Mount Vernon

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Mount Vernon Will Be Shuttered Until 2026

Only limited areas will remain open to visitors amid the final stages of a $30M restoration

(Newser) - George Washington's home on the Potomac River has been transformed into a construction zone. As of Nov. 1, Mount Vernon will be largely closed to the public amid its largest-scale renovation in more than 150 years, at a cost of $30 million. The 290-year-old mansion is in rough shape,...

In George Washington's Basement, a 'Spectacular Find'
In George Washington's
Basement, a 'Next Level' Find
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

In George Washington's Basement, a 'Next Level' Find

Bottles containing whole cherries were likely buried 250 years ago

(Newser) - A bottle of 250-year-old cherries likely intended for George Washington has been found in his former home in Virginia—a discovery that's both sweet and distasteful, as enslaved people likely picked and preserved the fruit at Washington's mansion overlooking the Potomac River. Archaeologists working at the Mount Vernon...

15 Years Later, Tourist Hopes Gesture Breaks 'Curse'

Woman returns Pompeii artifacts she lifted

(Newser) - In 2005, a tourist took a few ancient artifacts that didn't actually belong to her back home to Canada. Things haven't always gone well for her in the intervening years. She "had breast cancer twice,” she said, the last time resulting in a double mastectomy. Her...

Police Chief Decries 'Horrible' Use of Force on Black Man

Police officer Tyler Timberlake charged with assault after using stun gun on 'man in crisis'

(Newser) - A Virginia police officer was charged with misdemeanor assault and battery Saturday after being accused of using excessive force on a black man. The Fort Hunt Herald reports the incident took place Friday around 1:30pm in Mount Vernon, where an apparently disoriented victim—described by the Fairfax County Police...

George Washington's Presidential Library Opens

Includes dozens of Washington's own books

(Newser) - George Washington finally has his own presidential library . After years of planning and a $100 million fundraising campaign, George Washington's Mount Vernon estate has formally opened a new library dedicated to the study of America's first president and the Founding Fathers. A ceremony today dedicated the 45,000-square-foot...

George Washington Finally Gets a Presidential Library

It'll open at Mount Vernon in September

(Newser) - Pretty cool: George Washington is finally getting what so many other presidents already have —a presidential library. The 45,000-square-foot library, which will be erected at a cost of $106.4 million that was ponied up by 7,000 donors, is slated to open Sept. 27 at Mount Vernon...

George Washington's 'Bad' Whiskey Going on Sale

It costs $95 a bottle, but one blogger uses the word 'rotgut'

(Newser) - Mount Vernon is making 1,100 bottles of rye whiskey using a recipe from none other than George Washington himself. The booze will go on sale next month for $95 a bottle, reports AP . Must be great stuff, right? Eh, "what the liquor peddlers at Mount Vernon aren’t...

What's the White House Worth?
 What's the White House Worth?

What's the White House Worth?

Real estate experts look at value of presidential homes

(Newser) - Just for fun, the Wall Street Journal asked a housing expert to appraise three famous DC-area residences that have hosted at least one of our presidents. The history makes them priceless, but that aside, here's what they found:
  • George Washington's Mount Vernon: To move into this elegant estate,
...

Colbert Catches Palin in History Gaffe

George Washington had a little help keeping his farm going

(Newser) - A new, stubble-sporting Stephen Colbert turned his wit on Sarah Palin’s bus tour last night, getting in some barbs in a short segment, the Huffington Post reports. After running a clip of the media questions surrounding the trip, Colbert quipped, “That’s the power of Sarah Palin. No...

Washington Was Good With a Buck, Accounts Show

Long-ignored financial records a 'treasure trove,' historians say

(Newser) - Fitting enough for the guy who ended up on the dollar bill, George Washington seems to have tracked every buck that crossed his path. The first president not only left scores of diaries and letters reflecting his views, but also assiduously documented his financial transactions. The result? A treasure trove...

Gunman Kills 6 in Washington Rampage

'Psychotic' suspect nabbed after police chase

(Newser) - Six people were killed yesterday in a wild shooting spree by a mentally disturbed man in northwest Washington state, according to authorities. The bloodshed ended when the shooter surrendered after a police chase, reports the Seattle Post Intelligencer. The dead, including a sheriff's deputy, and two wounded were discovered at...

White House Cozy for Sarkozy
White House Cozy for Sarkozy

White House Cozy for Sarkozy

French president wooing 'heart of America'

(Newser) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday demonstrated why he is dubbed “Sarko l’Américain,” bursting onto the Washington scene hugging and backslapping, reports the New York Times. He clearly enjoyed his first official visit to the US despite lingering pain over his pending divorce from wayward wife, Cé...

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