Category Archives: Travel

Travel – Hershey, PA

Posted on by

DSC08245During a road trip to Gettysburg in 2008 we stopped in Hershey, PA.  Hershey is the home of the Hershey Company and is sometimes referred to as “The Sweet Place on Earth”.  Hershey’s Chocolate World is open year-round and nearly 3 million visitors take the Chocolate tour.  This attraction was opened in 1973 when the original Hershey chocolate plant tour reached capacity and was no longer able to handle the large number of annual visitors.

At our visit to Hershey’s Chocolate World we took a 10 minute ride, the Chocolate Tour, which quickly takes visitors from the harvesting of the bitter cocoa beans to the making of a delicious Hershey’s Chocolate Bar.  In 2006, animatronic singing cows were added throughout the ride and our daughter enjoyed the cows so much that we went on this ride twice!  At the end of the tour, visitors are given a free sample of a Hershey’s product. (at the time we visited their newest product was the Bliss candy)

Hershey Chocolate World 1     Hershey 2008

Hershey’s Chocolate World has various shops selling Hershey chocolates and souvenirs.  The main candy store has the world’s largest selection of Hershey brand products.  If you are hungry, there are several different food choices in the Hershey’s Courtyard Food Court and Hershey’s Ice Cream Shop.  While we were at Chocolate World, we had our photo taken and the image was printed onto Hershey’s chocolate bar wrappers to make a great souvenir!  We also purchased a cute Hershey chocolate bear for our daughter to add to her stuffed bear collection.

Hershey Trolley Tour

Before we left Hershey we took the Hershey Trolley.  Since 1988 this green trolley takes visitors on a 60 minute round-trip tour of the town of Hershey.  The singing conductors tell the history of Milton Hershey’s chocolate company and point out the interesting historical sites.

Some sites along the tour included:

  • The Town of Hershey –  Hershey wanted to create a complete town where his employees had access to quality homes, decent transportation, schools for their children, recreation at parks and community centers, a variety of churches for religious services and even their own bank.  Hershey named the two main streets in town Chocolate Avenue and Coca Avenue.  In 1963, 107 streetlights in the shape of Hershey Chocolate Kisses were added to Chocolate Avenue. (55 look like the traditional foil wrapped candies and 52 look like the unwrapped chocolate candies)

Hershey Street Light 1 Street Sign Hershey PA Hershey Street Light 2

  •  High Point – The home of Milton Hershey was built in 1908 overlooking the original chocolate factory.  The residence features 22 rooms, as Hershey was a humble man, their home is less ornate than the homes built by the other Hershey executives.  Today the home is used as the offices for the Hershey Trust Company.
  • The Hershey Gardens – The gardens opened in 1937 and are over 23 acres filled with 7,000 roses bushes in a varieties of 275 different roses.  (we wished we had the time to walk the beautiful grounds!)
  • The original Hershey Chocolate Factory – The Hershey Company has the largest chocolate factory in the world.  The original factory started construction in 1903 and was completed in 1905, it has grown from the original six acres to 2.2 million square feet today.  The red barberry bushes outside the factory spell out “Hershey Cocoa”.

Hershey Plant 2     Hershey Plant 1

  • The Milton Hershey School – Milton Hershey and his wife, Kitty, had no children of their own.  The home and school for orphan children were founded in 1909 and housing, meals, clothing and medical/dental care are provided free of charge to students.
  • The Hotel Hershey and Spa – Built in 1930 to accommodate the growing number of tourists to the area, the Hotel Hershey offers “elegance without pretense” in their 276 rooms.  Located within the facility is their luxurious spa, known as the “Chocolate Spa” because guests can experience exotic and innovative treatments, like the Whipped Coca Bath, Chocolate Bean Polish and the Chocolate Fondue Wrap!

A Brief History of Milton Hershey and the Hershey Company

Milton Hershey (September 13, 1857 – October 13, 1945) founded the Hershey Chocolate Company in 1894 and it is the world’s largest chocolate manufacturer.  He is also known for his philanthropic work and founded the Milton Hershey School which is a full funded home and school for orphan children.

Hershey was raised in rural central Pennsylvania, had a very limited 4th grade education and nearly went bankrupt a couple of times.  As a teenage boy in Lancaster, PA he served a four year apprenticeship with a local candy maker.  In 1876, he made an attempt to start his own candy business in Philadelphia and despite six years of hard work it failed.  Hershey then moved to Denver, CO and found work with a confectioner who taught him how to make caramels using fresh milk.  He tried starting another candy business in New York City but this new venture also failed. Returning to Lancaster in 1886, Hershey established the Lancaster Caramel Company and finally he had success business.

While attending the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Hershey became fascinated with the process of making chocolate.  He purchased the machinery used by a German company at the exposition and shipped everything to Lancaster to make chocolate coatings for his Lancaster Caramels.  For the next few years he experimented with various recipes for making quality milk chocolate.  In the process, Hershey realized the growing consumer demand for chocolate and developed a system of mass production and distribution to market his Hershey Chocolate bar.  He sold the Lancaster Caramel Company in 1900 for an enormous sum at the time of $1 million.

With proceeds from the sale, Hershey was finally ready to establish his most successful business venture.  In 1903, he found a suitable location for his Chocolate factory in nearby Derry Township and started construction.  This area was surrounded by local dairy farms to supply fresh milk and several port cities were convenient to provide shipments of cocoa beans and sugar needed for his chocolate production.

In 1898, Milton Hershey had married Catherine Sweeney, known as “Kitty”.  The couple had a very happy marriage but sadly they were unable to have any children.  The couple decided that if they could not have children of their own, they would become the benefactors to those orphan children that needed help. In 1909, Hershey signed the Deed of Trust establishing the Hershey Industrial School, later renamed the Milton Hershey School.  After a lengthy and debilitating muscular disease, Kitty died from pneumonia in 1915.  In 1918, honor of his beloved Kitty, Hershey transferred the majority of his considerable wealth to the Hershey Trust.  A heartbroken Hershey never remarried and spent the next thirty years continuing to build his company and the Milton Hershey School.  He died in 1945 at the age of 88 and is buried at the Hershey Cemetery alongside his wife.

Hershey Trivia and Interesting Facts

  • The first Hershey’s Chocolate Bar was created in 1900, followed by Hershey’s Kisses in 1907 and the Hershey’s Chocolate bar with almonds in 1908.  Other products followed including the Mr. Goodbar (chocolate and peanuts) in 1935, Hershey’s Syrup in 1926 and the Krackel (chocolate and crisped rice) in 1938.
  • In 1912, the Hersheys were scheduled to return to Pennsylvania after an extended European vacation on the ill-fated RMS Titanic.  They canceled their reservations when Kitty became ill and booked passage later on another ocean liner.  The Hershey Museum displays a copy of the check Hershey wrote to the White Star Line for a deposit for a first class stateroom on the Titanic.
  • The Hershey’s Kisses got its name when the machine that produced them made a “kissing” sound when the chocolate mixture was dropped onto the conveyor belt.  The Hershey’s Kisses were originally wrapped by hand with aluminum foil and a paper strip was included to guarantee a genuine Hershey product until 1956 when the process was automated.  Over 24 million Hershey’s Kisses are produced at the Hershey Chocolate plant in a single day!
  • Harry Reese, a dairyman, began working at the Hershey factory in 1921.  By 1925 he had developed an assortment of candies and with Milton Hershey’s permission he started selling them in Lancaster, PA.  Hershey and Reese continued to have a good relationship and in an agreement with Hershey, stipulating that he was required to label his candies as “made in Chocolate Town”, Reese left and built his own company and factory in 1926.  With the sugar rationing during World War II, Reese limited his candy line to only the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.  After Reese died in 1956, his company was sold to the Hershey Chocolate Corporation in 1963 for over $23 million.

 

Travel – Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory

Posted on by

Louisville Slugger sign 1In celebration of baseball season starting at the end of March, I thought it would be a great time to let you know about a trip we took to the Louisville Slugger Museum in 2010.  There were four of us on this trip and we were excited to see the baseball bat factory tour and the baseball memorabilia exhibits, especially my husband and son.

The Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory is located in Louisville, Kentucky and is one of the city’s most popular attractions.  Outside, in front the building, visitors are greeted by a huge baseball bat to announce that it is the Louisville Slugger Factory where Hillerich & Bradsby Co. manufacture their brand of baseball bats.  The building also serves as the Louisville Slugger Museum and corporate headquarters.

In the front lobby is a Signature Wall where there are thousands of famous baseball players’ signatures that were “burned” onto their Louisville Slugger bats.  There is also a special section honoring the players and managers that have contracted with Louisville Slugger and been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.  After purchasing our admission tickets at the box office, we received a timed factory tour ticket.  We had some time before our tour started, so we went to an area in the museum called Bud’s Batting Cage.  The batting cage is named in honor of Bud Hillerich, who in 1884 made the first Louisville Slugger bat.  Visitors to the batting cage can use replica bats of baseball legends, such as: Babe Ruth and Ted Williams.

Factory tour 1

Finally, it was time for our Louisville Slugger Factory tour.  The guided tour lasts approximately 30 minutes.  To start the tour, our guide gave a brief history of the Louisville Slugger company and the baseball bat production process.  Then we had the opportunity to see the bats being made in the factory.  We stopped at the different stations on the production line and the guide explained each process.  At the end of the tour, everyone receives a miniature Louisville Slugger souvenir bat.

When we exited the tour, there is an area where we walked among life-size mannequins of baseball legends like Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Joe Di Maggio, Ken Griffey Jr. and Derek Jeter.   Also in this area is the Grand Slam Gallery, where there are displays of the bats of some of the past and present greatest hitters of the game of baseball, including Mickey Mantle, Johnny Bench and Joe Di Maggio.  One interesting bat was Babe Ruth’s bat where he carved the notches for the 60 home runs that he hit within his record setting season in 1927. We took our time walking through the other exhibits of a variety of very interesting baseball memorabilia.

Babe Ruth's Bat     Joe DiMaggio's bet

World Series bats

Of course, after a tour and museum visit, there is always a trip to the gift shop.  In the Louisville Slugger Museum store there is an assortment of items, such as clothing and sports apparel, jewelry, key chains, home accessories and other collectibles.  This is also the place to order and pick up personalized baseball bats.  HINT: If you are planning on purchasing one of these personalized bats, place the order before taking the tour and visiting the museum.  That way the order can be processed, the item can be made and it will be available for pick-up before you leave the Louisville Slugger facility.

Big Bat Big Bat 1 Big GloveInformation on the Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum

  • If you are waiting for a scheduled tour to start and have some time, go to the theater to see the 13 minute film, “The Heart of the Game”.  This inspiring film enjoyable insights and stories of hitting a baseball from some of the past and present top baseball players.
  • The Big Bat is located outside in the front and was positioned there, leaning against the building in 1995.  It is 120 feet tall, 68,000 pound exact replica of Babe Ruth’s Louisville Slugger, with the signature of Bud Hillerich who made the first Louisville Slugger bat in 1884.  The bat is made of carbon steel and hand painted to simulate wood.  It is hallow inside and if filled with water it would hold 30,000 gallons.
  • The Gove Sculpture is located near the parking lot elevator.  It is made from a piece of Kentucky limestone which is sculpted into a 34,000 pound replica of a baseball glove with a baseball inside.  It is 12 feet long by 9 feet wide and four feet high.  When it was delivered in 1998, the front doors of the building had to be removed to allow the massive sculpture to be positioned inside the building.
  • The Louisville Slugger Walk of Fame is located just outside the door on historic Main Street and continues for one mile to the Louisville Slugger Field located on East Main Street.  The bronze cast sculptures of a home plate are of baseball players selected by the Louisville Slugger management team.  The name and information of the inductee is engraved on a home plate with a bronze baseball bat leaning nearby.

A Breif History of the Louisville Slugger Baseball Bat

J. Frederick Hillerich emigrated from Germany first to Baltimore, Maryland in 1842 and then a move to Louisville, Kentucky in 1856.  In Louisville, he started a woodwork shop and produced everything from balusters to bedposts.  His eldest son, John Andrew “Bud” was born in 1866 who later became an amateur baseball player with a local team.

Bud began making baseball bats for himself and his team.  The legend is told that he made the first professional baseball player bat for Pete Browning in 1884.  Browning was a star player for the Louisville professional American Association team.  After Bud witnessed Browning breaking his favorite bat, Bud made an offer to make one for his hero.  After Bud made the bat, Browning used it to make three hits in the next game.  An interesting note:  Browning was as a powerful hitter with the nickname of Louisville Slugger.  Years later, as the Hillerich family began to successfully make a business of producing quality bats; they trademarked the name for their bats in 1894.

Initially, Bud’s father wanted nothing to do with making bats.  But Bud continued producing his bats for a growing number of players and he continued to make improvements on the manufacturing process.  Finally, when the bat production showed profits and increasing orders, Bud’s father made him a partner in 1897.  The name was changed to J.F. Hillerich and Son.

In 1905 Honus Wagner, nicknamed “The Flying Dutchman”, was a shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  He became the first big league baseball player to sign a contract to endorse the Louisville Slugger bats.  His autograph burned into the bat was to become a long tradition with the company.  The success of the Louisville Slugger bat was due to the fact that amateur baseball players were able to purchase a bat made exactly like their favorite big league player.

In 1911, Frank Bradsby, a successful salesman for the Louisville Slugger bats joined the company as a full partner and the company was renamed the Hillerich & Bradsby Co. and is the name that is still used today.  J. Frederick Hillerich died in 1924. Then, in 1937 a disastrous flood of the Ohio River significantly damaged one of the factories and some of the offices.  This event and the massive efforts to rebuild is said to have hastened the death of Bradsby later the same year.  Bud Hillerich died in 1946 and his son Ward took over as president of the company, but his term was short and he died in 1949.  Bud’s second son John Hillerich Jr then took over as president until his death in 1969. His son, John Hillerich III became president of the company at the age of 29 years old.

Travel – Mission San Juan Capistrano

Posted on by

Mission San Juan CapistranoMarch 19, St. Joseph’s Day, traditionally is the day the swallows return to the Mission San Juan Capistrano in California.  Legend has it that when an angry innkeeper had destroyed their nests and the swallows took refuge in the old mission and then returned every spring.

San Juan Capistrano swallowsThe American Cliff Swallow is a migratory bird, which for several centuries, has traveled a distance of over 6,000 miles from their winter home in Argentina to this area of Southern California in the spring and summer.  “Scout” swallows usually precede and the main flock slowly follows, usually arriving on March 19, and the old Mission bells would be rung in celebration.  The San Juan Capistrano Mission area is perfectly located near two rivers where a constant supply of insects is available as a food source and the swallows built their mud nests under the eaves and archways of the Mission, where they are protected within the walls of the old stone church.  Then, just as the swallows suddenly arrived, they will leave the area on St. John’s Day, October 23, to travel south and back to Argentina.

After the 1912 Earthquake, in which the Mission Chapel was severely damaged, an article appeared in a 1915 magazine that reported on the unique phenomenon of the swallows’ annual habit.  In hopes of turning the public interest into revenue for the Mission’s restoration project, festivities were planned to draw the tourists to visit the area.  As the years passed, this annual event received world notice with radio programs, then television stations reporting on the news of the swallows’ arrival.

In recent years, the swallows have decreased their population from previous seasons.  This could be connected to a major increase in the housing development in the area which limited their choices of nesting places and has also affected the decrease in insects for the swallows to eat.

The City of San Juan Capistrano holds a week-long celebration known as the Fiesta de las Golondrinas.  Visitors come from around the world to gather and witness the famous return of the swallows to the Mission San Juan Capistrano.  For more information regarding the festival, please see the website www.swallowsparade.com

Mission San juan Capistrano 1    Mission San Juan Capistrano mission bells from interior

A brief history of the Mission San Juan Capistrano

Seventh in the chain of the 21 California mission settlements of the Catholic Franciscan padres, the Mission San Juan Capistrano was founded by Junipero Serra, on November 1, 1776.  The mission was named for the Italian Crusader, Saint John of Capistrano.  Built first as a small adobe church 1778, it was later replaced by a much large church to accommodate the growing population in 1782 and has the distinction of being one of the oldest buildings still in use in California.

Hoping to build a truly magnificent church, the padres hired a master stonemason who designed a doomed roof structure made of stone as opposed to the flat wood roofs of the other California Missions.  The building was built with stones quarried from the local creek beds and carried to the site by oxen.  Limestone was crushed into a powder to create a mortar for the stones when the walls of the mission were built.  Constructed in the style of the European churches, the floors were paved with diamond shaped tiles and brick-lined niches displayed statues of the saints. The mission chapel, known as “The Great Stone Church”, was a large 115 foot building constructed in the shape of a cross with a 120 foot tall bell lower (campanile) near the main entrance.  At the time, the bell tower could be seen for over 10 miles and the bells could be heard from even farther away.

When construction was completed, it included not only the chapel but also living quarters for the padres and their staff, kitchens and storerooms, workshops and barracks for the soldiers.   These buildings formed a quadrangle that was efficient for the daily life at the mission but more importantly for defense against the sometimes hostile natives.  Overall, the Mission proved to be a very successful settlement and the padres converted a large number of natives to Christianity.  In 1796, over a thousand people lived in or around the Mission compound.

In 1812, a devastating earthquake occurred during Sunday mass and over 40 people lost their lives when they were trapped inside, unable to open the doors, as the walls and the ceiling of the church collapsed.  Two boys, who were ringing the bells for the service, and were also killed when the bell tower collapsed.  Sadly from this tragic event, a festival celebrating the annual return of the swallows to the Mission San Juan Capistrano was used to raise funds to repair and rebuild the church and surrounding buildings.

Over the years, the mission proved to be a very successful settlement but there were still occasional setbacks in the daily life of the Mission, such as severe storms, followed by flooding which damaged more buildings, disease to the cattle herd and crops ruined by drought.  There was even a pirate raid in 1818, when the French pirate Bouchard and his men attacked and engaged in a battle with the Mission soldiers, they looted the Mission warehouses and destroyed several buildings.  Finally, even before Mexico gained their independence from Spain in 1821, the population of the Mission had started a slow decline.  The mission system was abandoned in 1833 with the Secularization Act, which lead to the further settlement of California, and the missions’ property and land were sold to private interests.

Interesting information and facts about the Mission San Juan Capistrano

  1. The Mission San Juan Capistrano chapel is sometimes referred to as the Serra Chapel because it is the only known existing structure with documented proof and distinct honor of having Junipero Serra officiating mass at this  specific location.
  2. The bells were an important part of the daily life at the California Missions.  They were rung at mealtimes and to signal the people to work and to religious services such as mass, baptisms or funerals.  The four Mission San Juan Capistrano bells were all given names.  The names from largest to smallest are: San Vicente, San Juan, San Antonio and San Rafael with each bell displaying a Latin inscription.  The two largest bells cracked and split open during the 1812 earthquake and were never rung again due to the damage.  Within a year a brick bell wall (campanario) had been erected between the ruins of the stone church and the Mission’s first chapel and all four Mission bells were re-hung there.
  3. Mission San Juan Capistrano was the location of California’s first vineyard.  In 1779, the Criollo grape plantings from Spain/Mexico were cultivated and became the only grape used throughout the Mission system.  The first winery was also built in San Juan Capistrano in 1783 and the “Mission” grapes produced both red and white wines.
  4. Father John O’Sullivan is the person credited for recognizing the Mission San Juan Capistrano’s historical value to California.  He led efforts to bring national, then world attention to the swallows’ annual return to Capistrano.  He used the event as an opportunity to raise funds to rebuild the Mission after the 1912 earthquake.  He is buried at the entrance to the cemetery and there is a statue at the front of his crypt.
  5. There is a song inspired by the swallows which was written by Leon Rene, “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano”.  It has been recorded over the years by musicians such as Guy Lombardo, Glenn Miller and Pat Boone.  There is a room at the Mission San Juan Capistrano to honor the composter, which displays the piano he used to compose the song, copies of the sheet music and other memorabilia donated by the Rene family.

Travel – Monterey Bay Aquarium, California

Posted on by

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

If you and your family are interested in ocean life and sea creatures, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is a wonderful place to visit.  My son and I went shortly after it opened and we’ve been going with our family every couple of years and we enjoy it very much!  My daughter loves anything that has to do with the sea, maybe that’s because her favorite Disney movie and character have been “The Little Mermaid” and Ariel!!

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is located in Monterey, California and was built on the site of the old Hoyden Cannery at the end of Cannery Row.  Sardine canneries have been a part of Monterey’s history from 1916 until the day when the last cannery closed in 1973.  This area of the Pacific Coast was made famous in John Steinbeck’s 1945 novel; “Cannery Row”. The book was inspired by the work of a real life marine biologist named Edward Ricketts and his old laboratory and home is located near the current site of the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  This area on the Pacific Coast has become very popular with tourists and has several shops, restaurants and hotels.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium opened in 1984 and over 1.8 million visitors come annually. It can get very crowded on weekends and I would recommend a mid-week visit if possible, especially if you have small children that are not in school.  Summer is also a busy time of year and if you go in the winter months the crowds will be less.  Plan to spend a couple of hours there because there is a lot see and do.

Monterey-Aquarium    OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The Aquarium is home to thousands of sea animals with over 623 different species on display.  What makes it different from any other aquarium in the world is that fresh ocean water is circulated through pumps continuously from Monterey Bay.  The Kelp Forest exhibit is a 33,000 gallon tank with 33 foot high windows that are over 7 inches thick.  This is one of the only aquariums in the world that has successfully grown Giant Kelp because the top of the tank is open to the sunlight during the day and equipped with a surge machine to simulate the tides.  This is what the kelp needs to grow at about 4 inches per day.  Another tank in the aquarium is the Open Sea gallery which is 1,200,000 gallons and some of the sea life in this tank includes stingrays, jellyfish, blue fin and yellow fin tuna, and sharks.  In another exhibit are penguins and check for their feeding time because it is a great activity to watch with the children.  The only mammals found in the aquarium are the California sea otters and the highlight of an aquarium visit is watching these cute little creatures!

Check for current hours and prices as well as news and information about the aquarium at www.montereybayaquarium.org.

Kelp Forest

Monterey Bay Aquarium Travel Tips

  1. During the summer months the aquarium can be rather crowded.  Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the best days to visit and the hours between 2-6 p.m. have fewer visitors.  A good time to visit is during the fall and winter months except during the holidays.
  2. Plan to spend a minimum of 2 to 3 hours at the aquarium but it is very easy to spend the entire day there.  The café and restaurant at the aquarium have good food at a reasonable price if you are planning on eating there.  NOTE:  The café and restaurant will be closed for major renovations through mid-March 2013.
  3. Dress in layers because the temperature and wind conditions can vary throughout the day.  The average temperatures on the coast averages 57 degrees year-round during the day but the morning and nights can be a little cooler.
  4. Take time to go out on the rear deck of the aquarium and you might get lucky to  see some sea otters on the open bay.  This is also a great place to take some photos of the family with Monterey Bay as the background.

Monterey Bay Aquarium Trivia

  1. The Aquarium appeared in the 1986 Star Trek film, “The Voyage Home” as the Cetacean Institute but in the movie is suppose to be in located in Sausalito.  With some Hollywood special effects the rear deck of the aquarium appears to have a tank for the two humpback whales.
  2. 2,000 gallons of ocean water from Monterey Bay are pumped every minute throughout the 100 exhibit tanks.  During the day the water is filtered so it is easier to view the tanks and at night unfiltered ocean water is used because it is rich in plankton and other nutrients that the ocean animals feed on.

Travel – Mount Vernon, Virginia

Posted on by

Mt. Vernon - Bowling Green side    Mt. Vernon - Potomac side

We visited Mount Vernon while on a road trip through Virginia to Washington D.C. back in 2002.  Mount Vernon is located along the Potomac River in northern Virginia and 16 miles south of Washington D.C.  If you are visiting Washington D.C., we highly recommend the short trip out to Mount Vernon, especially if you have school-aged children.  It is a wonderful way to learn about the life of George Washington and the history of our country.

George WashingtonGeorge Washington (Born: February 22, 1732 Died: December 14, 1799) was the Commander-in-Chief of the American forces during the Revolutionary War and the first President of the United States.  Washington inherited Mount Vernon in 1754 and even when he was away at war he personally oversaw every detail of the design, construction and decoration of the home and the plantation expansions reflect his status as a Virginia gentleman.  He and his wife Martha lived together at Mount Vernon for more than 40 years.  Today, Mount Vernon covers nearly 50 acres that were once Washington’s extensive plantation.  Visitors can tour Washington’s home and tomb, a new visitor center and museum, beautiful gardens and a demonstration farm with a reconstructed slave cabin.

A great place to start a visit to Mount Vernon is at the Ford Orientation Center.  This building is the visitor center at the estate and also the place to get tickets and tour information.  There are many different tours to take of the Mount Vernon property and several areas of interest such as the Pioneer Farm Site, which is a 4 acre demonstration farm with a 16 sided barn and a reconstruction of a slave cabin and the Distillery and Gristmill are located a short drive away.  While you are at the Orientation Center, be sure to see the minute film, “We Fight to Be Free”, which shows the important moments of Washington’s life.  Also, please take the time to check out the “Mount Vernon in Miniature”, which is an exact replica of the Washington’s Mount Vernon home.

Just a short walk from the Orientation Center is the home of George and Martha Washington.  As visitors approach the Mansion they will walk on a carriage road that circles a large bowling green area.  (A bowling green was a large grassy area used for playing lawn games that were popular during Washington’s time at Mount Vernon) When you first see the Mansion in the distance, look up at the top and there is a cupola in the center of the house topped with a gilded dove of peace.  As visitors enter the Mansion for their tour, they will notice the home features some of the Washington’s original furniture and a few reproductions.  The elegant furnishings and other decorations, such as the vibrant wall colors, reflect not only the Washington’s sophisticated taste but also their wealth and status.  Some notable historic items within the Mansion are the key to Bastille which was presented by the Marquis de Lafayette and a swivel chair which Washington used during his presidency.  Be sure to take a walk to the back of the house, which has a porch that stretches the length of the house and take a moment to sit and enjoy the views of the Potomac River.

From the front of the Mansion, located on either side of the bowling green are the gardens which grew the estate’s vegetables.  To the north (left) of the Mansion are the upper gardens and to the south (right) are the lower gardens.  Washington was very interested in horticulture and during his years as President, he wrote many letters home discussing his landscape ideas and planting suggestions for the gardens at Mount Vernon.  Extending from both sides of the Mansion are the outbuildings.  These areas on the estate were where the main work of the plantation took place.  On the left are the blacksmith shop, salt house, greenhouse and slave quarters to the right are the kitchen, storehouse, smokehouse, wash house and stable.  Beyond the lower garden, are the fruit orchards and a short walk past them is Washington’s tomb.

After retiring from the presidency in 1797, Washington returned to Mount Vernon.  He always enjoyed managing the plantation and was looking forward to quiet times.  But Washington was keep very busy with visitors, both social and political, which were constantly seeking out his company and advice. In 1799, he died in the master bedroom at his beloved Mount Vernon after a short illness.  Per his wishes, Washington was buried at Mount Vernon in a tomb located near the bank of the Potomac River.  After the death of her husband, Martha continued to live at Mount Vernon, seeking comfort from family, friends and her deep religious faith.  To the surprise and dismay of her family, just two and a half years after her husband death, Martha died on May 22, 1802.  She was buried alongside her husband.  Then in 1831, there was an unsuccessful attempt to steal the body of Washington.  At that time, the decision was made to build a new more secure tomb a short distance from the original location.  Upon completion of the second tomb, George and Martha Washington reached their final resting place.  After a short ceremony at the new tomb, the inner vault door was closed and the key was thrown into the Potomac.

Washington tomb 1

Since we visited in 2002, Mount Vernon added not only the Ford Orientation Center but also the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center in 2006.  The Museum features 25 state-of-the-art exhibit galleries and theaters where visitors learn about Washington through interactive displays, short films and over 700 objects that were personally owned by George and Martha Washington.  In addition, located on the property are a gift shop, bookstore, food court and the Mount Vernon Inn and Restaurant.

When visiting Mount Vernon, plan on spending several hours there because there are so many things to see and learn about George Washington’s life and legacy!  For information regarding admission fees and tours, please see the Mount Vernon website at www.mountvernon.org

GEORGE WASHINGTON TRIVIA

Everybody has probably heard the childhood stories claiming that a young George Washington skipped a silver dollar across the Potomac River at Mount Vernon or how he chopped down his father’s cherry tree and when questioned about the deed said, “I can’t tell a lie, I did”.   Where did these stories about Washington’s childhood originate and are they fact or fiction?

Parson Weems, wrote an autobiography, “The Life of George Washington”, in 1800.  After Washington’s death, Weems interviewed several people who knew Washington as a child and that is where these stores are supposed to have originated.  Weems wrote his bestseller describing several of these Washington’s childhood anecdotes to provide moral tales for the children of the nation.

After 1890, historians insisted on proof to validate those anecdotes and no alternative sources came forward to corroborate them.  Eventually Weems’ credibility was severely questioned and these stories are now deemed to be fiction.