2024 Mount Vernon Annual Report

The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association 2024 Annual Report

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 | 4

Letter from the President | 5

Strengthening Our Foundations | 6

Preserving the Mansion | 8 and Historic Area

Teaching America’s Story | 18

Securing Our Future | 30

Mansion Preservation Year in Numbers | 44

Financial Highlights | 45

Fine and Decorative Arts | 46

Collection Acquisitions

Library Collection Highlights | 51

Thank You to Our Supporters | 54

The Mount Vernon | 64 Ladies’ Association

Historic preservation is not a static enterprise. It requires creative thinking and an entrepreneurial spirit … appreciation of historic intent … and a willingness to adapt thoughtfully to modern circumstances.

ANNE “DEDE” NEAL PETRI, REGENT

Letter from the Regent

Since 1853, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association (MVLA) has been breaking new ground when it comes to historic preservation. The creation of the MVLA marked the beginning of the national preservation movement in America—and we have been going strong ever since.

For more than 165 years, we have worked tirelessly to save George and Martha Washington’s iconic estate and to educate the world about the character and leadership of our first and greatest president.

We know from experience. Historic preservation is not a static enterprise. It requires creative thinking and an entrepreneurial spirit. It demands an appreciation of historic intent and adherence to authenticity. It requires a willingness to adapt thoughtfully to modern circumstances.

Stewards of American memory must build community, develop strong advocacy, raise substantial resources, and balance interests. They must advance civic education and share the full story to help us understand ourselves.

These are no small tasks, and it has been the honor of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association to pursue these goals vigorously in order to protect Washington’s beloved home on the Potomac.

In the earliest days, we determined to restore the Mansion, which had started to deteriorate rapidly a mere 50 years after Washington’s death. We set out on a campaign to locate original

Washington objects and return them to the estate. As preservation pioneers, we made the groundbreaking decision to protect not only the house but also all of the outbuildings so that Americans could have a full and inclusive picture of our origins. And in the 1950s, we launched another landmark campaign— to protect and conserve the viewshed so that millions of visitors could be inspired by the vista that inspired George Washington.

Now, as we prepare for America’s 250th anniversary, we find ourselves, once again, leading the way when it comes to historic preservation. Through the collaboration of experts in multiple fields (including architectural historians, archaeologists, carpenters, curators, and conservators), we have embarked on the largest preservation project—$40 million—undertaken since the Ladies took over the site in 1858. We are strengthening the framing of the Mansion’s structure, whose integrity has been impacted by piecemeal changes over the centuries. We’re managing moisture and upgrading the climate control system in a “bunker” outside the historic house. We’re removing intrusive wires that have limited our ability to interpret the full structure. We’re working to safeguard the Mansion’s original building fabric and ensure its structural integrity for generations to come.

Next year, we’ll open up a restored Washington bedchamber, reflecting

recent curatorial discoveries, and reintroduce the Old Chamber on the first floor. We’ll also open the cellar to interpretation, letting our visitors see where bottled cherries and other fruits stayed “fresh” for nearly 250 years—as you’ll read elsewhere in this report. We’ll learn more about the abode of enslaved butler Frank Lee and his wife Lucy, who resided below Washington’s study.

The Board is proud to partner with Mount Vernon’s staff and volunteers to preserve Mount Vernon and educate the world about Washington’s indispensable role in America’s founding. We thank you for your invaluable support and hope you will enjoy seeing what your generosity makes possible.

Warm best wishes,

Anne “Dede” Neal Petri Regent

Letter from the President

Preservation is not only our responsibility—it is our privilege. At Mount Vernon, caring for George Washington’s home means ensuring that the lessons of his life remain visible, tangible, and enduring.

Nowhere is this commitment more evident than in the Mansion Revitalization Project, the most ambitious preservation effort undertaken here in more than 165 years. In 2024, we made tremendous progress on this complex, multiyear endeavor to stabilize and safeguard the Mansion— its framing, masonry, and foundations. In the following pages, we offer a closer look at this extraordinary project.

Sometimes, the past quite literally surfaces. During this year’s preservation work, we discovered an astounding 35 glass bottles in the Mansion’s cellar—many still sealed and containing preserved cherries and berries. This thrilling discovery offers a rare and tangible connection to the daily lives of those who lived and worked here in the 18th century, including Doll, the enslaved cook who oversaw the estate’s kitchen and food preparation. The discovery made headlines around the world.

This year also saw the refurnishing of the Old Chamber, believed to be George and Martha Washington’s first shared bedchamber in the years following their marriage. This marks the completion of a multiyear effort to bring the major guestrooms at Mount Vernon up to date with recent research. Our restoration work continued on the Washingtons’ smokehouse—one

of the estate’s most remarkably intact outbuildings—thanks to generous support from Edwards Virginia Smokehouse.

Much of this vital preservation work is made possible by Strengthening Our Foundations: The Campaign for Mount Vernon, which surpassed $210 million in support this year. More than 52,000 individuals made a gift to Mount Vernon in 2024—including a number of extraordinary donors who committed $1 million or more. Their generosity is supporting our efforts to revitalize the Mansion, grow Mount Vernon’s endowment, expand educator outreach, and create a refreshed, immersive exhibit that tells the story of Washington’s life and legacy in new and engaging ways. Construction on this new exhibit began this year, and the fully reimagined experience will reopen in 2026.

Meanwhile, Mount Vernon welcomed more than 800,000 visitors this year, including nearly 290,000 students. Our Education and Guest Services team expanded specialty tours, themed weekends, and interpretive programs across the estate. The Learning Department delivered over 22,000 hours of professional development to teachers and offered virtual and in-person instruction to thousands of students nationwide.

So much of our work is grounded in the expertise of our curators and the George Washington Presidential Library staff. Their scholarship continues to guide preservation decisions, spark new research, and enrich our visitor experience. In

recognition of this leadership, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association was honored this year with the Spirit of Virginia Award for its long-standing commitment to historic preservation.

Behind the scenes, our teams across departments kept the estate running smoothly while planning for the future. With 2026—the 250th anniversary of American independence—on the horizon, Mount Vernon is preparing to share Washington’s story with an even wider audience.

We could not do this without you. Whether you give, volunteer, visit, or share our mission, your support sustains this place and ensures that George Washington’s legacy continues to educate and inspire.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Douglas Bradburn, Ph.D. President and CEO

STRENGTHENING OUR FOUNDATIONS

The Campaign for Mount Vernon

2024 was the second-best fundraising year in Mount Vernon’s history, thanks to the more than 52,100 unique donors from across the country who contributed more than $48.5 million to advance Mount Vernon’s mission of historic preservation and education.

Strengthening Our Foundations: The Campaign for Mount Vernon topped $210 million. The campaign is funding important priorities, such as revitalizing the Mansion, creating a refreshed exhibit on George Washington’s biography, growing the Annual Fund, and increasing Mount Vernon’s endowment.

Fundraising was bolstered by a $12 million commitment from Washington Cabinet chair David Rubenstein. He joined Washington Cabinet members John and Adrienne Mars, Rob and Jean Estes, and Margot B. Perot, who also made transformational campaign commitments in 2024. Gifts such as these enabled major progress to be made on the groundbreaking project to preserve the Mansion.

Construction also began on the George Washington exhibit, which will boast a redesigned footprint, improved navigation, and a more impactful visitor experience. The space’s new Great Hall will be named for Boeing

in recognition of the company’s multimillion-dollar commitment to the campaign. The immersive President’s House in the exhibit will be named after Roger Ferguson and Annette Nazareth. An anonymous donor funded the Washington in American Culture gallery. Additional naming opportunities are available.

To add engaging educational opportunities while the Mansion and exhibit construction projects are underway, the Patriots Path Revolutionary War encampment, funded by Tom Hand’s support through Americana Corner, will debut in time for school field trips in spring 2025.

Efforts also continue to cultivate and maintain Mount Vernon’s beautiful landscape of Washington’s design. Connoisseur Society chair Lucy S. Rhame’s endowment gift will name a horticultural leadership position.

On the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s visit to Mount Vernon to pay his respects at the Tomb of George Washington, the Life Guard Society hosted a “Fete to Lafayette” black-tie gala that raised more than $1 million to support the revitalization of the Mansion. This event put the cherry on top of a day of educational programming devoted to

commemorating Lafayette’s historic tour of the United States, launching new scholarly resources highlighting French participation in the American Revolution, and celebrating continued Franco-American amity.

As the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence approaches, Mount Vernon’s message about why George Washington matters resonates more than ever. MVLA Board members and staff traveled across the country throughout the year, connecting with supporters in their communities and imparting details about the work underway to preserve Washington’s

home and educate about his inspirational examples of character and leadership, as well as the importance of our country’s “great experiment in democracy.”

The Campaign for Mount Vernon will continue through 2026, when the beloved home and final resting place of our first president will attract a renewed focus. Opportunities remain to become involved. Thank you to the tens of thousands of donors from across the country who have supported and will continue to support the campaign at all levels.

preserving the mansion and historic area

The Mansion Revitalization Project

Cellar Discovery

The Smokehouse

The Old Chamber

PRESERVING THE MANSION AND HISTORIC AREA

The Mansion Revitalization Project

After a thorough design process and pre-construction activities in 2023, the Mansion Revitalization Project embarked upon its construction phase in 2024, beginning with the north section of the Mansion and closure of the New Room.

The Collections Management team oversaw the complete de-installation of the New Room. Objects were assessed, and a select few were conserved while off-view. A protective box was built around the original mantel, gifted to George Washington by Samuel Vaughan, and the original New Room floorboards were removed, documented, and conserved.

While much of the public’s focus was still on the cache of 18th-century bottles discovered in the cellar, preparations were being made to engage external shoring to support the weight of the Mansion and allow repairs to the sills (the bottom stabilizing members of the structure).

The work was orchestrated by contract masons replacing eroded stones along the cellar passage wall and repairing foundation walls while carpenters removed the majority of the floor joists, the undergird support, and the summer beams (the principal load-bearing members). Two new steel summer beams were then installed to support the floor joists in the New Room. Once the infrastructure was repaired, sills were replaced, floor joists were installed, and the original flooring was returned to its place in the New Room.

By October, the Phase 1 north-end repairs to the Mansion were completed, the New Room was reopened to the public, and the work progressed to the Mansion’s south end to begin Phase 2 of this multiyear project.

ACBA Recognizes Mount Vernon’s Preservation Excellence

The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association received the 2024 Honors Award from the American College of Building Arts (ACBA) in Charleston, South Carolina, recognizing its leadership in historic preservation. ACBA uniquely offers a liberal arts degree with hands-on training in traditional building trades. Mount Vernon has hosted ACBA interns and now employs graduates. Director of Preservation Thomas Reinhart joined Dr. Bradburn and Vice Regents at the ceremony and toured the College.

MVLA recognized for its legacy of stewardship

At a Mount Vernon ceremony, Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin presented the Spirit of Virginia Award to the MVLA. The Governor praised the MVLA’s preservation efforts and educational impact. The First Lady highlighted the group’s significance during Women’s History Month. Twentythird Regent Margaret Nichols accepted the award, which honors outstanding contributions in education, culture, the arts, philanthropy, and business.

PRESERVING THE MANSION AND HISTORIC AREA

Cellar Discovery

Mount Vernon archaeologists excavating the cellar of George Washington’s Mansion made a blockbuster discovery that made headlines around the world. Sealed beneath a brick floor, archaeologists encountered a series of overlapping storage pits revealing iridescent green circular silhouettes slightly more than an inch in diameter—the mouths of 18th-century glass bottles.

The archaeologists recovered a total of 35 bottles that had been carefully placed upright, side by side, and intentionally buried under an earlier cellar floor between 1758 and the mid-1770s. Twenty-nine of the bottles remained intact and remarkably contained extraordinarily well-preserved cherries and berries, likely gooseberries and currants, that had been harvested at Mount Vernon more than 250 years earlier. Incredibly, the cherries still bore the characteristic scent of cherry blossoms, and a majority of the bottles contained intact fruit.

Bottles

Olive-green glass bottles were used extensively in the 17th and 18th centuries for many purposes, including holding wine, beer, and water and preserving fruits. George Washington purchased hundreds of bottles for use at Mount Vernon.

During the 18th century, wine bottles were mass-produced in factories in England, Europe, and the United States. Teams of glass blowers worked together to speed up production, manufacturing between 50,000 and 100,000 bottles annually in a single factory. While each handmade bottle from the cellar is unique, all are typical of bottles made in the 1740s–1760s, with a cylindrical body, sloping shoulders, and a tapering neck.

Mount Vernon collaborated with archaeological conservators at Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation to stabilize the bottles to prevent further deterioration of the glass.

The Mount Vernon Ladies’

PRESERVING THE MANSION AND HISTORIC AREA

The Smokehouse

While the Mount Vernon Preservation team typically expects the unexpected when starting a restoration, the Smokehouse project yielded some exciting discoveries. Dendrochronology provided a construction date of more than a decade earlier than expected and

confirmed the survival of most of the building framing, including part of its sill (the horizontal timbers that sit on the foundation, which typically do not survive).

Surviving original timbers, combined with deteriorating later replacements, required preservation

carpenters to draw on their craftsmanship and creative problemsolving to execute repairs that protected as much of the original building fabric as possible.

Restoration of Mount Vernon’s historic Smokehouse is sponsored by Edwards Virginia Smokehouse.

Mount Vernon

PRESERVING THE MANSION AND HISTORIC AREA

The Old Chamber

The Old Chamber, returning to the name used by the Washingtons, revealed a new look based on a holistic analysis of documentary, visual, material culture, and architectural sources.

This first-floor room almost certainly served as the Washingtons’ own chamber from the time of their marriage in 1759 until the building of a new chamber in the south wing in 1775. It then became a guest room, furnished comfortably but more modestly than the upstairs guest rooms. Today, the bedchamber features original, period, and reproduction pieces closely based on documented originals.

The original painting, Battle Fought by Cavalry, on loan from Washington and Lee University, returns to its place on the east wall. Recent research has identified the artist as Dutch military painter Jan van Huchtenburg (1647–1733).

The distinctive purple calico drapery on the bed and window brings to life one of the documented bed suites purchased by the Washingtons in 1774 from the Philadelphia upholstery shop of John and Betsy Ross (yes, that Betsy Ross). Complementing these are bright Saxon green upholstered chair seats with check slipcovers. Purple and green was a popular color combination for interiors in the period, and in this case, the Saxon green chairs represent a set purchased in 1774 from George William and Sally Fairfax’s Belvoir. A handmade set of Venetian blinds (the only ones in the Mansion) highlights an important functional piece that provided an additional layer of privacy.

The Old Chamber’s restoration was supported by the Founders, Washington Committee for Historic Mount Vernon.

teaching america’s story

Engaging the Next Generation

Delivering History

Rare Documents Added to Mount Vernon’s Special Collections

New History Podcasts

The Leadership Institute in Action

Lafayette Remembered Research Fellows

TEACHING AMERICA’S STORY

Engaging the Next Generation: Family Days Bring Washington’s World to Life

While every day is excellent for a family to visit Mount Vernon, our Family Days programs (started in 2019) have grown to offer experiences that ensure families feel like we have made Mount Vernon just for them! Family Days allows intergenerational audiences to create meaning and joy together, from the themed map they receive upon arrival to the destination family hub area. Each day weaves together hands-on activities, object exploration, primary sources, biographies, and stories of George Washington and the 18th century. Each of our family days highlights a different topic that appeals to tourists and local visitors alike. Being at Mount Vernon on a family day brings more memories, cross-generational conversations, and emotional and informational connections between the young person’s life and the past.

We hosted Animal Family Day in the spring, just in time for the lambs to join other animals, including oxen and horses.

Youth Programs associates and History Interpretation staff at the Family Hub interpreted the essential functions of animals and livestock during the 18th century. Families learned about the annual fish run at Mount Vernon and the importance of horses in Washington’s life with supporting hands-on activities. Members of the Student Advisory Board joined the staff to share knowledge about animals and insects that lived at Mount Vernon, the enslaved people who cared for them, and the products they produced. The Livestock Department joined the Learning Department to support the day with sheep, oxen, and horse Look and Learns.

Over the summer, we hosted two family days—the first marked Juneteenth with stories about freedom for enslaved people before Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. At the Family Hub, the Youth Programs team covered selfemancipation, agency, resistance, freedom through military service, and Washington’s will. Staff from the Archaeology

Department provided an inside look at their work on the African American Burial Ground. Additional programming included character interpreter Keith Henley portraying Hercules.

The second summer program celebrated Bastille Day. This day shared with families the major players in the Franco-American alliance during the American Revolution. Visitors made sashes and learned French phrases. Guests included Washington Library fellow Matthieu Haroux and Rochambeau interpreter Michael Halbert. The French alliance lens helped families see Washington’s leadership in the Revolutionary War as having a global impact and allowed our visitors to gain a stronger appreciation of one of our signature artifacts, the key to the Bastille.

Two more programs wrapped up the year. Our annual Archaeology Family Day has started to bring in regular return visitors who enjoy the self-exploratory dig activity. The year provided additional avenues to showcase the exciting cherry

bottle discovery with families. In addition to our own Archaeology staff, we welcomed educators from other historic sites in Virginia to talk about what they know about their archaeological sites.

What do you do when you have a family day on the 225th anniversary of Washington’s death? You focus on the impact of his legacies on young people today. The activity hub brought opportunities for families to discover new information about Washington’s life and find new ways of thinking about how relevant his life is today.

TEACHING AMERICA’S STORY

Delivering History: How Mount Vernon’s Reservations Team Brings Students to the Estate

At Mount Vernon, we often talk about our student visitors, who comprise well over a quarter of our guests yearly. But we rarely share the story of how they get to Mount Vernon. Most of these hundreds of thousands of students come by way of group tour companies. Schools book once-in-a-lifetime trips to Washington, D.C., and select an itinerary that best suits their groups’ needs. Mount Vernon continues to top that list!

We open reservations on August 1, and groups rush to get their desired dates and Mansion tour ticket times. The schools and tour companies that book student experiences hear from our Reservations team through many channels. The staff sends a group tour newsletter to recipients twice yearly, once before bookings start and once right as the new year begins. The staff attends key marketing conferences where they can share the exciting and memorable experiences a group booking at Mount

Vernon brings. The American Bus Association (Nashville, TN), National Tour Association (Huntsville, AL), and the Student Youth Travel Association (New York, NY) connect our staff with new and returning groups.

Mount Vernon is known for its outstanding historical experiences. Furthermore, our team can also highlight through these channels the well-oiled systems Mount Vernon has set up for large groups. With seamless bus parking, diverse meal options, and exclusive student tour hours, we offer convenient logistical solutions that help coordinators effectively manage groups of 300 eighth graders and prioritize site selections.

In 2024, some longtime group partners questioned how the Mansion and exhibition changes would impact their students’ visits. They asked, “Would our groups still have enough to do if we brought them to Mount Vernon?” Our Reservation team

found a new gear in promotions and outreach to answer that question with a resounding yes! Working with the excellent Marketing and Interpretation teams, the Reservations and Guest Services groups created new videos, handouts, and web resources. They kept in touch with updates on Mount Vernon’s significant projects and new offerings. They provided group tour booking staff and group guides, familiarization tours at Mount Vernon, and virtual tours to highlight all the great opportunities for students.

Our tour booking partners continue to provide feedback how a visit to Mount Vernon creates great memories with their students. Because of our location in Virginia, Mount Vernon is often an initial or final stop on groups’ tours and provides a welcome or culminating experience in a young person’s significant life event.

23,350 calls

29,283 emails, faxes, and voicemails

361,665 group admissions

$4,839,952 in admission revenue

$1,239,993 add-on revenue private tour, food, and Mansion tour bookings and cruises

TEACHING AMERICA’S STORY

Rare Documents Added to Mount Vernon’s Special Collections

In 2024, the George Washington Presidential Library acquired many exceptional items for the Special Collections, including documents that improve our knowledge about the enslaved community at Mount Vernon and George Washington’s leadership as commander in chief of the Continental Army.

The first item is a ledger entry that sheds light on how Hercules Posey arrived at Mount Vernon. Posey served as Washington’s enslaved chef at Mount Vernon and the President’s House in New York City and Pennsylvania.

On September 19, 1769, George Washington documented a transaction with his neighbor John Posey in his financial ledger. Two years earlier, Posey borrowed money from George Mason, another neighbor. Washington signed the agreement and acted as a security on the transaction. Posey failed to repay the loan and forfeited his bond to Washington, which included enslaved people, as well as “sundry stock, goods [and] chattels.” Hercules Posey was one of the names listed on the ledger as an enslaved person acquired through this transaction.

As the president’s chef, Posey was known for his skilled and elaborate cuisine. With Washington’s permission, Posey earned income by selling “slops” or leftover food from the kitchen. On February 22, 1797, while Washington celebrated his birthday at a ball in Philadelphia, Hercules ran away from Mount Vernon and likely started a new life in New York City. When Hercules escaped to a new life, he left behind two daughters. A few years later, a visitor asked one of the girls whether she missed her father, and she said, “No, sir. I’m very glad for he is free now.”

The second item is a letter written by George Washington to Theodorick Bland on April 4, 1783. Washington wrote to Bland from headquarters in Newburgh, New York, in his capacity of commander in chief of the Continental Army. Bland (1742–1790) was a Virginia physician, planter, and congressman. He had previously served in the army with Washington as a colonel of the First Continental Dragoons.

In March 1783, the officers of the Continental Army discussed how they might force Congress to pay the years

Ledger entry documenting a 1769 debt settlement between George Washington and John Posey.

of back wages they were owed. This mutiny, known as the Newburgh Conspiracy, was the most significant threat to the civilian government during the Revolution and risked the ideals at the foundation of the new nation. Washington staged a brilliant intervention, using the full force of his reputation, devotion, and service to disarm the threat. He assured the officers of his support and devotion to securing pay and pensions for the army and then carefully began the process of disbanding the volatile forces.

This letter is remarkable because it is far more detailed and personal than most of Washington’s correspondence. For example, he wrote that “the necessity of fulfilling this Expectation of the Army affects me so exceeding forcibly, that I cannot help dwelling upon it, nor is there in my present apprehension a point of greater Consequence, or that requires more serious attention.”

TAll of our podcasts can be found at www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com

TEACHING AMERICA’S STORY

New History Podcasts

he Center for Digital History launched two new podcasts in 2024. Inventing the Presidency, an eight-episode narrative podcast, examines George Washington as both president and precedent. From the very origins of the United States presidency at the Constitutional Convention to Washington’s final warnings in his Farewell Address, the series explores how one man shaped the presidency—and the many times that it could have all fallen apart. The episodes cover the Neutrality Crisis, the Jay Treaty, the Whiskey Rebellion, Native American diplomacy, slavery in the President’s House, Washington’s role in creating the peaceful transfer of power, and what it takes to forge the presidency from scratch.

This series features expert interviews with Tom Plott, Lindsay M. Chervinsky (executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library), Rick Atkinson, Patrick Spero, Ramin Ganeshram, Joseph M. Adelman, Sara Georgini, Peter Kastor, Colin Calloway, Bruce Ragsdale, and more. The series has been downloaded more than 30,000 times.

In the fall, the Center launched Leadership & Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon. The podcast hosts conversations with people who have held senior leadership positions across many different sectors and historians who have studied effective leaders in the past. The goal of each episode is to have a deep and sustained discussion about leadership—how it operates, its challenges, its various models, and how we can apply that to our lives. Themes include strategic patience, collaboration and consensusbuilding, the importance of learning from history, leading in crisis, and, of course, reflections on George Washington’s example.

Season one featured interviews with then-Archivist of the United States Colleen Shogan, General David Petraeus, Congressmen Steve Womack and Pat Ryan, and more. Season two, which launched on Presidents’ Day 2025, is hosted by Executive Director Lindsay M. Chervinsky.

Letter expressing Washington’s concern for fulfilling the army’s expectations.

TEACHING

AMERICA’S STORY

The Leadership Institute in Action

The launch of the inaugural We the Vets leadership program was a cornerstone achievement of the George Washington Leadership Institute in 2024. We the Vets serves the veteran community with a mission to elevate the country over partisan interests and strengthen our collective pursuit of a more perfect union. Hosted in commemoration of Flag Day, this initiative champions positive patriotism and constructive civil discourse among citizens and leaders.

The Leadership Institute crafted a custom two-day program for 130 participants, designed to explore how all of us can better uphold the values upon which our country was founded. The program offered a clear call to action—our communities and nation face immense challenges, and the veteran and military family community is uniquely positioned to lead the effort to strengthen America.

The participants learned about Washington’s, Lincoln’s, and Roosevelt’s strategic approaches to leading through times

of crisis and change from Dr. Peter Cressy, “The Washington Way: Character & Credibility in Leadership” from Dr. Joseph Stoltz, and “Washington’s Approach to Leadership” by Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Paul T. Mikolashek (former U.S. Army inspector general). The audience also enjoyed a series of interactive conversations, including “Leading the Washington Way in a Modern World” with Heather Soubra, and presentations from We the Vets members about opportunities for veteran community engagement. The group concluded the first morning with a wreath-laying ceremony.

Building on its successful debut, the Leadership Institute and We the Vets are developing an expanded 2025 program to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States Army and the founding of the nation. The 2025 program will include a public program for the Mount Vernon community in honor of Flag Day.

TEACHING AMERICA’S STORY

Lafayette Remembered: 200th Anniversary Commemoration

From August 1824 to September 1825, the Marquis de Lafayette traveled throughout the new country, welcomed by thousands of admirers at each stop along the way. Although the tour brought him to each state in the Union, most of his time was spent in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. On October 17, 1824, Lafayette returned to Mount Vernon to pay his respects at George Washington’s tomb.

In honor of the 200th anniversary of Lafayette’s visit, the Library hosted a lunch event as the commencement of daylong festivities. Elizabeth Reese discussed her new book, Marquis de Lafayette Returns: A Tour of America’s National Capital Region. Elizabeth is the senior manager of Public Programs & Interpretation at Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House.

After Reese’s presentation, Dr. Alexandra Montgomery and Dr. Iris de Rode presented on the Washington Library’s French

Digitization effort. With assistance from a generous grant from the Richard Lounsbery Foundation, the Washington Library has partnered with institutions and individuals in France to digitize the papers of François-Jean de Beauvoir (Marquis de Chastellux), Charles-Antoine du Hux (Baron de Vioménil), and French major generals of General Rochambeau’s staff, who fought alongside American forces during the Revolutionary War.

Drs. Montgomery and de Rode unveiled the new website sharing the Baron de Vioménil Papers, which features transcriptions and translations of key documents, as well as interpretive essays. More than 200 papers detailing Vioménil’s American campaign are now available as full-resolution scans on the custom website. The Chastellux materials will be available on-site for interested researchers.

Trenton Cole Jones, Ph.D. Purdue University, The Tory Rising (Mount Vernon Georgian Papers Fellowship)

Greg Brooking, Ph.D. Independent Scholar, Henry Laurens: A Southern Founder

Sherri Burr, J.D. and M.P.A. University of New Mexico School of Law, Generational Impact: An Economic Comparison of Mount Vernon’s Enslaved Population Who Received Freedom in 1800 with Those Who Remained Enslaved Until 1863 (Black Women United for Action Fellowship)

TEACHING AMERICA’S STORY

Research Fellows

Mount Vernon continues to foster academic research on George Washington and the founding era. The Research Fellowships program offers short- and long-term fellowships for scholars. This program provides funding and living space at the Richard and Helen DeVos House on the grounds of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon. Fellows gain access to the Library’s collections and interact with Mount Vernon staff to advance their academic pursuits.

Learn more at mountvernon.org/researchfellows

2024–2025 Research Fellows

Laura Clerx

Boston College, Nature’s Properties: Science and Commerce in Early America, 1780-1850 (James C. Rees Fellowship on the Entrepreneurship of George Washington)

John Stuart Gordon, Ph.D. Yale University, Gold in America: Artistry, Memory, Power

Philip Mills Herrington, Ph.D.

James Madison University, The Plantation Revival (Dr. William M. and Betty H. Busey Family Fellowship)

Kelly Houston Jones, Ph.D.

Arkansas Tech University, Tangled Wrath: The Lynching of Enslaved People in the American South

Ryan P. Langton Temple University, Negotiating the Endless Mountains: Networked Diplomacy Along the Eighteenth-Century Trans-Appalachian Frontier (Society of Colonial Wars Fellowship)

Edward J. Larson, Ph.D. Pepperdine University, Declaring Independence: Jefferson, Adams, Paine and the Revolutionary Year of 1776

Sarah Juliet Lauro, Ph.D.

University of Tampa, Monumental: Commemorations of Enslaved Resistance

Charlene M. Boyer Lewis, Ph.D.

Kalamazoo College, Traitor, Wife: Peggy Shippen Arnold and Revolutionary America

James E. Lewis, Jr., Ph.D.

Kalamazoo College, American Prime: Why Americans Desired, Adopted, and Abandoned Their Own Prime Meridian

David Marsich

George Mason University, Relating to the Republic: Representative-Constituent Relationships in the Early United States, 1794–1844

Sandra Moats, Ph.D.

University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Global at the Founding: U.S. Consuls and the Development of American Diplomacy

Karima Moyer-Nocchi, Ph.D.

University of Siena, Macaroni and Beyond - From James Hemings to African American Women: The Early American Underpinnings in the Making of an Iconic Dish

Cody E. Nager, Ph.D.

The Hoover Institution, Determined to be American: Regulating Migration and Citizenship in the Early American Republic, 1783–1815

Ross M. Nedervelt, Ph.D.

Florida International University in Miami, Security, Imperial Reconstitution, and the British Atlantic Islands in the Age of the American Revolution

Kieran J. O’Keefe, Ph.D. Lyon College, Horatio Gates and the Pursuit of a Republican Revolution

Sandra Patton-Imani, Ph.D.

Drake University, Ann Fairfax Washington Lee: Race, Gender, and Sex in 18th Century Virginia

Steven Sarson, Ph.D.

Jean Moulin University, History and Historical Consciousness in the US Declaration of Independence

Dillon L. Streifeneder, Ph.D.

Independent Scholar, Revolution, War, and the Forging of a Vigorous Government

Whitney Nell Stewart, Ph.D.

University of Texas at Dallas, Bitter Vines: Wine and Slavery in the United States

Kevin J. Weddle, Ph.D. Independent Scholar, Washington at War: The Making of a Commander-inChief (James C. Rees Fellowship on the Leadership of George Washington)

Career stages

17 university faculty members

3 Ph.D. candidates

4 independent scholars

Fellowship lengths

11 one-month fellows

4 three-month fellows

1 six-month fellow

securing our future

Birthnight Supper and Ball

The Founders, Washington Committee for Historic Mount Vernon

The Life Guard Society of Historic Mount Vernon

The Connoisseur Society

Mount Vernon Travel Program

Spirit of Mount Vernon

Washington Cabinet

Affinity groups are central to supporting Mount Vernon’s preservation and educational needs.

SECURING OUR FUTURE

Birthnight Supper and Ball

On February 18, more than 200 guests attended the 77th annual Birthnight Supper and Ball, Mount Vernon’s longest-running fundraiser. Guests enjoyed cocktails, an elegant three-course dinner, a birthday toast to General Washington, live music, and dancing. Organized by the Neighborhood Friends of Mount Vernon, this sold-out black-tie gala supported the restoration and preservation of George Washington’s beloved home.

Neighborhood Friends Steering Committee

The Neighborhood Friends are Mount Vernon members who live on one of George Washington’s original Five Farms. They support the estate’s mission of education and preservation through their membership contributions.

Joseph and Ann Somerset, Co-Chairs, Riverwood on Union Farm

Tyler and Jacquie Brown, Stratford on the Potomac on River Farm

Bob and DeNise Enck, Riverside Estates on Muddy Hole Farm

Terry and Trisha Enright, Yacht Haven on Union Farm

Stephen Fahy and Marjorie Roddy, Stratford on the Potomac on River Farm

Mike Fijalka and Llarna Burnett, Stratford on the Potomac on River Farm

Daniel and Hyunjoo Fleming, Stratford Landing on River Farm

Matt and Audra Gannon, Riverwood on Union Farm

Barry and Tracy Hutchison, Stratford Landing on River Farm

Ralph and Jennifer Letizia, Waynewood on River Farm

David McCallum and Victoria Grady, Wellington on River Farm

Michael and Magda Patrick, River Farm

Joshua Pinedo and Rachael Glaws, Riverwood on Union Farm

Mark Platt and Julia McLellan, Fields of Woodlawn on Dogue Run Farm

Jaeson and Stephanie Scott, Riverwood Estates on Muddy Hole Farm

Larry and Kathleen Spoth, Surrey-at-the-Potomac on Forest adjacent to Mansion House Farm

Gregory and Kristin Try, Waynewood on River Farm

32 The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association

Lead Sponsor

Sea Cloud Cruises

Platinum

John and Stavroula Alachnowicz

Richard A. and Janice M. Crosby

Rachel Glaws and Joshua Pinedo

Julia Gluck

Historic Hotels of America

Joseph and Ann Somerset

Gold

Richard and Julie Crosby

Lee Ann Goodyear

Victoria Grady and David McCallum

Jack and Pat Veatch

Silver

Red and Sheri Cavaney

Daniel K. Chandler and Neysa M. Slater-Chandler

Stephen Fahy and Marjorie Roddy

Jim and Jo Carol Porter

Bronze

The Fijalka Living Trust

Robert Highsmith and Sarah Fogg

Scott Hoppe

Holliday L. Hurd and Gus Polichron

John Kerby and Theresa Thompson

Charles and Hadley Kimberlin

Patron

Ms. Jeanne M. Defliese and CAPT James D. Huck, USN (Ret)

Gina and Michael Giordano

Robert and Mimie Helm

Brig Gen (Ret) and Mrs. Lynn C. Hooper

Ms. Marcia V. Mayo

Paul and Janis Mikolashek

Lt Col Amy and Kenneth Mitchell

Wanda and Roger Monthey

Carol Kunes Randall

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Travis

Stacy and John Wilkirson

Robert Wright and Charlotte Sallfors

SECURING OUR FUTURE

The Founders, Washington Committee for Historic Mount Vernon

The Founders Committee hosted its annual fundraising event on June 2. The proceeds supported the conservation of paintings, frames, and chairs in the New Room as part of the Mansion Revitalization Project. More than 180 guests enjoyed cocktails on the east lawn, a buffet dinner, views of the Potomac River, tours of the Mansion, and an opportunity to see some of the cherry bottles excavated from the Mansion’s cellar.

Founders Committee Members

The Founders, Washington Committee is a group of patriotic women from the Washington metropolitan area. Since 1980, their fundraising has supported myriad programs and projects furthering the mission of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. Their ardent work has added immeasurably to the Mount Vernon experience.

Mrs. I. Townsend Burden III, Chair, Washington, DC

Mrs. Geoffrey B. Baker, Washington, DC

Mrs. Edmund Bartlett III, Chevy Chase, MD

Mrs. Peter Boer, Golf, FL

Miss Edith H. Brewster, Washington, DC

Mrs. Brice M. Clagett, Sarasota, FL

Mrs. James M. Costan, Washington, DC

Mrs. H. Richard Dietrich III, Chevy Chase, MD

Mrs. Eric P. Fraunfelter, Bethesda, MD

Mrs. James C. Gerber, Chevy Chase, MD

Mrs. Ian Glenday, Washington, DC

Mrs. Lee Bradford Guerry, Alexandria, VA

Mrs. Constance B. Harriman, Washington, DC

Mrs. Jeffrey P. Hart, Washington, DC

Mrs. Joseph W. Henderson III, Berryville, VA

Mrs. Mark J. Kington, Alexandria, VA

Ms. Martha Dippell Korengold, Chevy Chase, MD

Mrs. Jeremiah D. Lambert, Washington, DC

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

Mrs. I. Guyman Martin III, Washington, DC

Ms. Marcia V. Mayo, Washington, DC

Mrs. Thayer Sargent McGregor, Chevy Chase, MD

Mrs. David B. Morgan, Chevy Chase, MD

Mrs. Thomas E. Petri, Fond du Lac, WI and Washington, DC

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

Mrs. John Daniel Reaves, Chevy Chase, MD

Mrs. Robin D. Roberts, Washington, DC

Mrs. Kristina Schendt, Chevy Chase, MD

Mrs. William E. Schuiling, Alexandria, VA

Mrs. Catharine Trauernicht Scott, McLean, VA

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

Mrs. Lucille Anderson Streeter, Washington, DC

Ms. Hilary C. West, Washington, DC

Ms. Frances C. Wheeler, Delaplane, VA

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

Miss Eleonore Wotherspoon, Emerita, Northport, MI

Martha Washington

Anonymous

Benefactor

Anonymous

Lindalee Fitton

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

Ms. Marcia V. Mayo

Leader

Mary T. Bartlett

Valerie K. Burden

Diana S. Clagett

Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Helm

Ann and Knight Kiplinger

Sanda and Jerry Lambert

David and Nancy Morgan

Catharine Trauernicht Scott and K. Dunlop Scott

Patron

Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey B. Baker

Mary and David Giachetti

Penn Natanson Lupovich, M.D.

Mr. and Mrs. I. Guyman Martin III

Mrs. Thayer S. McGregor

Anne Neal Petri and Thomas E. Petri

Beth and Robin Roberts

Mrs. Karen M. Schuiling

Sam J. Soffa

Frances Culp Wheeler

Sponsor

John and Stavroula Alachnowicz

Ellen Boer

Ann and John Bookout

Irving and Nancy Chase

Mrs. H. Richard Dietrich III

Martha Dippell and Danny Korengold

Emilia Newell Ferrara

Harriet and Eric Fraunfelter

Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gerber

Mr. and Mrs. John Gerber

Lee Bradford Guerry and Witney W. Schneidman

The Honorable Constance Harriman and The Honorable Ed Whitfield

Mrs. Jeffrey P. Hart

Lucia and Joe Henderson

John and Ruth Huber

Holliday L. Hurd and Gus Polichron

Mr. Garett Jones

Ann and Mark Kington

Jed and Blythe Lyons

Cathy and Mike Mayton

Mrs. Michael R. Miller

C. Braxton Moncure, Trustee

Jean Perin

Catherine Porter and James Fuller

Mr. and Mrs. John Daniel Reaves

Thomas G. and Kristina I. Schendt

Cheryl Sharp

Kate Shuster

Mr. and Mrs. Richard H. Streeter

Katherine J. Ward, Colonel USAF (Ret)

Corinne Birdsong Winburn

Miss Eleonore Wotherspoon

Mrs. Carol A. Yarnall

The Life Guard Society of Historic Mount Vernon

On October 17, the Life Guard Society commemorated the 200th anniversary, to the day, of the Marquis de Lafayette’s 1824 visit to Mount Vernon to pay his respects at the Tomb of George Washington. Nearly 375 guests were welcomed to the black-tie gala by the recreated First Virginia Regiment and called to dinner with artillery salutes that echoed the enthusiastic welcome the Marquis de Lafayette received upon his arrival in Alexandria. Guests engaged with a Lafayette reenactor and enjoyed dancing and fireworks after dinner. The event proceeds supported the revitalization of the Mansion.

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 their time, talent, and resources to help with a wide variety of signature projects focused on Mount Vernon’s mission.

Mrs. Kim David, Chair, Baltimore, MD

Mrs. Stavroula Alachnowicz, Executive Committee, Alexandria, VA

Ms. Cricket Bauer, Executive Committee, Alexandria, VA

Mr. Robert W. Helm, Executive Committee, Ellicott City, MD

Mr. John H. Kerby II, Executive Committee, Arlington, VA

Jennifer Burkhart London, Ph.D., Executive Committee, McLean, VA

Mrs. Barbara J. Becker, Alexandria, VA

Mrs. Ellen Boer, Golf, FL

Mr. Thomas Bogle, Vienna, VA

Mr. Donald Bogus, Williamsburg, VA

Mr. Michael J. Brown, Delray Beach, FL

Mrs. Sheri Cavaney, Alexandria, VA

Mr. Daniel K. Chandler, Alexandria, VA

The Hon. Sean Connaughton, Alexandria, VA

Mr. Richard A. Crosby, Alexandria, VA

Ms. Jeanne M. Defliese, Alexandria, VA

Mr. William Downey, Williamsburg, VA

Mr. Akram R. Elias, College Park, MD

Miss Elizabeth L. Elser, Fox Point, WI

Mrs. Lindalee Fitton, Alexandria, VA

Dr. Robert Highsmith, Dumfries, VA

Mrs. Holliday L. Hurd, Alexandria, VA

Mr. Peter C. Keefe, Alexandria, VA

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

Mr. Steven Kelmar, Alexandria, VA

Mr. Gerald L. Kohlenberger, McLean, VA

Ms. Alice Gregory Legum, Annapolis, MD

Mr. James H. Lemon, Jr. ‡, Arlington, VA

Mr. Shane McCullar, Alexandria, VA

Mr. James D. Penny, Williamsburg, VA

Mrs. Jo Carol Porter, Fairfax Station, VA

Ms. Lola C. Reinsch, Arlington, VA

Mr. Edmund P. Ryan, Alexandria, VA

Mrs. Ilona Savage, Alexandria, VA

Mrs. Karen M. Schuiling, Alexandria, VA

Ms. Kate Shuster, Alexandria, VA

Mr. Jeffrey L. Steele, Bethesda, MD

Mr. Paul S. Stevens, Alexandria, VA

Mr. Richard J. J. Sullivan, Jr., Babylon, NY

Ms. Debra Tash, Somis, CA

Miss Eleonore Wotherspoon, Northport, MI

Mr. Cyrus A. Ansary, Emeritus, Bethesda, MD

Dr. Peter H. Cressy, Emeritus, Falls Church, VA

Ms. Claire Dwoskin, Emerita, Arlington, VA

Mrs. T. Eugene Smith, Emerita, McLean, VA

= Deceased

Major General

Maribeth and Hal Borthwick

Holliday L. Hurd and Gus Polichron

Drs. Amy and Bartley Richardson

Brigadier General

Mr. and Mrs. Red Cavaney

Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Crosby

Scott B. and Kimberly L. David

Manuel and Mary Johnson Foundation

Ann and Knight Kiplinger

Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson W. Kirby

Helen Herboth Laughery

Barbara and Ben Lucas

The Thomas F. and Clementine L.

Mullan Foundation, Inc.

Jeffrey and Barbara Steele

Wells Fargo Foundation

Aide-de-Camp

Cricket Bauer and Tim Messman

Marta Hallowell Black and David B. Black

Frank F. Islam and Debbie Driesman

Kathleen L. McCarthy

Jim and Jo Carol Porter

Stella Boyle Smith Trust, Catherine and Michael Mayton, Trustees

Catherine M. and Frederick H. Waddell

Colonel

John and Stavroula Alachnowicz

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher P. Aldredge

Robert and Mimie Helm

Dr. Robert Highsmith and Dr. Sarah Fogg

Stephen E. and Mary Sue Kitchen

James D. and Pamela J. Penny

Ann and John Pyne

Ann Cady Scott

Lieutenant Colonel

Gayle and Tom Benson

Charitable Foundation

Mary Lang Bishop and C. Morton Bishop III

James E. Bramsen

Daniel K. Chandler and Neysa M. Slater-Chandler

Sarah Miller Coulson

The Honorable and Mrs. James K. Coyne

Mr. Paul Dolan

Miss Elizabeth L. Elser

Roger W. Ferguson, Jr. and Annette L. Nazareth

Elisabeth French

Mary and David Giachetti

Elizabeth and Sheffield Hale

Adrian and Larsen Jay

John H. Kerby and Theresa Thompson

Janet and Jerry Kohlenberger

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Laderer

Mrs. Anne Lantry

Alice and Harry Legum

Jacqueline B. Mars

Frank and Liz Mauran

Ms. Jacqui Michel and Mr. David E. Weisman

Margaret H. and David E. Nichols

Lois M. Passman

Anne Neal Petri and Thomas E. Petri

Alden and Amy Philbrick

Mr. and Mrs. J. Schley Rutherford

Ed and Lori Ryan

Andrea and Kenan Sahin

Mrs. Karen Schuiling

Richard J.J. and Gail F. Sullivan

Susan M. and P. Coleman Townsend, Jr.

Bob and Louise Tritt

W. Patrick Wilson and Jason Geske

The Marquis de Lafayette at George Washington’s Tomb, c. 1824, watercolor and needlework on silk Gift of Marta Hallowell Black, 2023

SECURING OUR FUTURE

The Connoisseur Society

The Connoisseur Society’s 2024 contributions supported reproduction lighting in the Mansion, in conjunction with the Mansion Revitalization Project. On May 30 and 31, the Connoisseur Society held its annual homecoming event in Washington, D.C. The group toured the newly refurbished Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the United States Department of State with Virginia Hart, director and curator of the Diplomatic Rooms and member of the Founders Committee; the Presidential Portraits exhibition in the National Portrait Gallery; and the home and art collection of Dr. and Mrs. Robert Joseph, owners of the historic Lafayette House in Alexandria, where General Lafayette stayed during his grand tour of America in 1824. Dinner followed at the home of the Connoisseur Society chair.

In addition, the group enjoyed a curator-led tour of recent acquisitions for the permanent Mount Vernon collection .

Connoisseur Society Members

The Connoisseur Society is a group of George Washington enthusiasts who are dedicated to the acquisition, preservation, conservation, and exhibition of Mount Vernon’s rich and diverse collections.

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

Mrs. Irene Roosevelt B. Aitken, New York, NY

Mrs. Cyndy Alaimo, Charlottesville, VA

Margaret Appleton Allison, Seattle, WA

Marta Hallowell Black, Denville, NJ

Ann Haunschild Bookout, Houston, TX

Mrs. Nadene Bradburn, Mount Vernon, VA

Marjorie McHenry Bride, Cambridge, MA

Mrs. Ann Coffin, Chestnut Hill, MA

Mrs. M. L. Coolidge, Charlottesville, VA

Sarah Miller Coulson, Bryn Mawr, PA

Ms. Juliana Falk, Charleston, SC

Mr. James L. Freeman

and Mrs. Laura Lofaro-Freeman, Palm Beach, FL

Mrs. Carolyn S. Fuller, Winston Salem, NC

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Gilbane, Cape Elizabeth, ME

Mrs. Julia C. Gluck, Alexandria, VA

Mr. Joseph P. Gromacki, Chicago, IL

Mrs. Bessie Hanahan, Charleston, SC

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

Elizabeth Whitesides Holdsworth, Naples, FL

Matt Holland, Burlington, NC

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

Mrs. Virginia C. Mars ‡, McLean, VA

Mr. James D. Marsteller, Atlanta, GA

Liz Rollins Mauran, Providence, RI

Mr. David Maxfield, Washington, DC

Mr. and Mrs. Edwin McCarthy, White Bear Lake, MN

Leander and Stephanie McCormick-Goodhart, Mechanicsville, MD

Ms. Pauline C. Metcalf, New York, NY

The Honorable Mary V. Mochary, Montclair, NJ

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

Margaret Hartman Nichols, York Harbor, ME

Jean Perin, Middleburg, VA

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

The Honorable Trevor A. Potter and Mr. Dana Westring, Marshall, VA

Ann Sherrill Pyne, New York, NY

Mrs. Barbara G. Robinson, Greenwich, CT

Andrea Notman Sahin, Boston, MA

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

Mrs. Stanley DeForest Scott, New York, NY

Mrs. Eleanor R. Seaman, Hobe Sound, FL

Jean Armfield Sherrill, Winston Salem, NC

Mr. Steven Spandle and Mr. Kev Massoyan, Hoboken, NJ

Mrs. Suzanne M. Spencer, Pittsford, NY

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

Ms. Mary Ann Way, Alexandria, VA

Mr. David E. Weisman and Ms. Jacqui Michel, Palm Beach, FL

Mr. Wallace S. Wilson, Houston, TX

Mount Vernon Travel Program

The Mount Vernon Travel Program took place in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and southern Maine from September 12–17. The program included a tour for members of the Connoisseur Society and one for major donors to Mount Vernon. Both trips included exclusive and behind-the-scenes opportunities to visit historic sites, enjoy private tours of the region’s most important historic homes, and savor delicious meals in distinct locations reflecting this unique area. The two groups combined for a Saturday night dinner, during which President & CEO Doug Bradburn interviewed historian Eliga Gould about the region’s historic significance.

SECURING OUR FUTURE

Spirit of Mount Vernon

More than 750 guests from the government affairs community attended the 23rd annual Spirit of Mount Vernon event on October 3. Guests from the corporate, association, and consulting communities, as well as policymakers, attended the event, which raised funds for Mount Vernon’s education and preservation mission. Guest speakers Carly Fiorina, national honorary chair of the Virginia 250 Commission, and the Honorable Carlos Del Toro, then-United States Secretary of the Navy, provided remarks. The evening featured a sunset reception, a performance by the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, fireworks, a whiskey-tasting bar hosted by the Distilled Spirits Council, dinner, and a live auction. The event continues to be a centerpiece of the government affairs community’s philanthropic giving.

Co-Chairs

Chester “Chip” Davis, Jr.

President & CEO

Healthcare Distribution Alliance

Matthew Haller

President & CEO

International Franchise Association

Katherine Lugar

Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs

Hilton

Peter Rowan

Vice President U.S. Public Affairs

Mars, Inc.

Presenting Sponsor

Ford Motor Company

Platinum Sponsor

Boeing Intuit

Lineage

Mars, Inc.

PhRMA

Virginia Distillery Company

Washingtonian

Gold Sponsor

Airports Council International

- North America

American Beverage Association

American Council of Life Insurers

American Petroleum Institute

Americans for Prosperity

AT&T

Bayer

Burke & Herbert Bank

ConocoPhillips

Healthcare Distribution Alliance

Hilton

International Franchise Association

National Association of Chain Drug Stores

National Confectioners Association

National Retail Federation

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association

Northrop Grumman

Raytheon Technologies

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Co-Sponsor

The Aluminum Association

American Bureau of Shipping

American Hotel & Lodging Association

Associated Equipment Distributors

Consumer Healthcare

Products Association

Cressy Family

Distilled Spirits Council of the United States

Fragrance Creators Association

Growth Energy

HR Policy Association

K&L Gates

Littler Mendelson

National Association of Realtors

National Drug & Alcohol

Screening Association

National Grocers Association

National Restaurant Association

PNC Financial Services Group

Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association

David and Linda Whitestone

Double Patron Sponsor

Cigna

Health Care Service Corporation

Pharmaceutical Care Management Association

Patron Sponsor

American Trucking Associations

Amway

Mary Lang Bishop and C. Morton Bishop

Breakthru Beverage

Bridgestone Americas

CDM Defense Materials

Cencora

CGCN Group

Corn Refiners Association

Cresa

Edison Electric Institute

Enterprise Mobility

Forbes Tate Partners

Global Cold Chain Alliance

Household & Commercial

Products Association

The Jefferson

LSG

McKesson

Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas)

Monument Advocacy

Moran Family

National Association of Home Builders

National Association of Manufacturers

Northern Trust

Plastics Industry Association

Dan Scandling and Tammy Eddy

Sikich

US Pharmacopeia

U.S. Travel Association

Vulcan Material

Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America

Individual Sponsor

American Society of Association Executives

Armanino

Associated General Contractors

The Breakers

The Council for Responsible Nutrition

Energy Equipment & Infrastructure Alliance

The Fertilizer Institute

Lockheed Martin

Summit Wealth Management

SECURING OUR FUTURE

Washington Cabinet

The Washington Cabinet’s annual gathering took place on November 7-8. The event included a day of exclusive, behind-the-scenes tours, lunch in the Greenhouse, and a special dinner at the George Washington Presidential Library. It culminated with the annual meeting, where members were briefed on Mount Vernon’s critical projects and looked ahead to 2026.

Washington Cabinet Members

Members of the Washington Cabinet serve as ambassadors for Mount Vernon, raising the estate’s profile nationally and advocating for its mission and efforts. Through investments of time, influence, and resources, members of the Washington Cabinet are committed to supporting Mount Vernon’s education and preservation mission.

David M. Rubenstein, Chair, Washington, DC

Steven C. Anderson and Kathleen Jaeger Anderson, Great Falls, VA

Theodore H. Ashford, Rockland, DE

Richard Brown and Mary Jo Otsea, New York, NY

Mr. and Mrs. Walter W. Buckley III, Wayne, PA

Dr. Peter H. Cressy (RADM USN-RET), Falls Church, VA

Dick and Betsy DeVos, Grand Rapids, MI

Mr. Remmel Tyndall Dickinson, Little Rock, AR

Martha Dippell and Daniel Korengold, Chevy Chase, MD

Claire Dwoskin, Arlington, VA

Heather Burns Eagon and J. Kenyon Eagon, Portland, OR

Jean and Rob Estes, Richmond, VA

Nicole Gresham Honeyman and R. Stewart Honeyman, New York, NY

Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman, Potomac, MD

Manley and Mary Johnson, Upperville, VA

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Klehm III, Morristown, NJ

Michelle and John Korsmo, McLean, VA

Sanda and Jeremiah Lambert, Washington, DC

The Honorable Terri Lynn Land and Daniel Tedford Hibma, Wyoming, MI

Anne L. Lantry, Washington, DC

Ruth and Mike Lipper, Summit, NJ

Barry L. MacLean, Libertyville, IL

Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Mars, McLean, VA

Jacqueline B. Mars, New York, NY

John and Adrienne Mars, Jackson, WY

Dr. and Mrs. J. Mario Molina, South Pasadena, CA

Brian Murdock, Vero Beach, FL

Susan K. Neely, Chevy Chase, MD

Mr. and Mrs. C. Ashton Newhall, Lantana, FL

George Overend, Atlanta, GA

Mr. and Mrs. Jin and Julieann Park, Portland, OR

Dailey and Gordon Pattee, New York, NY

Mrs. Margot B. Perot, Dallas, TX

Bruce A. Ragsdale and Richard G. Scobey, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

H. Pat and Trudy Ritz, Tualatin, OR

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas D. Rutherfoord, Jr., Washington, DC

Jordan D. Schnitzer, Portland, OR

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

Shelby and Andrew Silvernail, Lake Forest, IL

David and Ilene Smith, Chevy Chase, MD

Ambassador Juan Ernesto Snead and Mrs. Gloria McCall Snead, Dallas, TX

Alice M. Starr, Waco, TX

Mr. Gray Stevens and Ms. Lori Pheasant, Naples, FL

Mary and Steven Swig, San Francisco, CA

Rob and Jamie Taylor, Park City, UT

Bob and Louise Tritt, Kansas City, MO

The Honorable Lee L. Verstandig and Toni G. Verstandig, Washington, DC

Karen Buchwald Wright, Mount Vernon, OH

Mansion Preservation Year in Numbers

35

18TH -CENTURY GLASS BOTTLES DISCOVERED IN THE CELLAR TEN TREES

HARVESTED FROM THE ESTATE AND USED AS TIMBER FOR THE MANSION

Linear Feet of New Sill 166

Thirty-Nine New Floor Joists

22 FEET

Depth of brick inspection in the cellar’s drywell

Financial Highlights

eorge Washington valued fiscal responsibility in all his business ventures. The MVLA carries on this timeless tradition of responsible spending and engages in robust fundraising. We are proud to have spent 85 cents of every dollar received directly on programs connected to our mission, including historic preservation and collections initiatives, educational outreach efforts, and enhancements to the guest experience. We allocated just 8 percent of our funds to inspire generous citizens to support our mission. Thanks to our conservative financial management, our administrative costs accounted for only 7 percent of our total expenditures. Our 2024 audited financial statements are available at mountvernon.org/about or by request from our Finance Department.

ACQUISITIONS

Fine and Decorative Arts Collection

Silver meat skewer, owned by George Washington, made by Ephraim Brasher, New York, 1790

Gift: Jess and Grace Pavey Fund

Fragment of George Washington’s military sash, in late 19th-century gold locket

Gift of the Youth Museum, Marietta, Georgia

His Excellency General Washington / Lady Washington, engraving after John Trumbull, c. 1785

Gift of Marta Hallowell Black

Three portrait medallions, made by Wedgwood or Wedgwood and Bentley, Staffordshire, England: George Washington, black basalt, 1777–1780, and blue jasperware, 1790–1800; Benjamin Franklin, black basalt, 1775–1780

Gift: Jess and Grace Pavey Fund

Portrait medallion, Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, blue jasperware, made by Wedgwood, Staffordshire, England, 1789–1792

Acquired through the generosity of Rosalind Pretzfelder

Child’s printed cotton handkerchief, The Effect of Principle / Behold the Man, attributed to Germantown Printworks, Germantown, Pennsylvania, 1806–1830

Gift of Robert D. and Carol L. Warrington

Gold bracelet with seeds from Kentucky coffee trees grown at Mount Vernon, c. 1861, owned by John Augustine Washington III

Purchased by the William and Lisa Moore Acquisition Endowment Fund

English mahogany pole screen, London, c. 1760

Gift of Jerry Dalton

Mount Vernon from the Potomac, painting by Thomas Hill, 1869

Acquired through the generosity of the Jay F. and Patricia P. Hill Family Fund in memory of Patricia P. Hill

Washington – 1783, drawing by Rembrandt Peale, 1855

Acquired through the generosity of the Jay F. and Patricia P. Hill Family Fund in memory of Patricia P. Hill

St. John the Evangelist, pastel painting in original frame, owned by George Washington, probably made in Italy, 1750–1770 Purchase

Silver pudding dish, from Eleanor Calvert and John Parke Custis wedding silver, made by John Carter II, London, 1774–1775

Bequest of the estate of Mary Lee Bowman

Portrait of Eleanor Calvert Custis Stuart, painted by Charles Willson Peale, c. 1770–1774 Gift of Michael Magruder

Silver caster, part of cruet set owned by George Washington, made by Samuel Wood, London, 1736–1737; and English silver caster, made 1727–1728, with later Washington crest Gift of Mary Lee Bowman and Robert E. Lee IV

Portland vase, black and white jasperware, made by Josiah Wedgwood, Staffordshire, England, first edition, 1790, with lock of George Washington’s hair Purchased by the William and Lisa Moore Acquisition Endowment Fund

The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association

The Apotheosis of Washington, reverse painting on glass, after John James Barralet, made in China, 1802–1810

Purchased by the A. Alfred Taubman Acquisition Endowment Fund

Washington Walking in the Garden, painted by Stanley Massey Arthurs, c. 1925

Gift of Susan Marshall Townsend, Vice Regent for Delaware, and P. Coleman Townsend

Lafayette commemorative basin and two pitchers made in Staffordshire, England, c. 1825, and seven pieces of blue and white Chinese export porcelain similar to tableware owned by George and Martha Washington, 1760–1790

Acquired through the generosity of anonymous donors in honor of Mindy Fetterman

Eight pieces of blue and white Chinese export porcelain similar to tableware owned by George and Martha Washington, 1760–1800

Acquired through the generosity of the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation

George Washington and Lafayette at Mount Vernon, painting after Thomas Pritchard Rossiter and Louis Remy Mignot, after 1859

Gift of Joan Alexander Worrall

The following items were purchased by the A. Alfred Taubman Acquisition Endowment Fund:

Sacred to the Memory of the Truly Illustrious George Washington, silk embroidered picture attributed to Elizabeth Miltimore, c. 1809

Louisa Bird Cunningham with her children, Ann Pamela, John, and Benjamin Cunningham, painted c. 1827

Monument to Mary Ball Washington engraved by David Johnson, c. 1830

Commemorative pitcher, “America

Lamenting the Death of Her Favorite Son,” transfer-printed creamware made in Staffordshire, England, 1800–1805

The Destruction of the Bastille, drawn by Étienne-Louis-Denis Cathala, 1789, presented to George Washington by the Marquis de Lafayette Courtesy of Ambassador Nicholas F. Taubman

Selected Loans

The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association is grateful for loans of original art, artifacts, documents, and period objects:

Rare books owned by George Washington, The History of the Rise, Progress, and Establishment, of the Independence of the United States of America: including an Account of the Late War; and of the Thirteen Colonies, from their Origin to that Period (4 vols.), by William Gordon (London: printed for the author; and sold by Charles Dilly and James Buckland, 1788)

Courtesy of Ambassador Nicholas F. Taubman

Gold ring with George Washington’s hair, owned by Lafayette’s daughter Anastasie, and Lafayette commemorative gloves

Courtesy of Marta Hallowell Black

Silver salver with Washington crest, likely made by Richard Humphreys, Philadelphia, c. 1783; three silver bottle tags and knee buckle, made in England, 18th century; and portrait miniature of George Washington Parke Custis, painted by Robert Field, 1801

Courtesy of an anonymous lender

Fragment of silk gown owned by Martha Washington, 1750–1790

Courtesy of a Custis descendent

Ten jasperware medallions of French Revolution subjects, made by Wedgwood, Staffordshire, England, 1789–1792

Promised gift of Rosalind Pretzfelder

Two-bottle wine cooler, Sheffield silverplate, c. 1789, presented by George Washington to Secretary of War James McHenry

Courtesy of Marjorie McHenry Bride

The Mount Vernon Ladies’

ACQUISITIONS

Library Collection Highlights

Presidential pardon signed by George Washington for David Blair, April 15, 1794

Purchased by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Books and Manuscripts Endowment

Photograph of U.S. President Harry S. Truman placing a wreath on Washington’s tomb, February 22, 1947

Purchased by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Books and Manuscripts Endowment

1783 Six Favorite Sonatas for the Piano Forte or Harpsichord, with an Accompaniment Obligato for a Violin… by Luigi Boccherini and Giuseppe Diettenhofer (St. Martin’s Lane, London: T. Skillern, 1783), owned and signed by Ann Blackburn Washington Gift of the Missouri State Museum; original gift of Mrs. Virginia B. Harding Ferguson

Documents: Letter from George Washington to General Edward Hand, February 6, 1780; Invitation, George Washington to Edward Hand, undated; Invitation, John Adams to Edward Hand, February 14, 1800

Gift of Davis Bennett

True copy of deed between Maurice Veal II and Edward Bush, made for Augustine Washington, November 28, 1737

Purchased with funds provided by Gary and Barbie Coleman, and Greg and Joan Stephenson

Ephemera: Movie props, map, and letter from National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets, 2007. Purchased by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Books and Manuscripts Endowment

The Ted and Mary Wendell Early American Collection: 47 documents, 10 maps, and 1 map slipcase. Including 25 documents written, annotated, or signed by George Washington Gift of Ted and Mary Wendell

Survey by George Washington for John Elswick, April 16, 1751

Letter from George Washington to John Hancock, March 29, 1777

Survey by George Washington for Walter Shirley, May 1, 1751

52 The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association

Purchased by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Books and Manuscripts Endowment

Purchased by the David M.

Rare Books and Manuscripts Endowment

Letter from George Washington to Theodorick Bland, April 4, 1783

Salt print photograph of George Washington Parke Custis by Col. B. F. Hawkes, 1854

Rubenstein

The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association

Program Committees

EXECUTIVE

Officers

Margaret Nichols, Regent (2021–2024)

Andrea Sahin, Secretary (2021–2024)

Anne Petri, Treasurer (2021–2024)

Members-at-Large

Catherine Waddell (2021–2023)

Susan Townsend (2022–2024)

Adrian Jay (2023-2025)

GOVERNANCE

Lucia Henderson, Chair

Mary Bishop

Maribeth Borthwick

Sarah Coulson

Andrea Sahin

Catherine Waddell

Hilary West

AUDIT

Cammie Mayer, Chair

Elizabeth Hale

Karen Kirby

Liz Mauran

Susan McCarthy

Hilary West

COLLECTIONS

Ann Bookout, Chair

Sarah Coulson

Adrian Jay

Helen Laughery

Catherine Mayton

Susan McCarthy

Ann Pyne

DEVELOPMENT

Karen Kirby, Chair

Mary Bishop

Helen Laughery

Catherine Mayton

Ann Scott

Susan Townsend

EDUCATION

Catherine Waddell, Chair

Helen Laughery

Liz Mauran

Susan McCarthy

Anne Petri

Ann Pyne

Ann Scott

Hilary West

FINANCE

Ann Bookout, Chair

Maribeth Borthwick

Sarah Coulson

Lucia Henderson

Anne Petri

Ann Scott

HORTICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, & FORESTRY

Catherine Mayton, Chair

Sarah Alijani

Mary Bishop

Elizabeth Hale

Virginia Lane

Cammie Mayer

Anne Petri

Susan Townsend

Hilary West

INVESTMENT

Maribeth Borthwick, Chair

Sarah Alijani

Adrian Jay

Helen Laughery

Catherine Mayton

Susan Townsend

Catherine Waddell

LIBRARY & LEADERSHIP

Sarah Coulson, Chair

Ann Bookout

Maribeth Borthwick

Karen Kirby

Anne Petri

Catherine Waddell

Hilary West

MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS

Liz Mauran, Chair

Elizabeth Hale

Lucia Henderson

Adrian Jay

Laura Rutherford

PRESERVATION

Susan Townsend, Chair

Sarah Alijani

Elizabeth Hale

Lucia Henderson

Karen Kirby

Cammie Mayer

Liz Mauran

Andrea Sahin

VIEWSHED

Virginia Lane, Chair

Elizabeth Hale

Adrian Jay

Liz Mauran

Laura Rutherford

Hilary West

Mount Vernon Ladies’

Ad Hoc Committees & Task Forces

CAMPAIGN FOR MOUNT VERNON

Andrea Sahin, Co-Chair

Catherine Waddell, Co-Chair

Karen Kirby, Development Liaison

PAVILION TASK FORCE

Ann Scott, Chair

Lucia Henderson

Helen Laughery

Cammie Mayer

Susan Townsend

QUARTERS TASK FORCE

Sarah Coulson, Chair

Maribeth Borthwick

Ann Pyne

Susan Townsend

TRADITIONS & GRACIOUSNESS

Laura Rutherford, Chair

Mary Bishop

Catherine Mayton

Record of the Members of the MVLA

Regents

Miss Ann Pamela Cunningham, 1853–1874; resigned 1874; died May 1, 1875

Mrs. J. Scott Laughton, (née Lily Macalester, later Madame Berghmans), 1874; died 1891

Mrs. Howard Townsend, 1891–1909; died 1912

Miss Harriet Clayton Comegys, 1909; died 1927

Mrs. Alice Haliburton Richards, 1927; died 1936

Mrs. Horace Mann Towner, 1937; died 1942

Mrs. Lucien M. Hanks, 1943–1948; died 1959

Mrs. Albert Harkness, (formerly Mrs. Thomas Ives Hare Powel), 1948–1958; died 1974

Mrs. Francis F. Beirne, 1958–1968; died 1969

Mrs. Thomas Turner Cooke, 1968–1976; died 1993

Mrs. John H. Guy, Jr., 1976–1982; died 2016

Mrs. Thomas Dunaway Anderson, 1982–1986; died 2013

Mrs. Robert Channing Seamans, Jr., 1986–1990; died 2010

Mrs. Clarence Morton Bishop, Jr., 1990–1993; died 2007

Mrs. H. Taylor Morrissette, 1993–1996

Mrs. Robert E. Lee IV, 1996–1999; died 2019

Mrs. James M. Walton, 1999–2004

Mrs. Stanley N. Gaines, 2004–2007

Mrs. Shepard B. Ansley, 2007–2010; died 2016

Ann Haunschild Bookout, 2010–2013

Barbara Bourgeois Lucas, 2013–2016

Sarah Miller Coulson, 2016-2021

Margaret Hartman Nichols, 2021-2024

Anne Neal Petri, 2024-

Vice Regents

ALABAMA

Madame Henry S. LeVert, 1858; died 1877

Mrs. Hilary Herbert, 1882; died 1884

Miss Leila Herbert, 1894; died 1897

Mrs. Robert D. Johnston, 1900; died 1934

Mrs. Morris Williams Bush, 1946; resigned 1959; died 1971

Mrs. Preston H. Haskell, Jr., 1963; died 1971

Mrs. H. Taylor Morrissette, 1983; resigned 2001; Regent 1993–1996; Vice Regent Emerita 2002

Laura Peebles Rutherford, 2005

ARIZONA

Mrs. Arthur Newton Pack, 1962; resigned 1984; Vice Regent Emerita 1985; died 2000

ARKANSAS

Mrs. Robert Ward Johnson, 1859; died 1862

Mrs. Charles Gordon Scott, 1872; resigned 1878; died 1910

Mrs. Celsus Price Perrie, 1919; resigned 1922; died 1938

Mrs. J. Fairfax Loughborough, 1932; died 1962

Mrs. Henry Hollenberg (formerly Mrs. John McCaughey Harrison), 1970; resigned 1982; Associate Vice Regent 1982; died 2011

Mrs. Sam Buchanan, 1995; resigned 2006; Vice Regent Emerita 2007

Catherine Hamilton Mayton, 2012

CALIFORNIA

Mrs. William Blanding, 1859; resigned 1884; died 1885

Mrs. George Hearst, 1889; resigned 1918; died 1919

Mrs. Charles S. Wheeler, 1920; resigned 1940; died 1952

Mrs. Lockwood de Forest, 1956; died 1984

Mrs. Richard W. Call, 1984; resigned 2001; Vice Regent Emerita 2002

Maribeth Armstrong Borthwick, 2002

COLORADO

Mrs. Nathaniel P. Hill, 1889; died 1908

Mrs. Horton Pope, 1919; resigned 1947; died 1950

Mrs. David A. Pfaelzer, 1970; resigned 1986; Vice Regent Emerita 1986; died 2019

Mrs. Eileen M. Olander, formerly Vice Regent for Kansas, 1986; resigned 1995; Vice Regent Emerita 1995; died 2015

Mrs. Andrew W. Armour IV, 1996; resigned 2000

Judith Wilson Grant, 2017; died 2020

Sarah Seaman Alijani, 2022

CONNECTICUT

Mrs. Samuel G. Goodrich, 1858; resigned 1864; died 1868

Mrs. Susan E. Johnson Hudson, 1870; died 1913

Miss Annie Burr Jennings, 1915; died 1939

Mrs. Wilmarth S. Lewis, 1942; died 1959

Mrs. Clifton McCausland Bockstoce, 1965; resigned 1990; Vice Regent Emerita 1990; died 1995

Clare N. Cooley Edwards, 1992; resigned 2017; Vice Regent Emerita 2018

DELAWARE

Mrs. Joseph P. Comegys, 1858; died 1888

Miss Harriet Clayton Comegys, 1888; resigned 1927; Regent 1909–1927; died 1927

Mrs. Antoine Lentilhon Foster, 1911; died 1934

Mrs. Thomas F. Bayard, 1937; resigned 1958; died 1975

Mrs. C. Lalor Burdick, 1961; resigned 1983; Vice Regent Emerita 1985; died 2007

Miss Elizabeth N. du Pont, 1985; resigned 1986; died 1989

Mrs. Nelson T. Shields III, 1987; resigned 2001; Vice Regent Emerita 2002

Mrs. Calhoun W. Wick, 2001; resigned 2004

Susan Marshall Townsend, 2005

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Mrs. George W. Riggs, Acting Vice Regent 1858; appointed 1867; resigned 1868; died 1871

Mrs. William H. Emory, 1870; resigned 1871; died 1900

Mrs. Joseph K. Barnes, 1873; died 1912

Miss Jane A. Riggs, 1912; died 1930

Miss Helen Louise Sargent, 1931; died 1948

Miss Constance Ellen Tyler, 1952; died 1963

Mrs. Randall H. Hagner, Jr., 1965; resigned 1991; died 2007

Mrs. Richard H. Streeter, 1992; resigned 2000; Associate Vice Regent 2000

Lucia Bosqui Henderson, 1999; resigned 2014 to become Vice Regent for Virginia

Mrs. Togo D. West, Jr., 2014; resigned 2017; Vice Regent Emerita 2018

Hilary Carter West, 2020

FLORIDA

Madame Achille Murat, 1858; died 1867

Mrs. David Levy Yulee, 1868; died 1884

Mrs. James M. Baker, 1888; died 1901

Mrs. Thomas Palmer Denham, 1913; resigned 1948; died 1950

Mrs. LeRoy Collins, 1961; resigned 1982; Vice Regent Emerita 1985; died 2009

Mrs. John K. Aurell, 1985; resigned 2000; Vice Regent Emerita 2000

Mrs. Stanley N. Gaines, 2000; resigned 2013; Regent 2004–2007; Vice Regent Emerita 2014

Claudia Puig Amundsen, 2014; resigned 2019; Vice Regent Emerita 2019

GEORGIA

Mrs. William J. Eve, 1858; died 1889

Mrs. Joseph John Wilder, 1891; died 1914

Mrs. Jefferson Randolph Anderson, 1919; resigned 1949; died 1956

Mrs. Barnwell Cubbedge, 1958; resigned 1969; died 1985

Mrs. Frank Anderson Chisholm, 1971; resigned 1986; Vice Regent Emerita 1986; died 2015

Boyce Lineberger Ansley, 1987; Regent 2007–2010; died 2016

Elizabeth Medlin Hale, 2018

IDAHO

Mrs. Richard R. Simplot, 1999; resigned 2010; Vice Regent Emerita 2011

ILLINOIS

Mrs. William Barry, 1859; died 1883

Mrs. Levi Z. Leiter, 1885; died 1913

Mrs. George A. Carpenter, 1916; resigned 1947; died 1948

Mrs. Henry Porter Isham, 1949; resigned 1972; died 1986

Mrs. Erskine Phelps Wilder, Jr., 1976; resigned 1992; Vice Regent Emerita 1992; died 2005

Mrs. Tyler R. Cain, 1994; resigned 2001; Associate Vice Regent 2001; died 2013

Catherine Marlette Waddell, 2013

INDIANA

Mrs. Graham Newell Fitch, 1859; died 1880

Mrs. Charles Denby, 1901; died 1906

Mrs. Benjamin D. Walcott, 1914; resigned 1932; died 1933

Mrs. Benjamin D. Hitz, 1936; resigned 1978; Honorary Vice Regent 1978; died 1979

Mrs. James T. Neal, 1982; resigned 1994; Vice Regent Emerita, 1994; died 2023

Mrs. Alpha Coles Blackburn, 2008; resigned 2014; Vice Regent Emerita 2014

IOWA

Mrs. VerPlanck Van Antwerp, 1858; died 1870

Mrs. John F. Dillon, 1872; resigned 1873; died 1898

Mrs. Horace Mann Towner, 1913; Regent 1937–1942; died 1942

Mrs. Charles Leslie Brockett (formerly Mrs. Douglas Nelson Gibson), 1955; resigned 1983; Vice Regent Emerita 1985; died 2000

KANSAS

Mrs. Milan Lester Ward, 1876; died 1910

Mrs. John V. Abrahams, 1916; resigned 1921

Mrs. John Reynolds Shelton, 1923; resigned 1930; died 1936

Mrs. Earl K. Lord, 1930; died 1956

Mrs. Eileen M. Olander, 1970; resigned 1986 to become Vice Regent for Colorado; resigned 1995; Vice Regent Emerita 1995; died 2015

Mrs. J. Craig McIlvain, 1993; resigned 2003; Associate Vice Regent, 2003

KENTUCKY

Mrs. Alexander Jeffrey, 1858; resigned 1885; died 1894

Mrs. George W. Woodward, 1885; resigned 1889, re-appointed 1891; died 1897

Mrs. William F. Barret, 1901; died 1920

Miss Mary Mason Scott, 1923; died 1934

Mrs. Mason Barret, 1938; resigned 1953; died 1955

Mrs. Walter N. Haldeman, 1960; resigned 1974; died 1984

Mrs. Phillip B. Newman III, 1985; resigned 2000; Vice Regent Emerita 2000; died 2017

LOUISIANA

Mrs. Isaac F. Morse, 1858; resigned 1872; died 1893

Mrs. David Urquhart, 1873; resigned 1876

Mrs. Tobias G. Richardson, 1880; died 1910

Miss Annie Ragan King, 1912; died 1933

Miss Sarah Duncan Butler, 1936; resigned 1960; died 1966

Mrs. Frank G. Strachan, 1963; resigned 1987; Vice Regent Emerita 1987; died 2000

Mrs. Donald J. Nalty, 1990; resigned 1999; Vice Regent Emerita 1999

Cameron Kock Mayer, 2000; resigned 2024; Vice Regent Emerita 2024

MAINE

Mrs. Josiah S. Little, 1858; resigned 1866; died 1893

Mrs. Lorenzo M. Sweat, 1866; died 1908

Mrs. Alice Haliburton Richards, 1911; Regent 1927; died 1936

Mrs. Harold Lee Berry, 1930; resigned 1968; died 1971

Mrs. William L. Vaughan, 1971; resigned 1987; Vice Regent Emerita 1987; died 2003

Mrs. Everett B. Carson, 1989; resigned 1992

Margaret Hartman Nichols, 2012; Regent 2021–2024

MARYLAND

Miss Emily L. Harper, 1866; died 1892

Mrs. George R. Goldsborough, 1893; resigned 1904; died 1906

Mrs. Henry W. Rogers, 1905; died 1931

Mrs. DeCourcy W. Thom, 1935; resigned 1946; died 1963

Mrs. Francis F. Beirne, 1948; Regent 1958–1968; died 1969

Mrs. Robert E. Lee IV (formerly Mrs. Carew C. Rice), 1972; resigned 2006; Regent 1996–1999; Vice Regent Emerita 2007; died 2019

Barbara Bourgeois Lucas, 2008, Regent 2013–2016; resigned 2017; Vice Regent Emerita 2018

MASSACHUSETTS

Mrs. Horatio Greenough, 1858; resigned 1865; died 1891

Miss Alice M. Longfellow, 1879; died 1928

Mrs. Nathaniel Thayer, 1930; died 1934

Mrs. John Templeman Coolidge, 1940; resigned 1948; died 1964

Mrs. Samuel Cabot, 1949; died 1969

Mrs. Robert Channing Seamans, Jr., 1975; Regent 1986–1990; resigned 1993; Vice Regent Emerita 1993; died 2010

Ms. Elizabeth M. Chapin, 1994; resigned 2008; Vice Regent Emerita 2008

Andrea Notman Sahin, 2011

MICHIGAN

Mrs. Elon Farnsworth 1858; resigned 1877; died 1879

Mrs. Joshua Henry Rathbone, 1885; resigned 1918; died 1923

Mrs. Edward H. Parker, 1923; died 1924

Mrs. Benjamin S. Warren, 1925; resigned 1959; died 1968

Mrs. Alexander L. Wiener, 1964; resigned 1989; Vice Regent Emerita 1989; died 1995

Mrs. Lloyd A. Semple, 1990; resigned 2006; Vice Regent Emerita 2007

MINNESOTA

Mrs. Henry H. Sibley, 1859; died 1869

Mrs. Charles Eugene Flandrau, 1889; died 1911

Mrs. Charles Eliot Furness, 1914; died 1935

Miss Anna E. Ramsey Furness, 1940; died 1964

Mrs. David Bradford, 1982; resigned 1992; Associate Vice Regent 1994; died 2004

Mrs. J. Hap Fauth, 1995; resigned 2007; Vice Regent Emerita 2008

Susan Brewster McCarthy, 2023

MISSISSIPPI

Mrs. William McWillie, 1858; died 1873

Mrs. William Balfour, 1873; resigned 1885; died 1887

Mrs. Kate Walthall Freeman, 1885; resigned 1888; died 1919

Mrs. Benjamin Sherrod Ricks, 1907; resigned 1914; died 1918

Miss Mary Govan Billups, 1916; resigned 1963; died 1971

Mrs. Stewart J. Gilchrist, 1974; resigned 1990; Vice Regent Emerita 1990; died 2019

Mrs. Stewart Gammill III, 1991; resigned 2011; Vice Regent Emerita 2011 ; died 2024

Susan Stevens Reeder, 2011; resigned 2022; Vice Regent Emerita 2022

MISSOURI

Mrs. Robert R. Walton, 1858; resigned 1859; died 1860

Mrs. Wilson Price Hunt, 1860; died 1878

Mrs. Robert Campbell, 1879; died 1882

Mrs. Benjamin Graham, 1893; died 1915

Mrs. Charles Nagel, 1916; resigned 1943; died 1951

Mrs. Marvin E. Holderness, 1948; resigned 1959 to become Vice Regent for Tennessee; died 1970

Mrs. Robert Neill, Jr., 1964; resigned 1973

Mrs. Tom K. Smith, Jr., 1982; resigned 1997; Vice Regent Emerita 1997; died 2023

Ann Cady Scott, 2010

NEBRASKA

Mrs. Robert H. Clarkson, 1894; resigned 1900; died 1902

Mrs. Charles F. Manderson, 1900; died 1916

Mrs. Alexander C. Troup, 1923; died 1950

NEVADA

Mrs. M. E. Hickman, 1866; resigned 1874

Mrs. John P. Jones, 1875; resigned 1876; died 1936

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Mrs. Salma Hale, 1858; resigned 1861; died 1865

Mrs. Onslow Stearns, 1866; resigned 1873; died 1895

Mrs. Abby Godwin Winder, 1890; died 1906

Miss Harriet L. Huntress, 1914; died 1922

Mrs. Gordon Woodbury, 1929; resigned 1949; died 1966

Mrs. John Lawrence Sullivan, 1952; resigned 1985; Vice Regent Emerita 1985; died 1994

NEW JERSEY

Miss Phebe A. Ogden, 1858; died 1865

Mrs. Nathaniel Norris Halsted, 1868; died 1891

Mrs. Francis S. Conover, 1893; died 1914

Mrs. Willard Hall Bradford, 1915; resigned 1939; died 1941

Mrs. Thomas Turner Cooke, 1946; resigned 1987; Regent 1968–1976; Vice Regent Emerita 1987; died 1993

Mrs. Stephen K. West, 1989; resigned 2005; Vice Regent Emerita 2006; died 2020

Elizabeth Whitesides Holdsworth, 2006; resigned 2017; Vice Regent Emerita 2018

Karen McCabe Kirby, 2020

NEW YORK

Miss Mary M. Hamilton (later Mrs. George Lee Schuyler), 1858; resigned 1866; died 1877

Mrs. James Brooks, 1867; resigned 1876; died 1882

Mrs. Howard Townsend, 1876; Regent 1891–1909; resigned 1909; died 1912

Mrs. Philip Schuyler, 1893; resigned 1894; died 1915

Miss Amy Townsend, 1894; died 1920

Mrs. Henry Gold Danforth, 1922; resigned 1948; died 1961

Ms. Thomas Stilwell Lamont, 1952; died 1972

Mrs. Douglas Williams, 1975; resigned 1994; Vice Regent Emerita 1994; died 2006

Mrs. Randolph H. Guthrie, 1996; resigned 2008; Vice Regent Emerita 2009

Ann Sherrill Pyne, 2019

NORTH CAROLINA

Mrs. P. K. Dickinson, 1858; resigned 1859; died 1881

Mrs. William Richmond Walker, 1859; died 1908

Mrs. Alexander Boyd Andrews, 1909; died 1915

Mrs. William Ewen Shipp, 1919; died 1936

Mrs. John Witherspoon Labouisse, 1944; resigned 1978; Honorary Vice Regent 1978; died 1985

Mrs. Thomas B. Battle, 1982; resigned 1999; Vice Regent Emerita 1999; died 2023

Jean Armfield Sherrill, 2002; resigned 2022; Vice Regent Emerita 2022

Carolyn Sherrill Fuller, 2023

OHIO

Mrs. George H. Pendleton, 1858; resigned 1863; died 1886

Mrs. Emily R. McIlvaine Hewson, 1866; resigned 1873; died 1904

Mrs. Samuel J. Broadwell, 1875; died 1890

Miss Mary Lloyd Pendleton, 1893; resigned 1897; died 1929

Mrs. James E. Campbell, 1897; resigned 1902; died 1913

Mrs. Lewis W. Irwin, 1907; died 1916

Mrs. Charles J. Livingood, 1919; resigned 1935; died 1936

Mrs. Chester C. Bolton, 1938; died 1977

Mrs. Kenyon C. Bolton, 1978; resigned 1989; Honorary Vice Regent 1989; died 2014

Mrs. Charles D. Weller, 1996; resigned 2001; Associate Vice Regent 2001

Melody Sawyer Richardson, 2003; resigned 2017; Vice Regent Emerita 2018

OKLAHOMA

Mrs. Russell Story Tarr, 1947; resigned 1974; died 1988

Mrs. William Vilas Hanks, 1978; resigned 1996; Vice Regent Emerita 1996; died 2006

Mary Elizabeth Creekmore Henke, 1999; resigned 2016, Vice Regent Emerita 2017

OREGON

Miss Mary F. Failing, 1907; died 1947

Mrs. Clarence M. Bishop, Jr., 1976; Regent 1990–1993; resigned 1996, Vice Regent Emerita 1997; died 2007

Mrs. James F. Crumpacker, 2001; resigned 2014; Vice Regent Emerita 2014

Mary Lang Bishop, 2017

PENNSYLVANIA

Mrs. J. Scott Laughton (née Lily Lytle Macalester; later, Madame Berghmans), 1859; Second Regent 1874–1891; died 1891

Mrs. J. Dundas Lippincott, 1893; died 1894

Mrs. Charles Custis Harrison, 1896; died 1922

Mrs. William R. Mercer, Jr., 1924; resigned 1928; died 1960

Mrs. Benjamin Franklin Pepper, 1929; resigned 1948; died 1955

Mrs. Henry Norris Platt, 1948; resigned 1983; died 1984

Mrs. Robert McAdoo (formerly Mrs. F. Woodson Hancock, Jr.), 1985; resigned 1988

Mrs. James M. Walton, 1991; Regent 1999–2004; resigned 2007; Vice Regent Emerita 2008

Sarah Miller Coulson, 2011; Regent 2016–2021

RHODE ISLAND

Mrs. George I. Chace, 1858; died 1893

Mrs. William Ames, 1894; died 1904

Mrs. John Carter Brown, 1907; resigned 1935; Honorary Vice Regent 1935; died 1936

Mrs. Albert Harkness (formerly Mrs. Thomas Ives Hare Powel), 1936; Regent 1948–1958; resigned 1971; died 1974

Mrs. Richard Alexander, 1978; resigned 1996; Vice Regent Emerita 1996; died 2019

Liz Rollins Mauran, 2009

SOUTH CAROLINA

Miss Ann Pamela Cunningham, Regent 1853–1874; resigned 1874; died 1875

Mrs. James Chesnut, Sr., 1860; died 1864

Mrs. Francis Wilkinson Pickens, 1866; died 1899

Mrs. John Julius Pringle, 1901; died 1921

Miss Virginia Leigh Porcher, 1924; died 1940

Mrs. Benjamin Allston Moore, 1948; resigned 1967; died 1987

Mrs. Daniel W. Hollis, 1970; resigned 1985; Vice Regent Emerita 1985; died 2015

Mrs. Benjamin A. Hagood, 1987; resigned 2002; Vice Regent Emerita 2003

Virginia Dawson Lane, 2003

TENNESSEE

Mrs. Francis B. Fogg, 1858; died 1872

Mrs. Aaron V. Brown, 1874; died 1889

Mrs. Thomas Shapard Webb (née Mary Polk Yeatman), 1893; died 1917

Mrs. Horace Van Deventer, 1920; died 1956

Mrs. Marvin E. Holderness, former Vice Regent for Missouri, 1959; died 1970

Mrs. Alex Pirtle, Jr, 1980; resigned 2000; Vice Regent Emerita 2000; died 2012

Mrs. David Bowlin, 2003; resigned 2003

Mrs. William Lipscomb Davis, Jr., 2006; resigned 2012; Vice Regent Emerita 2013

Adrian MacLean Jay, 2022

TEXAS

Miss Ella Hutchins, 1866; resigned 1872; died 1913

Miss Mary E. Maverick, 1873; resigned 1873; died 1891

Mrs. Thomas S. Maxey, 1896; Honorary Vice Regent 1937; died 1938

Mrs. John Mirza Bennett, 1940; died 1963

Mrs. Thomas Dunaway Anderson, 1967; Regent 1982–1986; resigned 1991; Vice Regent Emerita 1991; died 2013

Mrs. W. Temple Webber, Jr., 1992; resigned 2001; Associate Vice Regent 2001

Ann Haunschild Bookout, 2002; Regent 2010–2013

VERMONT

Mrs. Hampden Cutts, 1859; resigned 1878; died 1879

Mrs. J. Gregory Smith, 1878; resigned 1884; died 1905

Mrs. Cornelius Low King, 1885; died 1896

Miss Mary Evarts, 1911; resigned 1923; reappointed 1924; died 1928

Mrs. Horace Brown, 1930; resigned 1940; died 1943

Mrs. James Shepard Dennis, 1946; died 1946

Mrs. A. John Holden, Jr., 1961; resigned 1978; Associate Vice Regent 1993; died 2004

Mrs. Arthur J. Dewey, Jr., 1984; resigned 1993; Associate Vice Regent 1994; died 2016

Mrs. Frederick West, 1998; resigned 2000

VIRGINIA

Mrs. William F. Ritchie, 1858; resigned 1866; died 1870

Mrs. Thomson Francis Mason, 1872; died 1873

Mrs. Charles B. Ball, 1874; died 1918

Mrs. William R. Cox, 1921; died 1925

Mrs. Fairfax Harrison, 1927; died 1943

Mrs. Edward Clifford Anderson, 1947; resigned 1960; died 1994

Mrs. John H. Guy, Jr., 1963; Regent 1976; resigned 1995; Vice Regent Emerita 1995; died 2016

Mrs. P. William Moore, Jr., 1996; resigned 2014; Vice Regent Emerita 2014

Lucia Bosqui Henderson, formerly Vice Regent for the District of Columbia, 2014

WASHINGTON

Mrs. John Leary, 1907; died 1935

Mrs. Stanley D. Lyle, 1944; died 1955

Margaret Appleton Allison, 1985; resigned 2019; Vice Regent Emerita 2019

WEST VIRGINIA

Mrs. Lewis William Washington, 1870; died 1898

Mrs. Eugene Van Rensselaer, 1900; died 1923

Miss Constance Lee Peterkin, 1924; resigned 1946; died 1948

Mrs. Augustine Jaquelin Todd, 1955; resigned 1985; Vice Regent Emerita 1985; died 1987

Mrs. Robert W. Lawson III, 1987; resigned 2009; Vice Regent Emerita 2009

WISCONSIN

Mrs. Alexander Mitchell, 1858; died 1902

Mrs. Lucien M. Hanks, 1914; Regent 1943; resigned 1956; died 1959

Mrs. John Cunningham Lobb, 1960; resigned 1962; died 2005

Mrs. Douglas Seaman, 1989; resigned 2001; Vice Regent Emerita 2001

Anne Neal Petri, 2008; Regent 2024-

WYOMING

Mrs. Thomas S. Taliaferro, Jr., 1936; resigned 1950; died 1953

Mrs. John F. Mars, 2003; resigned 2012; Vice Regent Emerita 2013

Helen Herboth Laughery, 2013

Farewell Address

To The Council of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of June, 1874:

LADIES:

It was my intention as well as my duty to have met you at this time, and conformed in person to the legal requisition accompanying a resignation so important as mine, but Providence does not permit.

I am at present not only unequal to such a journey, but the serious state of my health requires me, instead of turning my face towards the “spot” for which, since 1853, I have lived, labored and almost died, to seek the best medical skill, with the hope of prolonging, if possible, a life yet needed to finish what I began so many long years ago. One more duty is before me—one I regard as important—though circumstances have combined to make it now a very sad one.

It would have been a pleasure to have met, once more, those who have labored with me in our vineyard from the “early hour,” though now their numbers are so few; those who appreciated my work; its motives, its sacrifices; whether they were of the “early” or “eleventh” hour sister laborers; and to have taken a kindly farewell of all whose hearts have been, like my own, single unto their patriotic work—but it is not to be.

I will not yet, however, utterly resign the hope that I may be permitted to reappear among you some day, with my last self-imposed task performed; ready to say, “Now let thy servant depart in peace.”

But in parting, I feel it due to you as to me; to the responsibilities I solemnly assumed, which were so important in their results; to those you have taken upon yourselves, to say a few words as to those responsibilities, or duties laid down in the beginning of our work—not to be lightly regarded, for they were pledges to future generations as well as to ours. The minds and hearts which conceived the rescue of the Home of Washington; of the completion of a worthy “tribute” to public integrity, private virtue; an expression of the gratitude due and felt by a country destined to act such an important part in the drama of the world; conceived it with all the reverence felt in older regions for the resting places of their honored dead; where only pious hands are permitted to be in “charge,” so as to have them carried down to admiring ages in the same condition as when left.

Such was the pledge made to the American heart when an appeal was made to it to save the Home and Tomb of Washington, of the Father of his Country, from all changes, whether by law or desecration. Such, to the last owner of Mt. Vernon, ere he was willing to permit it to pass from his hands. Such to the Legislature of his mother State, ere she gave us legal rights over it. Such we are bound to keep. Our honor is concerned, as well as our intelligence and legal obligations. The mansion, and the grounds around it, should be religiously guarded from changes—should be kept as Washington left them.

Ladies, the Home of Washington is in your charge. See to it that you keep it the Home of Washington! Let no irreverent hand change it; no vandal hands desecrate with the fingers of—progress! Those who go to the Home in which he lived and died, wish to see in what he lived and died! Let one spot in this grand country of ours be saved from “change!” Upon you rests this duty.

When the Centennial comes, bringing with it its thousands from the ends of the earth, to whom the Home of Washington will be the place of places in our country, let them see that, though we slay our forests, remove our dead, pull down our churches, remove from home to home till the “hearthstone” seems to have no resting place in America; let them see that we do know how to care for the Home of our Hero! Farewell!

Ladies, I return to your hands the office held—so long under another name—since December 2d, 1853.

Respectfully,

Ann Pamela Cunningham

Charity Navigator evaluates a nonprofit organization’s financial health, including measures of stability, efficiency, and sustainability. We also track accountability and transparency policies to ensure the good governance and integrity of the organization. The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association has been awarded a four-star rating, the organization's highest recognition.