The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-05-04
MT. VERNON TODAY


More than 245,000 persons visited
Mount Vernon from May LIST, 1920 to
May list 1921. It is probable, howey-
er. that few OF those who made the
pilgrimage TO the historic SHRINE Of
America realized that its restoration
and preservation have been due to the
pau .otic vision OF Miss Ann Pamela
Cunningham Of South Carolina and to
the unremitting effort Of the assoc
at or which she founded in 1853.
The annual council of the Mount
Vernon Ladies' Association Of the
/ Unicn will soon be held at Mount Yer
non, beginning May H. This meeting
will bi.ng together women from all
parts Of the country. The association
consists Of Regent and wee Regent
Thee ore at present "a states rep
/ resented there being one vice Regent
/ from each state. The Regent is Miss
/ Harriet Clayton Comegys OF Delaware.
During the council the members
live in the time Of WASHINGTON.
/ Through the stately hall and up the
winding staircase these women tread
the paths Of former days and tit brisk
modern steps to the dignity and re.
i strant Of an earlier tine In the
quaint bedrooms Of Nellie GUSTS and
Martha Wa hington the twentieth
] Nulury guests find something of the
peace and calm of an earlier genera
ten Down tho brick walls and
through the gardens, where the wills.
per OF hoop skirts and the click of
satin slippers carry family down the
years the women Of the North and .
South and East and West come to
take up their assigned parts in the
annual inspection Of Mount Vernon
The proposition that the women Of
America "bould purchase and pre-
serve the home of Washington could
have originated only with. a woman
OF unusual depth OF feeling. Having
determined upon the project Miss
Cunningham set about her task with
wisdom and co,/age and devotion In
1853 both the Federal government and
the state of Virginia had failed to Is.
sumo the offered responsibility of car
ing for Mount Vernon The estate
was owned by John Augustine Wash
Washington, who inherited it from
General Washington Under chang
ing agricultural conditions the estate
was falling rapidly into decay. Most
of the original furniture was no long
er there. Relics and heirlooms Of
great value mad found their way into
museums and private collections.
Gardens and grounds had fallen into
state OF neglect Even when faced
with these facts Mr. Washington re-
fused 10 sell the estate or any portion
of 1t, except to the state OF Virginia.
and was only induced by a personal
visit from Miss Gum ngham TO with
draw his opposition The $4,000 ne.
1 cessary for the purchase OF the his
toric estate was raised. The bill in
! cooperating the Mount Vernon Ladies'
| Association Of the Union was az
| proved by the Legis 'ature OF Vlrg mia
IN 1858 followed by the tran fer of
the estate to the association in 1883
! Vermont was represented among
the thirty-one vice Regents appointed
| by Miss Cunningham during the first
two years Of the life OF the associa.
! ton. The first vice Regent for Yer
mont was Mrs. Mary Pepperel Jarvis
| Cults. daughter OF Consul JARVIS Of
| Weather field Mrs Cults lived in
! North Hapt'and on the place now
| known as Fairv'ew Farm She served
until 1878, when she resigned and
was succeeded by Mrs. j. Gregory
Smith, wife Of Governor Smith Mrs
/ Erftf tv
ceeded by Mrs Janet Dekay King Of
J Bellows Falls, who acted as vice r.
gent until her death in 1896. Mrs
n Kings daughter. Mrs. James Core
King Richards, Is the present vice
Regent for Maine After the death
OF Mrs King there was no vice Regent
for Vermont until 1911, when Miss
Nary Evarts OF Windsor. daughter Of
the late William NJ, Eyarts. OF New
York was appointed by the Regent,
Miss Harriet Clayton Comegys
The chief source Of income for the
maintenance OF Mount Vernon is the
admission fe of % cents In this
way each visitor can feel that he is
taking part In the continued preserya.
ton of the great memorial
The editor of leading London
J newspaper, in writing Of Mount Yer.
non last year said OF the work of the
= Mount Vernon associat on we have
no place of national pilgrimage in
England that is so perfect model as
Washngtons home In Mount Vernon
1t Is perhaps through lack of a figure
of the Washington type that we have
= nothing to compare with H. For any
parallel one NUT rather go to Fon.
tain7bleau: hut certain shrines are
ours and none of them disclose quite
such pious thorougmess as this.
. When | think Of the completeness of
= the preservation and reconstruction
of Mount Vernon where, largely
q through the piety OF individuals. a
thousand personal relics have been re.
assembled, so that save for the sight.