Mount Vernon
What better trip to write about on Independence Day than George Washington’s Mount Vernon. The land where Mount Vernon stands was in George Washington’s family since his great grandfather’s time 1674 and was originally called Little Hunting Creek Plantation. In 1735 when George Washington was just 3 years old his father moved the family to the property and a modest home was built. When George Washington’s half-brother Lawrence inherited the property he renamed it Mount Vernon in honor of Admiral Edward Vernon his commanding officer in the British Royal Navy. When George Washington began leasing and then inherited the plantation he expanded the home raising the roof making it two and a half stories high and added north and south wings, a cupola and a piazza. The mansion is 11,028 square feet in size. The exterior of the mansion looks like it is made of stone, but in reality it is wood that was then painted and had sand thrown on it to give it a more im...