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Director of archaeology at Mount Vernon to speak
MONTEREY - In his own words, George Washington described his home overlooking the Potomac River this way: "No estate in United America is more pleasantly situated as this."
His 8,000 acres was basically divided into fiveworking, individual farms. His own family resided with him at the "Mansion House Farm"; and what's considered Mount Vernon today. In 1858 the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association purchased the property from Washington's heirs with the purpose of preserving the property and opening it to the public. They have, over the years, not only preserved the then existing property, but brought back many aspects of life during Washington's time. The mansion is the centerpiece of an enormous and successful restoration effort, aided by a plan of the estate drawn in 1787 by Samuel Vaughn. The plan shows some structures that have not survived and archaeologists still search for them. Other features, which have been located, are not shown on the plan. George Washington owned this estate for 45 years and was constantly improving and altering aspects of his home. So there is still a lot of work and some mystery.
The Restoration Department of Historic Mount Vernon is made up of two branches - archaeology and architectural restoration. Esther C. White, the Director of Archaeology, will be the guest speaker at the May 8 meeting of the Highlands Chapter of the Archaeological Society of Virginia.
As the director, White has a wide and deep view of the many projects at Mount Vernon - from the distillery to the upper garden midden. She has written and spoken extensively about the ongoing work. Over the past two decades, historical archaeology at Mount Vernon has revealed details about the daily life, landscape and layout of this extensive plantation near Washington, D.C.
Mount Vernon's archaeologists have a strong commitment to public archaeology in all phases of their research - from excavation through labwork and analysis. This talk presents an overview of discoveries into the lives of the enslaved workers and Washington family, focusing on the current project to understand Washington's flower garden. It also explores the benefits of embracing public archaeology, both the successes and challenges, at one of the busiest historic houses in the nation.
A native of Greensboro, N.C., White graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in history and anthropology. Combining her love of history with the thrill of discovery, she studied historical archaeology in Williamsburg, receiving her MA from the College of William and Mary. She and her husband live near Washington, D.C. with their two boys, dog and two cats.
Take an hour and come to the Highland County Public Library on May 8 at 7 p.m. to hear White bring her archaeology treasure trove of information about Mount Vernon - our national treasure and the home of the first President of the United States.
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