Mt Vernon, the estate of George Washington, takes the 12 Days of Christmas very seriously.
The Mansion at the estate is decorated to the nines for the holidays and all rooms are made-up as they would have been in the late 1700’s; ready to receive Colonial party-people decked out in their finest wigs and over-sized buckle shoes or rib-crushing, corseted dresses and lace bonnets.
The property sees over a million visitors annually, but only a few thousand get to tour the third floor of the Mansion, as its only open to the public from Dec 1 – Jan 6 each year.
The third floor is comprised of three guest rooms and the bedroom that Martha Washington moved into after George died in 1799, as the marital bedchamber was closed and sealed after his death (a perk of living in a 10-bedroom mansion I suppose).
The estate, at nearly 50 acres, contains the Mansion, gardens, sprawling farmland, slave quarters, Washington’s tomb, forested areas, a harbor, plus a sparkly new Visitor’s Center with several museums and numerous theaters.
While packed with information and exhibits spanning Washington’s life (including his wooden teeth!), I found the museum to be rather overwhelming; large-scale dioramas, video presentations, flashing lights, narrations and sound effects reminded me somewhat of a Japanese anime cartoon.
The outdoor exhibits were far less seizure-inducing. On special display during the holiday season were Liberty (the turkey that Obama pardoned around Thanksgiving) and George’s camel (?).
Apparently, good ol’ Georgey had a thing for exotic animals and in 1787 paid 18 shillings to have a camel on the grounds for the 12 Days of Christmas. Whatever floats your boat I guess.
Aside from leaving with a renewed sense of holiday cheer, my visit to Mt Vernon rekindled an innate feeling of patriotism and ultimately a new-found respect for the man at the root of the USofA.
*For more Photo Friday, Delicious Baby is the spot!
