Papers of Christine Meadows, Curator

Christine Meadows (née Mary Christine Meadows) was born in Brunswick, Maryland on March 2, 1932 to Dr. Stanley Joseph and Katherine Gardner Meadows. Christine earned a bachelor of arts degree in history from Notre Dame College of Maryland and completed graduate coursework at William and Mary College before becoming an elementary school teacher in Frederick, Maryland. Her career at Mount Vernon began in 1960 when she was hired as a library assistant. In the library, Christine helped catalog and reorganize the library’s collections including the books, manuscripts, files, pamphlets, prints, and drawings. She also began a decades-long devotion to researching all things pertaining to Washington and Mount Vernon. When the estate’s curator, Helen Fede left her position in 1964, Christine was promoted to fill her place and continued in this role for the next 33 years. Her responsibilities included the acquisition of new Washington or period artifacts, care of the historical collections, supervision of the cleaning and maintenance in the Mansion and outbuildings, curating exhibits in the museum, and special research projects such as publications. Christine was well-known and respected in her field. During her tenure, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association acquired valuable, original Washington pieces and the Mansion underwent a major paint analysis and update. Her extensive research and dedication to authenticity were particularly beneficial to the Association. She also worked closely with several committees including the Accession Committee, the Annual Report Committee, the Museum Committee, and the Household Committee. Her substantial knowledge on the Washingtons, the early American period, and the collections at Mount Vernon put her in high demand as a speaker and presenter on these topics. Upon announcing her retirement in 1997, the MVLA Board hosted a farewell dinner in her honor and the Council minutes noted “The consensus of the evening was that Miss Meadows will always be remembered for her scholarship and knowledge, and with special affection for her humor and inspiration to scores of Vice Regents, but most importantly for her devotion to Mount Vernon and her dedication to preserving the collection and the institution, and the world of George Washington.” She was named Curator Emerita of Mount Vernon, assisting with research for important projects and sharing her long institutional memory with staff. Christine Meadows passed away on January 19, 2013 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.