HISTORY S tanding 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. – By Garland Pollard 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. >> 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. PHOTO: DINING ROOM AT MOUNT VERNON (MOUNT VERNON) Meet Melanie Adams! FXVA.COM • 19
Fairfax County Official Visitors Guide Fairfax County Official Visitors Guide 2020: Page 19
