Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon is the eighteenth-century plantation estate of George Washington, first President of the United States, situated on a 500-acre tract along the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia. The mansion, with its distinctive two-story colonnaded piazza overlooking the river, is one of the most visited historic houses in the country. The estate is managed by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, which has maintained and restored the property since 1858. House tours proceed through the mansion's first floor — the large dining room with its ornate Palladian window, Washington's study, and the bedchamber where he died in 1799 — furnished with original pieces and period reproductions. The 50-acre working farm features a sixteen-sided threshing barn, a reconstructed gristmill, and a distillery, with interpretive programming that addresses all aspects of plantation life. An active blacksmith shop, spinning house, and smokehouse demonstrate eighteenth-century crafts throughout the day. The four-acre formal pleasure garden and walled kitchen garden are in bloom from spring through fall. Washington's tomb, holding the remains of George and Martha Washington, is a focal point of the self-guided walking route through the grounds. A museum and education center at the entry gate houses a large collection of Washington-era artifacts and rotating exhibitions. Evening illuminated tours in December are a popular seasonal offering. The Fairfax Connector Bus 101 connects Huntington Metro station to the estate, making car-free access feasible for visitors based in Washington.