If you have visited Ferry Farm recently or follow us on social media, you may have noticed the construction of two buildings near the Washington House. These new structures represent ones that stood in these spots during George Washington’s time. Identified through archaeology, their reconstructions allow us to better tell the stories of the people … Continue reading Expanding Ferry Farm: The Quarter
gentry
What’s on your Thanksgiving table?
Thanksgiving is next week, and families and friends across the United States will gather again to celebrate the past year's blessings. Days for giving thanks have been proclaimed throughout history for many reasons – most often to celebrate a bountiful summer or fall harvest, the end of a war, or even the beginning of a … Continue reading What’s on your Thanksgiving table?
Five International Influences on George Washington’s Early Life
An Essay of a New and Compact Map, Containing the Known Parts of the Terrestrial Globe by Jacques-Nicolas Bellin was published in 1750 when George Washington was 18-years-old. Credit: Wikipedia. Ferry Farm was a unique place to live in the mid-1700s. Situated where farm, frontier, city, river, and road converged on the edge of English … Continue reading Five International Influences on George Washington’s Early Life
“Ya Basic”: Washington and “The Bread and Butter Ball”
It was in February 1760 that George and Martha attended a ball that fell short of his expectations. As he somewhat whimsically recorded in his diary, the tables lacked linen, beverages were watered down, and the food offered compared to basic prison fare. In today’s slang, George might characterize the uninspiring party as, “Ya Basic,” … Continue reading “Ya Basic”: Washington and “The Bread and Butter Ball”
Digging Up a Card Table
Tantalizing evidence of historic furniture use exists within the soils of George Washington’s Ferry Farm and that evidence gives us a more complete view of how the Washington family lived in the 1700s. The hundreds of items archaeologists and students have uncovered represent the remains of furniture broken or embellishments lost. The ruthless outdoor elements … Continue reading Digging Up a Card Table
Ten Pivotal Moments in George Washington’s Boyhood
George Washington did not experience what we would now consider a normal childhood. Life at Ferry Farm was filled with excitement, sadness, intrigue, and tragedy for young George. Here we present a list of “Ten Pivotal Moments of George Washington’s Boyhood.” This is by no means an exhaustive list but each of these events definitely … Continue reading Ten Pivotal Moments in George Washington’s Boyhood
Hanging Portraits in Kenmore’s Drawing Room
The George Washington Foundation's curators recently oversaw the hanging of portraits in Historic Kenmore's Drawing Room. Portraits of Fielding and Betty Lewis painted by John Wollaston as well as of John Lewis and Fielding Lewis, Jr. painted by Charles Willson Peale were returned to the room where they hung originally. In this video showing the … Continue reading Hanging Portraits in Kenmore’s Drawing Room
Lives & Legacies 