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
Preservation
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
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
Kenmore’s Centennial: How the Ladies of the Kenmore Association Saved the Lewis Family Home
The year 2022 is significant for The George Washington Foundation as it is the centennial of the saving of Kenmore. We have begun the new year with a new exhibit exploring the saving of Kenmore by The Kenmore Association and the beginning of the restoration of the house and turning it into a treasured historic … Continue reading Kenmore’s Centennial: How the Ladies of the Kenmore Association Saved the Lewis Family Home
Kenmore’s Famed Gingerbread
Historic Kenmore was associated with gingerbread for decades. Many people’s first memories of Kenmore involve the square of gingerbread and a cup of tea that used to be served at the end of every tour. The dessert welcomed visitors to the world of colonial Fredericksburg, it comforted soldiers on their way to war in Europe … Continue reading Kenmore’s Famed Gingerbread
Kenmore’s Kitchen: Then & Now
The brick kitchen building next to Historic Kenmore is not original to the property. It was built in the 1930s in the colonial revival architectural style popular at that time. The brick construction does not reflect the kitchen building seen in the earliest known photo of such a building at Kenmore. That image, taken around the … Continue reading Kenmore’s Kitchen: Then & Now
Kenmore’s New Beginning: How the Ladies of the Kenmore Association Saved the Lewis Family Home
January and the start of the year are always a time of new beginnings. Recently, while digging through archival material, I came upon an exciting collection of newspaper clippings and photographs that detailed the New Year’s purchase of Kenmore and the beginning of the old home’s transformation into a historic site to be enjoyed by … Continue reading Kenmore’s New Beginning: How the Ladies of the Kenmore Association Saved the Lewis Family Home
Lives & Legacies 