Mount Vernon By Candlelight 2009

R treated me to this year's "Mount Vernon by Candelight" tour. This is the only chance visitors get to tour the historic home at nighttime. They do such a wonderful job with this each year. When you arrive, you are given a tag to hang around your neck, which is how they group visitors for the tour. The tag has the name of a dignitary who visited Mt. Vernon over Christmas at some point in George Washington's time there. Once your group "name" is called, you proceed outside to the grounds of the house.

Your first stop is next to a bonfire, about which lurk "interpreters" in period costumes. While you wait, you are invited to enter a tent, where more "interpreters" serve you a cup of hot cider and homemade cookies made in the style and tradition of the 18th century. When your group is again called, you officialy begin the tour by walking the lantern-lit path that leads directly to the manor. Your costumed guide stops the group periodically and shares stories and other information about the manor and about George and Martha's life during the holidays at the manor.


Your first indoor stop is at the first building on the left of the manor. Inside you are greeted by another "interpreter." In this case, he portrays a footman of George Washington's at the time of Washington's return from Delaware, as his monologue describes. This is the same interpreter as last year, and he's pretty good at it.

Next, you're lead into the manor itself and greeted by "Martha Washington" in the home's dining room. (That's her at left.) This lady is amazing. She's been "Martha" for some years now and she does this so well that you can imagine it's actually Martha speaking to you! She talks of Washington's long absence and of her delight in finally having him home again. In my opinion, she's the highlight of the tour.


The tour continues through the home, both 1st and 2nd levels, with additional costumed "interpreters" speaking to you of other Christmases at Mt. Vernon in Washington's time. When you come to the kitchen, an interpreter hands you a printed recipe for a cake. This recipe was discovered in Martha's own handwriting. It appears as it was in her original recipe and again in "today's" measurements. The original recipe calls for something like 40 eggs, 4 pounds of sugar, and 4 pounds of butter, among other things!
This tour is very enjoyable, and I highly recommend you go when you have the chance.