Architectural documents

Scope and Contents From the Collection:

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

Manuscript Architectural Plan of a room in the garret of Mount Vernon sent from George Washington to Clement Biddle when purchasing a stove for the room.

Scope and Contents Notes and measured drawing in Washington's hand, specifying how a stove could be installed in a corner of one of the garret or attic bedrooms at Mount Vernon. Drawn at “a scale of a foot to an inch” Washington remarks that “every part of it may be exactly measured and perfectly understood by any workman.” While not dated (but on paper watermarked 1795, and therefore possibly as early as that), the drawing appears to be either a draft or Washington’s file copy of a similar plan sent to...

Scope and Contents

"Calculation of the number of Bricks wanting for the Barn at River Farm" --Bricks for barn at River Farm. Sketch is for barn at Dogue Run Farm. -total number of bricks for each section of the new barn--sketch of barn placement and surrounding grounds.

Scope and Contents

Memorandum notes that Quarters to be 16' wide; half of that with 4' projection sufficient width for greenhouse; chimneys and where to place them; in front part of greenhouse need 2 tiers of windows; windows close together; chimneys in quarters; front of quarters might be wood with brick underpinning--center or greenhouse part all brick to the eves; rafters same angle; describes how to place windows in greenhouse.

Scope and Contents

Memorandum in the hand of George Washington with dimensions of architecdtural details in and around the house -- piazza at west door: brick pavement between the tiles 5 feet 3 inches by 9 feet 6 inches; tiles are 12" square; stone margin around them of 6" on outer edge, 9" on inner next the house. --gives measurements of windows in the new room; the Venetian window is given in exact detail; the two smaller (or end windows); the dimensions of the chimney in the new room in detail.

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George Washington’s deer park declined while he was away serving as president. In 1792 he replaced its fence with a ha-ha or walled ditch, drawn here in black. Six years later, he planned a new course for the ha-ha, represented by the dotted line following “the natural shape of the hill.”

Scope and Contents The plan below, is supposed to represent the Piaza [Piazza] – The black describes the Tile which it is supposed remains uninjured - & the white stone, which will be necessary to replace the Tile that has been damaged by the Frost – If this mode will answer and Knowles [John Knowles] -or Harry [Henry] Young can be engaged – the work might be set about.An indentured bricklayer and laborer, John Knowles worked at Mount Vernon from 1773 until 1784, as well as from 1786 until...

Scope and Contents

Plans for the Greenhouse quarters drawn and annotated by George Washington about 1785