The Gavelyte, May 1908

i. The Gavelyte:. VOL. Ill NOS. 5:r& 6 . • 11 Mou-nt Verno~. ----.1 ' <' .JANET TARBOX, '10. 1 • :. ~ixtern miles south of Washington D. C., on the Virginia shor:e,r·.of ,the Pl)tornac RivPr, i:-; situated one of our nation's most interesti{lg and histori– cal, as well as beautiful, homes, for it was the home of our first President, (;porgr Washington. In 1859 tlw owner . of the place, a derendant of Washington, offe:Ped Mt. Vernon for sale. A Ladies' Association formed of women from differ:- · ent states bought the estate, because they thot it shonld be preserved for . the ,1ation, for $200,000. This sdm was qtised by gifts from E. E. Hale; Wa:;hi ngton Irving, school children and others. And a..tl•1 tihe present timP diffi->rPnt par ts are kept in exce)_lent condition by the associations of the different states. ··! T~e house is a large 2} story building made of wood, cut and paint.ed to re:--Pmble stone. In front is a large porch with stone floor and massive fJillars. This porch faces the beautiful river and is prope rl y the1front of the house, though the entrance to the grounds i-s at the rear. At each end of thP house are colonades leading to the kitchens. Tht>rP are at least twenty rooms in the buildin~. On the first floor is -~hP main Hall where many relics of Washington and hi:-; \\'ars are collected, , P ·peeially swords and the like. In the mast Parlor or Music Room is a harpsirurd imported by Wash– ington from Lonoon for his daughtN's, Nrllie Curt is, wedding prPsent. A .. ,··'