Mount Vernon sweeps three categories this year.
West Front of the Mansion, August 2020
Overlooking the Potomac River about eight miles south of Alexandria, Mount Vernon is the estate and burial site of George Washington and his wife, Martha. Today, visitors can explore the house along with its working farm, functioning distillery, museum, and more.
First known as Little Hunting Creek and owned by the Washington family in the 17th century, the property descended through the generations, eventually being purchased by Augustine, Washington’s father, in 1726. In the late 1740s, it became known as Mount Vernon.
George Washington took full possession of the estate in 1761. And though his architectural sketches for renovations and additions show the manor as symmetrical, in fact, an extra window above the stairwell throws off the facade’s balance. The siding, which appears to be made of stone blocks, is actually made from pine. MountVernon.org
