History Talk: The Ladies of Mt. Vernon

Learn about one of the first historic preservation movements in American history with local historian and educator Teresa Osborne.
When there are government shutdowns, one historic site always available to visitors is George Washington's Mount Vernon. Surprisingly, it is not run by the federal government or the state of Virginia or the National Parks Service. It is owned and managed by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association. They have owned Mount Vernon since 1853, and represent the first national historic preservation organization. The process of maintaining the home of a key historic figure, and deciding how to represent the story of the man and the place, has required careful stewardship and serious decision-making.
Thomas Rhineheart, Director of Preservation at Mount Vernon, says, "Mount Vernon is the autobiography that Washington left behind." It is not a replica, not a re-creation. And it is thanks to the work and vision of one woman, Ann Pamela Cunningham, who saw the decayed home and declared it had to be saved. It was her mother, Louisa Bird, who saw the house from a boat on the Potomac River and wrote to her daughter, "If the men of America have seen fit to allow the home of its most respected hero to go to ruin, why can't the women of America band together to save it?"
Tickets are $5/person - FREE for members! Seating is reserved for the first 50 people who register.
Register here: secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/TkQ2df7TqeNo4ALmA66R1g