Collections of Mount Vernon October 17, 2008

The Collections Department acquires, preserves, researches and interprets the holdings of Mount Vernon - the largest collection of Washington material in the nation. After George and Martha Washington's deaths, their possessions were dispersed through bequests and private and public auctions. Thus, when the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association took possession of the estate in 1860, there were only a handful of original Washington pieces still here. Since that time, Mount Vernon has brought back thousands of original artifacts that range from paintings and sculpture to ceramics, glass, metals, textiles, cooking utensils and tools, the famous Washington dentures, rare books, manuscripts and prints.