George Washington's
Mount Vernon and
Woodlawn Plantation (which contains Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House) will be a treat for history, decorative arts, and architecture buffs.
The tour begins at Woodlawn Plantation which was originally part of Mount Vernon. In 1799 George Washington gave the site to his nephew Lawrence Lewis and Lewis’ new bride, Eleanor “Nelly” Parke Custis, Martha Washington’s granddaughter. The newly-married couple built the Georgian/Federal house which was designed by William Thornton, architect of the U.S. Capitol. The first site operated by the National Trust, Woodlawn Plantation has operated as a historic house museum since 1949. Built in 1940, the Pope-Leighey House is a Usonian home, one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes for the common man. Commissioned by a journalist and built in nearby Falls Church, the house was given to the National Trust and moved to Woodlawn Plantation to avoid the expansion path of Highway 66.
There will be a guided tour of both the Plantation and the Pope-Leighey House, the latter focusing on the architectural elements of the house. The group will then travel to Mount Vernon where guests can visit Washington’s Tomb, the gardens and restored landscapes, and the education center. The group will eat lunch on their own in Mt. Vernon's food court. After lunch the group will have the opportunity to tour the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington at Mount Vernon, a 45,000 square foot Library which opened its doors in September 2013. In the tradition of the Presidential Libraries, the FWS Library holds many of the personal papers, maps, and books previously owned by George Washington. During the tour visitors will see the Karen Buchwald Wright Reading Room, The John and Adrienne Mars Rare Books and Manuscripts Room, and The David Rubenstein Leadership Hall. There will be an opportunity to talk with Library staff about current operations and future initiatives. The tour will be led by Chief Librarian and Archivist, Mark Santangelo. At 3pm there will be a docent-led tour of the mansion and its grounds for participants.
Maximum Participants: 60
Fee: $75
Accessibility: All participants will be walking or standing for the duration of the tour. There are stairs, ramps, and elevators, and limited seating in galleries. There are benches at Mt. Vernon in outside locations.
Transportation: Transportation will be by bus. Loading and unloading takes place at the hotel’s 10th Street NW entrance, on 10th Street NW between H Street NW and G Street NW. Please meet the tour shepherd near the 10th street hotel entrance 15 minutes prior to departure.
