Postcards were a staple of vacations. Collected and sent back to friends and family so they could be part of your adventures. Many of us can remember trying to pick up postcards on the first day of vacation to get them in the mail quickly so they would arrive back home before you. Postcards were … Continue reading Wish You Were Here: Historical Documentation Through Postcards
Collections Management
Lovely Linoleum and Other Historic Floor Coverings – Two Hot Takes
Linum ("Flax") and oleum ("oil") - Fashionable and Affordable As a Historic Preservation student at the University of Mary Washington, I’ve grown to appreciate almost all aspects of materiality. Over the past four years, my education has taught me to look closely at the built environment around me. Two years ago, I stumbled across a … Continue reading Lovely Linoleum and Other Historic Floor Coverings – Two Hot Takes
From the Vaults: Rarely Seen Documents
Some of the most delicate objects in our collection are our archives. Paper and other document materials like vellum and parchment are very sensitive materials that can be irreversibly damaged simply by light. This makes it very difficult to display or put on exhibit for extended periods despite our comprehensive policies for conserving and preserving … Continue reading From the Vaults: Rarely Seen Documents
Behind the Glass at Ferry Farm’s Archaeology Lab
The observer stands behind glass and watches. The one being watched picks up the object with her bare hands turns it carefully to see every angle, then sets it down to record data into her computer. Then she washes her hands, unwraps another object – and eats it! Visitors to George Washington’s Ferry Farm can … Continue reading Behind the Glass at Ferry Farm’s Archaeology Lab
Seeing The Big Picture: How Excavated Ceramics Informed The George Washington Foundation’s Acquisition of Complete Pieces for Display
The archaeology and curatorial departments for The George Washington Foundation have long worked together to furnish the reproduced Washington house with historically accurate items that resemble as closely as possible the ones that George and his family would have lived with daily. These pieces are not originals, which means visitors touring the house can handle … Continue reading Seeing The Big Picture: How Excavated Ceramics Informed The George Washington Foundation’s Acquisition of Complete Pieces for Display
New Arrivals at Ferry Farm & Kenmore [Video]
In this video, curator Meghan Budinger updates us on the latest arrivals in the final steps of furnishing the Washington house replica at George Washington's Ferry Farm and of re-furnishing Historic Kenmore. https://youtu.be/4Dqb6jE9SVA
Lecture – Cabinet of Curiosities: Kenmore and the Evolution of Museum Collections [Video]
On Tuesday, May 15, 2018, Meghan Budinger, Aldrich Director of Curatorial Operations for The George Wsahington Foundation presented a lecture titled “Cabinets of Curiosities: Kenmore and the Evolution of Museum Collections.” Using Kenmore's collection as a case study, Meghan reviewed 100-years worth of museum curation and talked about some of the most exciting and unusual … Continue reading Lecture – Cabinet of Curiosities: Kenmore and the Evolution of Museum Collections [Video]
Search for Washington House Furnishings Takes Exciting Turn!
As Meghan talked about in her latest blog post, we are currently taking on the immense task of finding accurate and well-made reproduction furnishings and household items for the reconstructed Washington house at George Washington’s Ferry Farm. We recently completed two successful shopping expeditions and acquired an array of items for the home from earthenware … Continue reading Search for Washington House Furnishings Takes Exciting Turn!
Just What is Colonial Revival?
You’ve probably heard the phrase “colonial revival” before. Most people think of it as an architectural style –what they mean when they say “a colonial style house.” In actuality, the phrase refers to a whole cultural movement in the United States that had its beginnings in the late 19th century and that still exists today. … Continue reading Just What is Colonial Revival?
Kenmore’s Holy Grail
“The drawing-room walls are covered with pictures, some very fine, from the ancient masters, but most of them portraits of our most distinguished men, six or eight by Stewart. The mantelpiece, tables in each corner and in fact wherever one could be fixed, were filled with busts, and groups of figures in plaster, so that … Continue reading Kenmore’s Holy Grail
Lives & Legacies 