Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon Transitions from Tobacco to Wheat Production

In the decade before the Revolution, Washington made the decision to shift Mount Vernon's primary crop from tobacco to wheat, transforming the estate's labor needs, market relationships, and economic structure. This transition shaped the plantation's wartime operations and its relationship to the Chesapeake trade networks.

Washington Departs Mount Vernon for Continental Command

Washington left Mount Vernon for the last time as a private citizen in May 1775, traveling to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia where he would receive command of the Continental Army. He would not return to the estate for more than six years.

Enslaved Mount Vernon Workers Respond to Dunmore's Proclamation

Lord Dunmore's November 1775 proclamation offering freedom to enslaved men who escaped Patriot owners and joined British forces was heard at Mount Vernon as clearly as anywhere in Virginia. Washington's correspondence with Lund reveals anxiety about potential escapes throughout the winter of 1775–1776.

Washington Directs Estate Operations from Valley Forge

From Valley Forge during the brutal winter of 1777–1778, Washington maintained an extraordinary correspondence with Lund Washington directing plantation operations in precise detail — crop rotations, building projects, the management of enslaved workers — while simultaneously commanding a starving army.

Lund Washington Provisions British Warship HMS Savage

In April 1781, the British warship HMS Savage anchored in the Potomac opposite Mount Vernon. Lund Washington, attempting to prevent damage to the estate, went aboard and provided the ship's officers with food and supplies. Seventeen enslaved people used the opportunity to escape with the British.

Washington Returns to Mount Vernon After Yorktown

Following Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown on October 19, 1781, Washington made his first return visit to Mount Vernon in more than six years. He spent several weeks reviewing the estate's condition before returning to his military duties.

Hercules Escapes from Philadelphia Household

Hercules, Mount Vernon's enslaved head cook and the chef of Washington's Philadelphia presidential household, escaped to freedom on February 22, 1797 — Washington's birthday. His escape was not discovered until the morning after. He was never returned.

Washington's Will Provides Conditional Freedom

Washington's will, executed after his death on December 14, 1799, provided for the emancipation of his 123 enslaved people after Martha's death — but only those he personally owned. The 153 dower slaves belonging to the Custis estate were not freed and passed to Custis heirs.

Memorial to Mount Vernon's Enslaved Community Dedicated

In September 1983, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association dedicated a memorial to the more than 300 enslaved men, women, and children who lived and worked at Mount Vernon. The memorial stands adjacent to the burial ground where more than 75 enslaved people are interred in unmarked graves.

Archaeological Investigation of Slave Quarter Begins

Mount Vernon's sustained archaeological investigation of the slave quarters and burial ground began in the late 1980s, recovering material culture evidence that has transformed the historical understanding of the enslaved community's daily life, material culture, and burial practices.