In 1789, then President Washington, gave his Thanksgiving Proclamation:
“….I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th of November next to be devoted by the People of the States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be–That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks–for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation…..”
It is only fitting that we spent Thanksgiving day at Mt. Vernon. Washington’s father built the original home when George was only two. George expanded the home twice more once he took ownership. He owned 8,000 acres with five working farms on the property. Between he and his wife Martha, they owned approximately 317 slaves at the time of his death in 1799. In his will, he emancipated his 123 slaves upon Martha’s passing. She actually freed them on January 1, 1801 (a year before her death). The remaining slaves belonged to the Custis estate. That is Martha’s first husband; therefore, she and George could not legally free them and upon her death, her grandchildren inherited those indentured servants.
The original slave quarters burned in the mid-1800’s. But we did tour the mansion and walked the grounds. The President was quite the gardener and took pride in his gardens. The Washington’s also entertained a great many visitors on any given day. In one year, they entertained more than 600 visitors at Mt. Vernon.
Inside the Mansion
In Memory
In his will, President Washington requested a new family tomb be developed. 32 years after his death, he, Martha and 25 other family members were interned in the new tomb. In the photo below, George is to the right and Martha on the left. The other 25 are entombed behind the black door.
In 1983, Washington’s slaves were finally recognized with a memorial to those that toiled on and built the plantation. The memorial is located on a bluff overlooking the Potomac on sacred ground used as a cemetery for the enslaved servants.
Give thanks and be grateful for all God has provided. No matter how hard life may be or feel, there is always something in which to be thankful. Happy Thanksgiving.
Really neat stuff Brandee. Enjoying reading your journey. Happy Thanksgiving.
Thank you Mark. So glad you continue to follow along. Hope your Thanksgiving was truly blessed
Is this the house that Martha had when she married Washington? Cuz you showed us his house that was all brick in a previous blog.
Looks like a great Thanksgiving for you two. Love You!
No, this was George Washington’s boyhood home. His father build the home when George was only 2, so he inherited it from him. The other home I posted was the headquarters in Valley Forge during the war when the Army fled Philadelphia as the British were invading.