Browse Items (32 total)

"Yes we arrived at this venerable mansion in perfect safety, where we are experiencing every mark of hospitality & kindness that the good old General's continued friendship to Col. C. lead us to expect; his reception of my husband was that of a…

Originally published in London in 1727, Eliza Smith’s The Compleat Housewife was published in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1742. It is considered to be the first cookbook published in America. In addition to recipes, the work also contains…

Full title: The Harpsichord or Spinnet Miscellany being a gradation of proper lessons from the beginning to the tolerable performer chiefly intended to save masters the trouble of writing for their pupils: to which are prefixed some rules for…

This needle book was presumably one of the items bought by Martha Parke Custis Peter at the auction specified in Martha Washington’s will.  There is a note sewn to it that reads, 'Mrs. Martha Washington' (image courtesy of Tudor Place…

This unusual diorama, depicting a scene from Greek mythology, was given to George Washington by Samuel Fraunces of Fraunces Tavern in New York (where Washington held many staff meetings during the war). It became one of the Washington’s…

Edward Savage’s iconic portrait of the Washington Family was originally painted c. 1789-1790. George Washington purchased two engravings of the painting to display at Mount Vernon (one of which is pictured here). It portrays George and Martha…

Soon after his arrival in America in 1796, Benjamin Henry Latrobe became friends with Bushrod Washington, nephew of George Washington. At Bushrod’s invitation, Latrobe visited Mount Vernon during his time in Virginia. This watercolor depicts…