Mount Vernon Ladies Association

ABOUT

The mission of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association is to preserve, restore, and manage the estate of George Washington to the highest standards and educate 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.

The estate the Ladies oversee includes the famous mansion which is one the most iconic houses in America, a four-acre farm site which explores Washington’s role as a visionary farmer, and an historic area that includes a dozen historic outbuildings where enslaved individuals and hired employees lived and worked. The beautiful grounds also showcase four gardens, each one used by Washington for different purposes, as well as a working distillery and gristmill.

Other highlights include the world class Museum and Education Center with its countless artifacts from Washington’s incomparable life and the Washington Library with its priceless collections of Washington’s writings. Finally, one cannot visit Mount Vernon without paying homage to the Tomb of George Washington, the final resting place of the Father of our Country.

HISTORY

The Mount Vernon Ladies Association was the first national historic preservation association in America and is the oldest patriotic women’s society in the United States. It was founded in 1853 by Ann Pamela Cunningham, a devoted Patriot from South Carolina, who was concerned about the deteriorating condition of Mount Vernon.

Cunningham purchased the estate from John Washington III, the last Washington to own Mount Vernon, for $200,000 and formed the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, inviting one representative from each of the thirty states then comprising the Union to participate. Miss Cunningham, who never married, immediately began a fundraising effort to restore the mansion to its former glory.

Today, Washington’s home is open 365 days of the year and welcomes roughly 1,000,000 visitors annually, making it the most popular historic estate in America. Of note, Mount Vernon receives no federal, state, or local funding, relying instead on ticket sales and donations from generous Americans.

GRANT PROJECT

The Americana Corner Preserving America grant awarded to the Mount Vernon Ladies Association sponsored the creation of online educational resources to be used in classrooms along with their existing dynamic videos.

The funds allowed Mount Vernon to create dedicated web hubs for important topics such as the Siege of Yorktown, the Winter Patriots, and George Washington’s role in making our Constitution. These teaching and learning resources are shared free of charge and are promoted for both homeschooling and traditional school settings. Importantly, the most visited web pages on the Mount Vernon website are the ones that include comprehensive educational materials such as those sponsored by Americana Corner.

Americana Corner is proud to assist the Mount Vernon Ladies Association with its mission to preserve the Great American Story and to help our fellow citizens grow their love of country.