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
Historic Preservation
New Kids on the Block: The 20th-Century Houses of Kenmore Court
When you visit Historic Kenmore today, you will find a preserved city block with gardens and pathways reaching from front to back. The tranquil estate is only interrupted by two other houses along Lewis Street, hidden behind a tree line. These buildings remain the only surviving evidence of a time when Kenmore’s block was almost … Continue reading New Kids on the Block: The 20th-Century Houses of Kenmore Court
Meet the Crew 2025
We are heading into the final stretch of this year’s exploration of the 18th-century kitchen at George Washington’s Ferry Farm, and it definitely hasn't disappointed! The finds are getting bigger and better as we continue excavating deeper into the cellar and expand our look into the surrounding area. We have made a ton of progress … Continue reading Meet the Crew 2025
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
Pull Over!! The Virginia Highway Historical Markers of The George Washington Foundation
As you drive down the road, sometimes, there are enough signs to make your head spin. It can be tempting to just drive by these stark white cast iron road markers with black text when you see them. Even so, sometimes you can’t help but let a word or a phrase catch your eye, sparking … Continue reading Pull Over!! The Virginia Highway Historical Markers of The George Washington Foundation
Above Ground Archaeology – Cool Finds Revealed During Restoration
While the house at Historic Kenmore has been faithfully restored to its circa 1775 appearance, the road to that final result was a pretty dirty one. As in plaster dust, paint fumes, and all manner of dirt and debris. Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the first forays into the research for and … Continue reading Above Ground Archaeology – Cool Finds Revealed During Restoration
Slides That Saved Kenmore
On January 1, 1925, a group of well-dressed women in hats and long fur coats assembled at Kenmore to hand over the final $1,000 payment and gain full possession of the house and land. This meeting was the culmination of thirty-two months of persistent work and determination by the ladies of The Kenmore Association to … Continue reading Slides That Saved Kenmore
Meet the 2024 Field Crew
The dig is in full swing, and we are a little over halfway through our 11-week dig season. Over the past few weeks, we have made lots of new exciting discoveries, and as you may have noticed, added quite a few new faces to our crew. Hosting a field school from the University of South … Continue reading Meet the 2024 Field Crew
1925 Dedication Day: A (Block) Party from the Past
Spring is a busy time of year for historic house museums, as we see an influx of school groups, vacationers, and families taking advantage of the beautiful weather. This spring is an especially exciting year at Historic Kenmore since we are preparing to celebrate our centennial anniversary! As discussed in our previous blog post, it … Continue reading 1925 Dedication Day: A (Block) Party from the Past
Lives & Legacies 