The Coolidge examiner., 1932-04-22

n OOAN1 LlN&NOAN 10 OboAAho
MI in the spotlight of the two
- hundredth anniversary cele-
bration of George Washington's
birth. Normally the estate is visit
ed by nearly 100000 people annually,
but 1892 pilgrimages are expected
to break all records.
Mount Vernon is pleasantly sit
uated in a high, dry, healthy coun-
try 300 miles by water from the
sea on one of the finest rivers in
the world" said George Washing
ton, in describing his estate to a
friend in 1893.
At the foot of the hill topped by
the beautiful colonial mansion of
the first President, spreads the
! broad Potomac. The high, pillared
east portico of the mansion offers
a splendid view Of the river and
the wooded beauty of the Mary
land hills beyond, through lofty
trees which study the estates spa
cious lawns and steel terraces. The
west front of the mansion faces the
vast farm land once carefully su-
pervised by it's illustriOus owner.
Uncertainty shrouds the origin of
| of the present mansion. Certain of
the records indicate that Lawrence
Washington began its construction,
| while others seem to show that his
father built it.
The first white proprietors of the
site of Mount Vernon were two old
prOspectOrs, who by authority of
the royal governor patented it near
ly 300 years ago. They made no
effort, however. to comply with the
provision of the law which re-
Quired them to place tenants on the
property, and in consequence their
title to 1000 acres reverted to the
commonwealth.
In 1874 the patent to the land.
along with some additional acreage,
was reissued by Lord Culpeper TO
John Washington and Nicholas
Spencer. Three Washingtons held
the land before it came into the pos
session of Augustine, father of Law
renee and George, who purchased
it from his sister for 5000 and built
the first house on it about 1874.
This small dwelling was burned five
years later and its owner moved
with his family to a farm near
Fredericksburg. where he died in
1743.
George Went There in 1747.
Under the provisions of his will,
the estate on the Potomac passed to
Augustine's son Lawrence, who
made his residence there and gave
the place its name in honor of Ad-
miral Vernon, of the British navy,
under whom he had campaigned
against the Spaniards in the West
Indies and for whom he entertained
a deep respect and affection.
In 1747 George Washington came
to Mount Vernon to make his per-
manent home whit his high-mind
ed and cultured half-brother.
During Lawrence Washington's
mastership Mount Vernon began to
assume a position of some impor-
tance in the colony. The able young
proprietor was active in public af-
fairs. He was appointed adjutant
of his military district by the royal
governor and several times repre-
sented his county in the Virginia
house of burgesses.
Lawrence Washington died in
1852, and left Mount Vernon to his
infant daughter, Sarah, who sur
vived her father by only a few
months. On her death the property
went to George. Before he had
reached his majority. George Wash
ington was the sole proprietor of
Mount Vernon, then an estate of
| 2,700 acres.
The Mount Vernon of 1852 and
that of today, which is essentially
| as George Washington left it, were
not much alike. The house was a
simple one, without the present
mansions third story, banquet hall,
library, or the chambers above these
| additions. Neither did it have the
cOlOnnades or the great portico
overlooking the river. The old
brick barn, built by Augustine
| Washington nearly twenty years
earlier, had survived the fire that
destroyed his house and is still
! standing,
Like most Virginians of his day,
| the future Father of His Country
was possessed of a lively land hun
ger, and by gradual acquisition he
increased his Mount Vernon prop
erty from 2,7OO acres which he had
| inherited to a domain approximate
ly 5000 acres.
First Experimental Farm.
Mount Vernon was the first real
experimental farm on the North
| American continent. Washington
made of his estate an agricultural
laboratory, wherein he put to prac-
tical application the new theories of
II