, and resources to help with a wide variety of signature projects focused on Mount Vernon’s mission.

Chairman

Mrs. James E. Porter, Fairfax Station, VA

Executive Committee

Ms. M. Cricket Bauer

Alexandria, VA

Mr. Richard A. Crosby

Alexandria, VA

Jennifer Burkhart London, PhD McLean, VA

Lt. Col (Ret) Edmund P. Ryan

Alexandria, VA

Mr. Jeffrey L. Steele Bethesda, MD

Members

Mrs. Stavroula Alachnowicz

Alexandria, VA

Mr. Daniel K. Chandler

Alexandria, VA

Dr. Thomas F. Cleary Alexandria, VA

The Hon. Sean T. Connaughton Alexandria, VA

Peter H. Cressy, PhD Falls Church, VA

Mrs. Kim David Baltimore, MD

Ms. Claire Dwoskin McLean, VA

Mr. Akram R. Elias College Park, MD

Mr. Robert W. Helm Ellicott City, MD

Mr. Charles R. Hooff III Lorton, VA

Mr. Peter C. Keefe

Alexandria, VA

The Hon. Walter D. Kelley, Jr. Alexandria, VA

Mr. John H. Kerby II Arlington, VA

Mr. George K. Kollitides II New Canaan, CT

Ms. Alice Gregory Legum Annapolis, MD

Mr. James H. Lemon, Jr. Washington, DC

Mrs. A. Michael Lipper Summit, NJ

Mr. Christopher M. Little McDowell, VA

Mr. Ronald McCall Ashburn, VA

Mrs. Margaret J. Moore Washington, DC

Mr. Brian A. Murdock Arlington, VA

Mr. George D. Overend Atlanta, GA

Mr. James D. Penny Williamsburg, VA

Mr. Peter J. Rogers, Jr. Washington, DC

Mr. William H. Savage ‡ Alexandria, VA

Ms. Kate Shuster Encinitas, CA

Mr. Albert H. Small Bethesda, MD

Mr. Ben S. Stefanski II ‡ Cleveland, OH

Mr. Paul S. Stevens

Alexandria, VA

Mr. Richard J. J. Sullivan, Jr. New York, NY

Mr. John E. Suttle ‡ Leesburg, VA

Life Guard Emeritus Members

Mr. Cyrus A. Ansary Bethesda, MD

Mrs. T. Eugene Smith McLean, VA

The Founders, Washington Committee

The Founders, Washington Committee for Historic Mount Vernon hosted 125 guests at its annual spring reception. Proceeds from the event supported the Martha Washington Papers Project and the publication of the first definitive collection of Martha Washington’s lifetime correspondences. The celebration was held on June 2, 2019—Martha Washington’s 288th birthday— and included a special toast to our nation’s founding first lady.

Martha Washington is vital to understanding George Washington’s life and character, and Mount Vernon is committed to telling her story. The Martha Washington Papers will be a comprehensive, scholarly, single-volume print and digital edition of all

correspondence written by or to Martha Washington. It will feature illustrations, original maps, and family trees, as well as extensive commentary on the documents, placing Martha Washington into the larger context of 18th-century women. The project is being produced in conjuction with The Washington Papers project and the new volume is expected to be published in 2020. In addition to the Founders Committee, the following donors generously supported the project:

Dr. Scholl Foundation

Richard S. Reynolds Foundation

Karen Buchwald Wright

Julia Cobey Gluck

Jacqueline B. Mars

The Honorable Paul R. Michel and Ms. P. Brooke England

Mr. and Mrs. C. Ashton Newhall

Lew and Kate Shuster

The H.W. Wilson Foundation

Event Sponsors

Benefactor

Jacqueline B. Mars

Karen Buchwald Wright

Leader

Anonymous

Mary Bartlett

Valerie K. Burden

Mrs. Julia Gluck

Mr. and Mrs. David B. Morgan

Catharine W. Trauernicht and K. Dunlop Scott

Patron

Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey B. Baker

Diana S. Clagett

Martha Dippell and Daniel Korengold

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph W. Henderson

Mrs. Jeremiah D. Lambert

Sherri Lee

Mr. and Mrs. John F. Mars

The Honorable and Mrs. Thomas E. Petri

Beth and Robin Roberts

The Honorable Edward Whitfield and The Honorable Constance Harriman

Sponsor

James Basker and Angela Vallot

Dr. Stephanie M. Bennett-Smith

Peter and Ellen Boer

Mary L. Bowman

Mr. and Mrs. Childs F. Burden

Irving and Nancy Chase

Mr. and Mrs. James M. Costan

Mr. and Mrs. Peter C. Forster

Mr. and Mrs. C. Allen Foster

Harriet S. and Eric P. Fraunfelter

Ms. Lee B. Guerry and Mr. Witney W. Schneidman

John and Ruth Huber

Pamela Jenkinson

Mr. and Mrs. Alistair Jessiman

Thomas S. Kenan III

Penn Lupovich

Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. Mackall, Jr.

Catherine Hamilton Mayton

Elizabeth J. Noyes

Mr. and Mrs. John Daniel Reaves

Mr. and Mrs. Peter J. Rogers, Jr.

The Honorable and Mrs. Richard Schubert

Mr. and Mrs. William Schuiling

Ms. Cheryl Sharp

Mrs. W. N. Harrell Smith IV

Hon. Ken and Alice Starr

Mr. and Mrs. Richard H. Streeter

Ellen and James Walton

Mrs. Togo D. West, Jr.

Frances Wheeler

Eleonore Wotherspoon

Founders Committee Members

The Founders, Washington Committee is comprised of patriotic women from the Washington, D.C. area. Since 1980, their fundraising has supported a multitude of programs and projects furthering the Association’s mission. Their ardent work has added inestimably to the Mount Vernon experience.

Chair

Mrs. I. Townsend Burden III Washington, DC

Members

Mrs. Geoffrey B. Baker Washington, DC

Mrs. Edmund Bartlett III Chevy Chase, MD

Mrs. Peter Boer Alexandria, VA

Miss Edith H. Brewster Washington, DC

Mrs. Brice M. Clagett Washington, DC

Mrs. James M. Costan Washington, DC

Mrs. Eric P. Fraunfelter Bethesda, MD

Ms. Lee Bradford Guerry Alexandria, VA

Mrs. Joseph W. Henderson III Berryville, VA

Mrs. Mark J. Kington

Alexandria, VA

Ms. Martha Dippell Korengold

Chevy Chase, MD

Mrs. Jeremiah D. Lambert

Palm Beach, FL

Mrs. Charles G. Mackall, Jr. The Plains, VA

Mrs. Thayer Sargent McGregor

Potomac, MD

Mrs. David B. Morgan

Chevy Chase, MD

Mrs. Thomas E. Petri

Washington, DC

Mrs. Philip W. Pillsbury, Jr. Washington, DC

Mrs. John Daniel Reaves

Chevy Chase, MD

Mrs. Robin D. Roberts Alexandria, VA

Mrs. Catharine Trauernicht Scott McLean, VA

Mrs. W. N. Harrell Smith IV Washington, DC

Mrs. Richard H. Streeter Washington, DC

Mrs. Togo D. West, Jr. Washington, DC

Mrs. Frances C. Wheeler Delaplane, VA

Miss Eleonore Wotherspoon Washington, DC

Founders Emeritae:

Mrs. A. Smith Bowman McLean, VA

Mrs. J. Woodward Redmond Bethesda, MD

Barn Warming

On June 21, Mount Vernon held a “barn warming” fundraiser to celebrate the opening of our new barn complex, The Linda Mars Livestock Facility. The event honored Dean Norton, Mount Vernon’s director of horticulture, for his 50 years of service to the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. Proceeds supported the barn and the care of George Washington’s beloved grounds and Mount Vernon’s heritage breed animals.

The Linda Mars Livestock Facility features the following named spaces thanks to the support of generous donors:

• Linda and Bill Graves Horse Corrals

• Lisa Pregent Staff Center

Horse Stalls:

• Sarah Miller Coulson in appreciation of Mount Vernon’s beloved animals

• Cynthia Ann Hamel in memory of Tom and Judy Bradburn

• Constance B. Harriman, Equine Advocate

• The Life Guard Society of Historic Mount Vernon

• Catherine H. and Michael R. Mayton in honor of Dean Norton

• Frances A. Edmond (Mohr) and Michael D. Mohr in memory of Shana

• Penelope, Tallulah, Zipporah, and Isabelle Norton

• Jim and Jo Carol Porter in honor of Earl Eli Porter, Sr.

• Saratoga Stalls

In addition, the barn was supported by Mr. and Mrs. P. William Moore, Jr.; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Mauran IV; and anonymous donors.

Event Sponsors

Tulip Poplar

The Hon. Constance Harriman and The Hon. Ed Whitfield

Catherine H. and Michael R. Mayton

Jim and Jo Carol Porter

Mulberry

Bonnie and Frank X. Henke III

Mr. and Mrs. Frederick H. Waddell

Dogwood

The Honorable and Mrs. George Allen

Anonymous

Helen Herboth Laughery

Eleanor R. Seaman

Willow

Robert and Mimie Helm

Boxwood

Mary Lang Bishop and C. Morton Bishop III

Ann and John Bookout

Sarah Miller Coulson

Claire Dwoskin

Clare and Jared Edwards

Judy ‡ and Newell Grant

Elizabeth and Sheffield Hale

Elizabeth Whitesides Holdsworth

Mr. and Mrs. John J. Huber

Hunting Creek Garden Club

Drs. Jack and Jennifer London

Barbara B. and Benjamin F. Lucas II

Mr. and Mrs. Charles B. Mayer

Judith Koper Morris

Mrs. Donald J. Nalty

Margaret H. and David E. Nichols

Anne Neal Petri and Thomas E. Petri

Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Qualia

Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. Reeder

Mr. and Mrs. J. Schley Rutherford

Susan and Coleman Townsend

John and Patricia Veatch

Mr. Steven C. Victor and Mrs. Elizabeth Moorhead-Victor

Mr. Robert C. Wilson and Mrs. Sara Najjar-Wilson

Mount Vernon in Paris

From September 19–22, Mount Vernon convened a group in Paris of one hundred scholars, practitioners, supporters, and friends to explore the long connection between the United States of America and the Republic of France.

Mount Vernon’s conference, The Republics of France and the United States: 240 Years of Friendship, was crafted in close collaboration with Université Paris 8 (Vincennes Saint-Denis). It represents a key element of the Washington Library’s ongoing efforts to facilitate new and impactful research and further its growing national and international reputation as a center for advanced study and historical inquiry.

The conference took place in storied locations that have direct connections to George Washington, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, and historic preservation to pay tribute to the theme of the conference in triumphal fashion.

The conference was made possible by the following sponsors:

Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association

Lew and Kate Shuster

F. M. Kirby Foundation

Maribeth and Wm. Harold Borthwick

Richard Lounsbery Foundation

Design Cuisine

Philippe de Chastellux and Hugues de Chastellux

Moët Hennessy

WATO

French-American Foundation

Nimick Forbesway Foundation

Janet Shatz

Freeman and Anne Jones

Elizabeth and Stanley DeForest Scott

Peter and Ellen Boer

MVunderground

The MVunderground welcomed more than 350 guests to their moonlit masquerade on Saturday, September 21. Activities included private tours of the Mansion, a colonial magician, and 18th-century card games like Loo and Hazard. In its third full year, MVunderground, Mount Vernon’s young patrons group, continued its success by expanding membership and hosting this signature fundraising event to support the preservation of George Washington’s estate.

Event Sponsors

Gold

General and Mrs. John and Kathy Allen

Silver

Old Town Boutique District

The Patterson Group LLC

Bronze Alx&Co.

Beyer Subaru

Lars and Ashley Bjerke

Asif and Sunna Mahmood

Host

Jon and Lindsay Ammons

Patrick and Aly Anderson

Tyson and Letha Anderson

Margot Argo

Gary and Jeanne Barton

Jason Bias and Amanda Skrabut

Donnelly Bohan and David Ovedovitz

Matt Briney and Katelin Moomau Briney

Garrett and Suzanne Carlough

Ramsey Day and Charlotte Florence

Michael Flaherty and Allyson McKaughan Forkey

Anthony and Leslie Foti

Brittany Patterson Hill and Geoff Hill

David and Kelly Hill

Erynn Hook and Matthew Handley

Izalia Laser Hair Removal and Rejuvenation Spa

Jeremy and Laura Leader

Bryan and Jennifer Mabry

Kellen MacBeth

Amy Miller Feehery

Jared and Kate Newton

Roshan and Meredith Patel

Eli Peterson

Greg and Melissa Prunchak

Jonathan and Lisa Rice

Josh and Brittany Simon

Marion and Anna Smith Lacey

Nicholas and Margaret Swindle

Gregory and Kristin Try

Vintage Mirage / Old Town, Alexandria

Erin Walker

Mindi Walker

Life Guard Society’s Fall Event: Revitalizing the Education Center

The Life Guard Society held its fall gala on September 28 to raise funds toward the planning phase for the revitalization of the Donald W. Reynolds Education Center. Approximately 90 guests in black tie enjoyed a reception on the piazza followed by expert-led tours of key points in the popular educational galleries to demonstrate elements that work well and those that could be improved. The evening was capped with a sit-down dinner and remarks from General Washington.

Opened in 2006, the Education Center at Mount Vernon features 23 galleries and theaters in which exhibits, displays, films, and artifacts tell the story of the life and legacy of George Washington. It is a central resource for visitors to learn about our first president’s life and seeks to inspire young people throughout their visit. Now 13 years old, the Education Center was constructed in an era before the iPhone and is in need of a refresh to remain relevant to future visitors.

Event Sponsors

Leader

James D. and Pamela J. Penny

Jim and Jo Carol Porter

Patron

John and Stavroula Alachnowicz

Anonymous

Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Crosby

Claire Dwoskin

Robert and Mimie Helm

Helen Herboth Laughery

Drs. Jennifer and Jack London

Edmund Ryan

Jeffrey and Barbara Steele

Sponsor

Cricket Bauer and Tim Messman

Ann and John Bookout

Daniel K. Chandler and Neysa M. Slater-Chandler

Sean Connaughton

Scott and Kimberly David

Diane Donley

Scott, Peggy, John, and Caroline Fechnay

David and Lorna Gladstone

Elizabeth and Sheffield Hale

Mr. and Mrs. John J. Huber

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Keefe

John Kerby and Theresa Thompson

Alice and Harry Legum

James H. Lemon, Jr.

Chris and Betsy Little

Adrienne and John Mars

Mr. and Mrs. P. William Moore, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Passman

Ms. Lola C. Reinsch

Mr. and Mrs. J. Schley Rutherford

William H. ‡ and Ilona S. Savage

Charles and Vanessa Sizemore

Richard J.J. and Gail F. Sullivan

Alana Sypsomos

Catherine M. Waddell

Spirit of Mount Vernon

On October 10, the 18th annual Spirit of Mount Vernon brought to the estate 700 guests from the Washington, DC corporate and government affairs community. The event supported Mount Vernon’s mission of education and historic preservation and broke records in both attendance and funds raised. Mount Vernon’s special guest was United States Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, and Ford Motor Company was the event’s presenting sponsor.

Event Sponsors

Platinum and Presenting Sponsor

Ford Motor Company

Leadership Co-Chairs

Steve Anderson, President & CEO

National Association of Chain Drug Stores

John Graham, President & CEO

American Society of Association Executives

Mitch Bainwol, Chief Global Government Relations Officer, Ford Motor Company

Tara Foscato, Senior Vice President, Director of Government Affairs, PNC Bank

Gold Sponsors

Corn Refiners Association

Design Cuisine

National Association of Chain Drug Stores

The PNC Financial Services Group

Virginia Distillery Company

Connoisseur Society

Members of Mount Vernon’s Connoisseur Society and other supporters enjoyed a wonderful autumn tour of the Hudson River Valley in October, with a special focus on sites related to George Washington.

Following the presentation of the George Washington Prize in New York, the group of 19 participants visited Washington sites in Lower Manhattan; Washington’s Headquarters at Newburgh; Olana, the home of Frederic Church; Clermont, a Livingston family home visited by the Washingtons; and Edgewater, a beautifully restored antebellum home. In addition, the group received a behind-thescenes tour of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, historian-led private tour at West Point, and dinner at the Culinary Institute of America. Mount Vernon Library Research Fellow Dr. Charlene Boyer Lewis served as historian-in-residence throughout the journey and delivered an insightful evening lecture on Margaret Shippen Arnold, the influential wife of infamous traitor Benedict Arnold.

The Connoisseur Society is a group of George Washington enthusiasts who are dedicated to supporting the acquisition, preservation, and conservation of Mount Vernon’s rich and diverse collections. To learn more, contact the Development Department at 703.799.8647.

Connoisseur Society Members

2019 support enabled Mount Vernon to begin the curatorial aspects of restoring the Yellow Room of the Mansion.

Chair

Mrs. Lucy S. Rhame, Chair, Alexandria, VA

Members

Mrs. Russell B. Aitken, New York, NY

Mrs. Nadene Bradburn, Mount Vernon, VA

Sarah Miller Coulson, Bryn Mawr, PA

Mr. George Hackney Eatman, Washington, VA

Mr. and Mrs. James Freeman, Palm Beach, FL

Mrs. Julia Gluck, Alexandria, VA

Mr. Joseph P. Gromacki, Chicago, IL

Dr. and Mrs. Randolph H. Guthrie, Palm Beach, FL

Mrs. Bessie Hanahan, Charleston, SC

Mr. and Mrs. Pierre Dupont Hayward, Wilmington, DE

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Hendelson, Bridgewater, NJ

Elizabeth Whitesides Holdsworth, Morristown, NJ

Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Johnson 3d, Boston, MA

Liz Rollins Mauran, Providence, RI

Ms. Pauline C. Metcalf, New York, NY

Mrs. P. William Moore, Jr., Staunton, VA

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce C. Perkins, Chevy Chase, MD

Dr. and Mrs. James S. Reibel, Greenwich, CT

Mr. and Mrs. John R. Robinson, Greenwich, CT

Andrea Notman Sahin, Boston, MA

Mr. and Mrs. Randall A. Schrimsher, Huntsville, AL

Mr. and Mrs. Stanley DeForest Scott, New York, NY

Mrs. Douglas Seaman, Hobe Sound, FL

Jean Armfield Sherrill, Winston Salem, NC

Mary McLean Sherrill and Matthew Holland, Burlington, NC

Mr. Skip Sroka, Washington, DC

Susan M. and P. Coleman Townsend, Jr., Greenville, DE

Ms. Mary Ann Way, Alexandria, VA

Mrs. Wallace S. Wilson, Houston, TX

Financial Highlights

George Washington valued fiscal responsibility in all of his business ventures. The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association carries on this timeless tradition of responsible spending and engages in robust fundraising.

We are proud to have spend 85 cents of every dollar are received directly on programs connected to our mission, including historic preservation and collections initiates, educational outreach efforts, and enhancements to the guest experience.

Your contributions are put to work. Although the costs of doing business continue to rise, in 2019 we allocated just 8 percent of the funds we raise to inspire more generous citizens to support our mission. Thanks to our conservative financial management, our administrative costs accounted for a mere 7 percent of our total expenditures.

Our 2019 audited financials statements are available at mountvernon.org/about or by request from our Finance Department.

The Richard H. Brown Revolutionary War Map Collection

This collection includes some 300 maps and views, plus many atlases and rare books from America’s founding era, including a number of manuscript maps— exceedingly rare works drawn at the scene of action or in the aftermath of a battle. Noteworthy for its magnitude, the collection is also unique in the specificity of its focus.

Driven by a desire to make his collection more widely accessible, in 2010, Richard joined the Leventhal Map Center, a Boston-based nonprofit that digitized some 300 of Richard’s maps for its online collection. At the same time, he began work on a book telling the story of America’s founding through period maps, which was published in 2015. He also lent two dozen maps to an acclaimed traveling exhibition between 2015 and 2017. Still, Richard aspired to do more to make his collection available to a larger audience.

While considering potential collaborators, Richard was drawn to the Washington Library’s state-of-the-

art facilities, scholarly network, robust educational programming, and cataloguing capabilities. He and Mary Jo Otsea also liked the strong connection to Washington, whose military career corresponded to the years represented in the collection, 1755 to 1783.

The Brown Map Collection, including the map on page 41, arrived at Mount Vernon in the fall, and digitized maps were immediately posted online. Richard and Mary Jo look forward to seeing the impact of their generous gift on Mount Vernon’s scholarly staff and school-aged visitors alike. “In the context of Mount Vernon’s mission, we think the gift can be transformative. That’s the kind of legacy we would like to leave.”

The Richard H. Brown Map Collection can be accessed online at mountvernon.org/library

Special Acquisition Highlights

Manuscript document; Receipt for 22 yards of mantua purchased by Martha Washington as First Lady in Philadelphia from Susanna Lockyer. P