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
Cherry Tree
I Cannot Tell a Lie But I Can Tell a Fable: Aesop’s Fables and the Cherry Tree Tale
If you’ve been to Historic Kenmore, you’ve likely been awestruck at the beauty of the plaster ceilings throughout the first floor. Although the identity of “The Stucco Man” is lost to history, he left behind a lesson above the fireplace in the Dining Room. The plaster work inlay there depicts several stories from Aesop’s fables, … Continue reading I Cannot Tell a Lie But I Can Tell a Fable: Aesop’s Fables and the Cherry Tree Tale
A History of Trees at Ferry Farm
The moment anyone mentions trees and George Washington, you probably think of the famous Cherry Tree Story. However, this tale of young George taking a hatchet to his father's cherry tree and, when confronted about the act, asserting "I cannot tell a lie" is probably just that -- a story meant to demonstrate the integrity … Continue reading A History of Trees at Ferry Farm
Ten Cool But Rarely-Exhibited Artifacts Found at Ferry Farm
When you enter a museum you’re surrounded by cool stuff. Be it paintings, fossils, or ancient artifacts, they’re all special items that you’d be hard pressed to find elsewhere. But what if I told you that the cool objects you see on display in a museum are a mere fraction of what most museums actually … Continue reading Ten Cool But Rarely-Exhibited Artifacts Found at Ferry Farm
Photos: Glue Through a Microscope
While living at Ferry Farm, Mary Washington, mother of George, owned a creamware punch bowl with beautiful hand-painted enamel depicting a floral motif and cherry accents. Archaeologists excavated pieces of this bowl from the cellar of the Washington home and subsequently discovered glue residue on the sherds. We've written about the importance of the bowl's discovery here … Continue reading Photos: Glue Through a Microscope
Glue: The Coolest Thing I’ve Ever Found
As an archaeologist, I am often asked “What is the coolest thing you’ve ever found?” The answer is complicated. Although I’ve unearthed 10,000 year old Paleoindian hearths, elaborate porcelains, coins, long lost jewelry, and ancient stone tools, I say that the coolest thing I’ve ever found is …. glue. This proclamation always elicits questioning looks … Continue reading Glue: The Coolest Thing I’ve Ever Found
Being Part of the Story: Collecting Oral Histories about Ferry Farm and Kenmore
Have you ever seen ads for museums inviting you to “be part of the story”? Well, at George Washington’s Ferry Farm and Historic Kenmore, many people are part of the story and have been for a long time. Those who have played an integral part in the ownership, history, preservation, and work of the properties … Continue reading Being Part of the Story: Collecting Oral Histories about Ferry Farm and Kenmore
Lives & Legacies 