Garland Pollard 2019-12-06 12:54:06
Standing inside George Washington’s Mount Vernon, it hits me. I’m not just learning about our nation’s birth. I’m seeing it, touching it, feeling it. Deep within my soul. What inspires me about MOUNT VERNON is the fact that it was a result of George Washington’s vision, just as our country was. Washington could have easily sat in this glorious riverfront setting, just enjoying life on the estate. But what he did was create a world for himself – and then a country for us all. From a distance, Mount Vernon seems grand. But up close, as I wait for my tour by old, uneven, cracked wooden walls, it is modest and imperfect. Because it is original, there is no way, and no reason, to make it slick. I am reminded of a description of the upstairs bedroom where Washington died; it was called “abjectly plain” by a noted architect. The complexity of Washington is explained in the Donald W. Reynolds Museum, which has 23 galleries. The “Be Washington” interactive exhibit lets me test different political decisions, and the “Lives Bound Together” exhibit honors the work of Mount Vernon’s enslaved. A forensic exhibition of anthropology allows me to see, in the most intimate way, every aspect of our first president’s life. In spite of this impressive technology, perhaps the most satisfying place is the riverfront porch. “You can’t understand Washington without seeing this porch,” a guide tells us. As I sit here, visitors take time to relax in a row of Windsor chairs while gazing over the grounds. So many famous images of Washington show him standing on this very lawn. Today, a regular succession of visitors pose on the knoll and take selfies. Just before leaving, as I browse a wall of photos of famous visitors, one picture catches my eye. It is Princess Margaret, the current Queen of England’s late sister, and her husband, the Earl of Snowdon. They visited on Nov. 16, 1965, photographed smiling with that famous porch in the background. I think about how much Washington would have enjoyed that his beloved home would be such a joyous stop for redcoat royalty centuries later. And I smile, too. HIDDEN GEMS Once you explore the area’s historic hot spots, be sure to check out these lesser-known finds. ☐ Richard Bland Lee was Northern Virginia’s first representative to Congress when the U.S. was formed. Completed in 1799, Sully Historic Site, Lee's family home, paints a fascinating picture of the early federal era. ☐ Located on the grounds of Woodlawn, the early 19th century estate notable for its connections to the Washington family, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House proves that even a person of modest means can get a house designed by a world-famous architect, if you write them a flattering letter … which is just what journalist Loren Pope did. ☐ The Winery at Bull Run is a modern vineyard that sits near the historic site of the first major battle of the Civil War, where tens of thousands of Union and Confederate troops clashed. Visitors today overlook that same battlefield while enjoying award-winning wines. ☐ On your way from Mount Vernon, step into the entrepreneurial mind of our nation’s first president at George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill, one of the largest distilleries and gristmills in the late 1700s. Open April – October. HOT SPOTS When it comes to historically significant attractions, Fairfax County has several heavy-hitters. SMITHSONIAN'S NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM STEVEN F. UDVAR-HAZY CENTER near Dulles Airport boasts the SR-71 Blackbird, which flew at three times the speed of sound, along with the Space Shuttle Discovery, all pockmarked yet victorious after its 39 flights. Other highlights include the Enola Gay, a Concorde and the Gemini VII Space Capsule. Opening in the summer of 2020, the NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY is designed as a technological marvel using the latest advancements in museum exhibits to “tell the story” of over 30 million men and women who have worn the Army uniform since 1775. As the Army’s national landmark, the Museum honors U.S. soldiers – past, present and future – through interactive educational experiences explaining the Army’s role in creating and defending our nation. GUNSTON HALL, the circa-1755 home of founding father and author of the Virginia Bill of Rights George Mason, was built by an architect and carpenter who created what critics have called the most important example of Georgian architecture and carved decoration of its time. Not all of Fairfax County is high-style and hightech. An easy visit to FRYING PAN FARM PARK shows the county before development, in the dairy farm era. Pet an animal and relax. Explore more history and heritage at FXVA.com/things-to-do ASK A LOCAL MELANIE ADAMS History Interpreter, George Washington's Mount Vernon Melanie Adams studied anthropology and history then worked at a South Carolina museum before moving to Virginia – and falling for the extraordinary history here. When she’s not sharing Mount Vernon’s history with visitors, this is how she likes to experience it herself. • See what’s left of the canal George Washington dreamed up at Great Falls Park’s Matildaville. • The National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is home to the Space Shuttle Discovery, the Enola Gay and other history makers. • Visit Woodlawn Plantation, where a recent exhibit explored the transformation of an enslaved community into a dynamic African-American enclave. • Since Adams is on staff at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, it’s no surprise she’s a fan. “There’s definitely more to see than just the house,” she says. One must is “Lives Bound Together,” a slavery exhibit at its Donald W. Reynolds Museum & Education Center.
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