Think about a portrait or painting of George Washington. What is a common element in the paintings? His uniform, yes, he is indeed painted quite a bit in his impressive military uniform. But how about a horse? George is often painted riding beautiful horses with a quiet dignity and noble appearance we expect from the … Continue reading Horsing Around: Archeological Finds at Ferry Farm
George Washington
You Down with Old TD? Yeah, You Know Me!
TD Marked Tobacco Pipes That Is! Clay tobacco pipes are a hallmark of historical archaeology. Grandma smoked, the enslaved smoked, the elite smoked, children smoked, just about everyone smoked. Smoking was one of America’s favorite pastimes, and there are plenty of pipes left in the archaeological record to prove it. Tobacco pipes were not only … Continue reading You Down with Old TD? Yeah, You Know Me!
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
Happy Birthday, Mr. President!
Not every president gets their birthday celebrated every year with a federal holiday, but George Washington, a favorite of his countrymen and the first president, has had that privilege since 1879. But one year was a little different from the others: 1932. It marked Washington’s 200th birthday, and the United States was going to make … Continue reading Happy Birthday, Mr. President!
Family Ties: An American Princess
The George Washington Foundation believes the Washington and Lewis families' story is worth protecting for future generations. We are in contact with many descendants of the Washingtons and Lewises who have assisted the foundation in presenting the families' legacies by adding to our collections and archives. We decided to explore the ancestors and descendants interesting … Continue reading Family Ties: An American Princess
Spilling the Tea: The Boston Tea Party at 250
Author’s Note: This blog contains hyperlinks to primary documents related to the event. Figure 1: 250th Logo (Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum) Intro This year marks the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party (Figure 1). Hailed as a defining moment in the quest for American independence and an act of patriotism, the event has … Continue reading Spilling the Tea: The Boston Tea Party at 250
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?
In Jewelry Remembered: Fashion as a Mourning Ritual
Collections managers deal with a wide array of objects. Sometimes those objects can be quite odd and even a bit gross to the modern person. One object that has always fascinated me is mourning jewelry and the hair of the deceased that jewelry contains. Not many people nowadays think of collecting loved ones hair to … Continue reading In Jewelry Remembered: Fashion as a Mourning Ritual
2023 Dig Season Recap!
It’s that time again! As we welcome Fall and the beautiful cool weather it brings, let’s take a look back at our Summer 2023 dig season here at Ferry Farm, George Washington’s Boyhood Home. This year’s dig actually involved excavating two separate areas, designated FF-38 and FF-40, within the historic area. Location of the archaeological … Continue reading 2023 Dig Season Recap!
Of Mice and Men: A brief exploration of rodents’ history in America
A pest is a broad term for any organism that spreads disease, causes destruction, or is generally a nuisance. In the 21st century, we still constantly battle pests from squirrels who chew through your internet cables or spiders who set up house in the high corner of the ceiling, watching and judging you to evil … Continue reading Of Mice and Men: A brief exploration of rodents’ history in America
Lives & Legacies 