Mount Vernon – the home of George Washington

If you travel South from Arlington, VA and continue past Alexandria you will come across the home and also the tomb of George Washington and his wife. It’s a lovely plot of land that is now a protected area on the Potomac River. There is a nice museum here which details the history and you can take a tour inside the house itself.

A building close to the manor house that was used as a greenhouse

George Washington was an avid gardener so there are lovely gardens to walk though as well as a barn that he built and a few nice trails through the forest. Close by the barn you can also view his tomb and the tomb of his wife.

The boat launch onto the Potomac River

During pre-COVID times you could take a boat trip from DC and you would end up at the ferry dock seen here. This would be a very scenic trip. The plan is to resume service in 2021 but whether that happens remains to be seen. Still, you can walk the path along the river and take the short walk down the pier.

The story is that one Christmas George Washington had a camel delivered from Alexandria. We only know this because of one short journal entry showing that he paid for the camel. Nothing else is known about it. However, each year around Christmas time the bring Aladdin, as he is called, back. If you visit in December you will see him.

George Washington built this 2 story barn (the original is gone, this is a recreation) in an attempt to process wheat from his farm. The horses would trott along the top floor of the barn and the separated wheat would fall into the lower part of the barn.

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