George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens

This Ash Tree, which stood on the Bowling Green in front of the Mansion, is just one of many trees reclaimed from the Estate by HWA.

Mount Vernon VA

In the time of George Washington (circa 1761), Mount Vernon was an 8,000-acre plantation divided into five farms. Washington developed the 500 acres of the “Mansion House Farm” to create a home for his family in a setting fit for a country gentleman. 

In 2003, several trees were damaged as a result of storms. In addition, a giant Walnut tree was removed from the site of Washington’s whiskey mill. Several trees were also removed to make way for a new visitor center. Historical Woods of America has been fortunate enough to reclaim these logs from the site and continues to give the a second life as fine art and fine writing instruments.

Recently we have reclaimed a few pieces of a few original Washington era trees that were damaged in wind storms. Including:

• A few branch sections from a Cedar of Lebanon tree planted at Washington's tomb on December 15th, 1899 by members of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association the day after the centennial commemoration of Washington's death. The event was organized and led by the Masonic Order of the state of Colorado and was attended by Freemasons from across the country. President William McKinley addressed the crowd from the piazza.

• A few branches from two different Washington era Oak trees. One White Oak and one Chestnut Oak Planted no later than 1783 and 1771 respectively. This data comes The Oxford Dendrochronology Labratory, Oxfordshire, UK.  A painting of the east front of the mansion attributed to Edward Savage c1792, shows the two mature trees leaving no doubt that these are the same trees that exist today.

• A few branch sections from a Washington era White Mulberry. George Washington planted several Mulberry trees along the serpentine walk around the bowling green on the 28th of February, 1785. Due to severe rot in the center of the tree, an accurate ring count could not be given. However, there is no doubt that this is one of the Mulberry trees that Washington planted.

• A massive Pecan tree,  140 years old, which stood
115 feet from the mansion overlooking the river.

• A large White Ash tree which stood on the
bowling green.

• George Washington's Whiskey Distillery Walnut.  This massive Walnut tree had to be removed in order for Mount Vernon to rebuild the distillery on the original foundation.