Scope and Contents

The Historical Photograph Collection is largely comprised of materials created by or for the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. Photographers primarily include staff members and contract photographers. The collection spans the 1930s to the 2000s and includes analog material made up of a variety of sizes of film negatives providing a visual history of the Mansion, outbuildings, tombs, grounds, events, visitors, collection objects, personnel, restoration, and changes throughout the estate.

Scope and Contents These records were collected the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association to document the Operation Overview movement. A large portion of the collection is correspondence, including letters by and from Vice Regent Frances Bolton and other members of Congress. Other types of records represented are organizational reports, bulletins, statements, Congressional transcripts and bills, news clippings, financial papers, and several drawings and photographs. The bulk of the records range from the 1960s to...

Scope and Contents The oral histories collected by the MVLA and the Washington Library include personal memories and reminiscences of previous Regents, Vice Regents, and Mount Vernon employees. Much of the collection was recorded during the 2000s-2010s by staff members Sandra Robinette and Mary Thompson. This collection grows and accrues more recordings every year as other long-term employees and Board members contribute their stories. Mount Vernon's oral histories were often recorded via audio tape, some of...

Scope and Contents The Papers of Christine Meadows contain the work files of the curator, representing daily administrative tasks as well as career-long research topics. The collection includes correspondence, reports, memos, inventory lists, research files with photocopied references, and remarks or presentations. The majority of the material reflects the years Ms. Meadows served as curator, 1960 to 1997, but several folders hold documents prior to her tenure as curator. She most likely inherited these files...

Scope and Contents The Papers of Harrison H. Dodge is a small collection of material created and compiled by Dodge and/or his family. Types of records include correspondence, articles, family trees, news clippings, photographs, and several objects. Most of the items pertain to Dodge’s time as Superintendent at Mount Vernon, however there are some personal family letters, genealogy information, and items regarding his work on a Library of Congress committee. Some genealogical records, mostly fragments and...

Scope and Contents The bulk of this collection is correspondence to Mrs. Laughton concerning Mount Vernon and the work of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. Other material includes correspondence from Mrs. Laughton, formal reports and papers of the MVLA, personal correspondence and memoirs, photographs, printed material, and ephemera. The overall dates range from 1850 to 1891 with the bulk of the collection dating from the 1860s-1880s.This collection contains correspondence from a significant...

Scope and Contents The Papers of Mary V. Thompson cover a wide range of topics, mostly concerning her research on George Washington and Mount Vernon, and her work with Mount Vernon’s historic collections. Her files give insight into her extensive work on exhibits, special projects, publications, reference assistance, and collections cataloging. Types of material include correspondence, printed email, memos, reports, research notes, articles, news clippings, presentations or speeches, special events brochures...

Scope and Contents This collection documents the care and management of Mount Vernon through the work of the MVLA. Types of material include correspondence, reports, memos, notes, personal and biographical information, news clippings, meeting agendas, photographs, scrapbooks, and ephemera. Several highlights of the collection include the original minutes of Council meetings, scrapbooks and ledgers created by Vice Regents, and early correspondence with Regents and Vice Regents. While the library’s collection...

Scope and Contents This collection combines the papers and files of each Superintendent or Resident Director listed under “Creators,” as well as their office staff, assistants, and other Mount Vernon personnel. The bulk of this collection consists of correspondence to and from each Superintendent or Resident Director. Other types of material include reports, essays, memos, publications, clippings, official forms, logs or diaries of events, calendars, schedules, photographs, and ephemera. Subject matter...

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The collection contains 26 maps of the New World, dating 1541-1778, which illustrate the progression of European geographic knowledge about Virginia and North America from the 16th through the 18th centuries

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This collection consists of papers collected by various members of the Peter families. It includes letters from George Washington, letters of condolence to Martha Washington after George Washington’s death, estate documents, Major George Peter’s military papers, land plats and surveys, photo albums, letterbooks, and notebooks that tell of the life of this prominent family in Virginia and the City of Washington.

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This collection is comprised of three different types of documents: various accounts from individuals who have worked for the Potomac Navigation Company; lists of all the men employed by the company which details the amount of work that was done; and receipts and invoices.

Scope and Contents Educating the public on the life and legacy of George Washington, colonial life, slavery, and other relevant subjects is part of the MVLA's mission. The publication of books, brochures, and other printed material is one aspect of achieving this goal. This collection combines all printed formats published by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Associaton including books, booklets, brochures, information sheets, event announcements, bylaws, and handbooks or guidebooks. Annual Reports and the Minutes of...

Scope and Contents The Publications Committee Collection contains the files created by the MVLA and its employees who worked to research, write, and prepare publications for print. The MVLA often worked with private authors to produce educational and informative titles, and coordinated with printers to independently publish their own works. A small group of files from the Public Information Committee, which merged with the Publications Committee in 1982, is included as a second series. These records document...

Scope and Contents This collection contains publications concerning the history of Mount Vernon and George Washington that were not published by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. The MVLA collaborated with other authors and publishers to produce many of these titles, however the Association was not the copyright holder. These items have been merged together into this collection but are from different sources or accessions. Most of the publications were either originally collected by the Library at Mount...

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This collection holds 34 volumes of notebooks kept by Elswyth Thane Beebe in preparation for two of her publications, "Mount Vernon is ours; the story of its preservation," 1966 and "Mount Vernon; the legacy" 1967. These notebooks contain the notes written by the author during her research on the history of Mount Vernon.

Scope and Contents This collection contains original records and photocopied documentation that was compiled in the early 1990s to provide necessary assistance for the preparation of the Historic Structures Report. Original materials include correspondence of Mount Vernon Superintendents, employees, and Vice Regents, accounts and financial documents, reports, photographs, and architectural drawings. Photocopied or printed documents were taken from ledgers, accounts, and correspondence of George Washington and...

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This collection contains approximately 300 rare printed maps, unique manuscript maps, and published texts collected by Richard H. Brown, which pertain to the American Revolutionary War era.

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Views of Mount Vernon spanning more than 100 years. The Robert Waldsmith Collection consists of approximately 315 stereographs and cabinet cards by Alexander Gardner, N. G. Johnson, Luke D. Dillon, and others. Highlights of the collection include: several west front views of the Mansion, including the earlist known one by Frederick Langenheim, circa 1856; an early view of the tomb, circa 1857, and a collection of Washington statues and buildings honoring the first President.

Scope and Contents Collection of 80 photographs which belonged to Miss Sarah C. Tracy (later Mrs. Upton H. Herbert), resident secretary at Mount Vernon during the Civil War years. The pictures most of which are cartes de visite were collected by Miss Tracy; some were obviously presented to her, after the fashion of the day, and are inscribed. Besides the one of herself there are three of Mount Vernon which must date from the years of her residence. Others include Leeds Castle, the English seat of Thomas, Lord...

Scope and Contents This collection includes bound volumes of primary sources by the Superintendent or Resident Director of Mount Vernon: the letter books and diaries of Superintendent Harrison H. Dodge from the 1885 to 1927, and the monthly reports to the Regent by Superintendent (later Resident Director) Charles Cecil Wall for the years 1948-1967. Dodge’s letter books contain letterpress and handwritten copies of outgoing correspondence. These were bound into 32 volumes in 1968-1969. The majority of these...

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This collection consists of papers collected by various members of the Lewis and Ball family.

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The majority of this collection is made up of research files compiled by Worth Bailey while researching at Mount Vernon and other historical sites. These files contain correspondence, news clippings, images, articles, and studies. Another substantial portion of the collection contains Bailey’s drawings, woodcuts, and several printing blocks.

Scope and Contents Visitors to Mount Vernon have ceremoniously laid wreaths at the graves of George and Martha Washington for many years. This collection of “tomb books,” or registries of floral tributes, record the names and dates of the visitors and special guests who laid wreaths at the tomb. The books are originally kept by Mount Vernon employees who are assigned to watch over the tomb and facilitate the wreath-laying ceremonies. More volumes are expected to eventually be turned over to the MVLA Archives,...

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The collection of Washington forgeries and bookplates from the 19th and 20th centuries measures 1 linear foot. Found within the collection are forged Washington documents from notorious forgers Robert Spring, Joseph Cosey, and Charles Weisberg, as well as unidentified forgeries. The collection also contains bookplates – originals, restrikes, and spurious copies – from the Washington family and correspondence related to the sale of forgeries.

Scope and Contents The collection contains 41 manuscripts dating 1770-1831. Many of the manuscripts date from the era of the American Revolution, and several are directly relevant to the course of the war. Among the documents are single letters by John Adams, Aaron Burr, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, Lafayette, James Madison, John Marshall, James Monroe, Paul Revere, and George Washington, as well as letters and other documents that include the...