Mt Vernon

Travelers today were myself, Marla and Jenna.  We met up with my sister, her husband and three kids (Jodi, Tom, Tommy, Katie and Michael AKA MJ).  The drive was an hour and a half from our apartment.  The cost was $15 per adult, kids and seniors get a discount.

You start at the Ford Orientation Center which has some statues and a replica of the Mansion.  When you leave the Center you walk up a path that takes you to the gate of the Mansion.  In front of the Mansion is a grassy area called Bowling Green.  We saw that the line for the Mansion was long so we started by walking the Grounds.

Walking the path was nice, you saw trees where the leaves were starting to come back, some wild flowers were starting to bloom and there was a cool bridge that we crossed.

Forest Trail was the beginning of our journey.  Prior to the trail, we came up on some animals penned up.  One pen had some sheep while the other had two cows.  After looking at the animals, in which the kids just loved, we started down the trail.  The trail is a dirt path which is tricky when you have a kid in a stroller, since it has roots, timbers to help with eroding and stairs.  Walking the path was nice, you saw trees where the leaves were starting to come back, some wild flowers were starting to bloom and there was a cool bridge that we crossed.  You end up at a replica of George's Farm.  He had four farms on his 8,000 acres.

They had a Slave House, his 16 sided Barn and Mini Fields on the replica.  There was also a chicken coop.  The end of the Mini Fields led us to the Wharf.  Looking across the water (Potomac River), you see Maryland.  From here we walked up a path to George, Martha and other family members Tomb.

The next journey on our walk was The Fruit Garden and Nursery on one side of the path while on the other side were more sheep.  Here the kids and Marla feed the sheep hay until the saw the hay truck pulled up and all the sheep ran to the truck.  The Fruit Garden had a bunch of trees.  Since there was no fruit on them, I can only tell which ones where Cherry trees.  They were blooming.

Next was the support buildings, there were a Stable, Wash House, Smokehouse, Clerk's Quarter, Gardner's House, Salt House, Spinning House, Greenhouse, Slave Quarters and Blacksmith Building.  They let you walk around the back yard that oversees the Potomac and is a beautiful sight.

The Mansion Tour line was about 50 minutes long.  It was awesome to get to see how they lived back then and how big it is especially for the time.  After the tour, we left the grounds.  The exit takes you to Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center.  There is so much information here on George, Martha and all the other family members.