This collection is open to research during scheduled appointments. Researchers must complete the Washington Library's Special Collections and Archives Registration Form before access is provided. According to the policies of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, certain records in the archives may only be available for research 30 years after creation or file date. The library reserves the right to restrict access to items for preservation purposes.
Since its original purchase of 200 acres of land at Mount Vernon in 1858, the MVLA has increased its acreage significantly through purchases and gifts. The Association has also worked to secure scenic easements to preserve the historic integrity of the area surrounding Washington's home, including neighboring residential districts and property across the Potomac River in Maryland. The addition of land has allowed the MVLA to build essential administrative and operational facilities, as well as reconstructions of Washington-era buildings such as the 16-sided barn and the distillery. This extension of property has proven to be imperative in helping the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association fulfill its mission to preserve the home of George Washington and educate the public about his life and legacy.
This small collection contains records concerning land gifts, purchases, and easements obtained by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. Types of records include deeds, memorandums, signed agreements, land plats, maps, drawings, and correspondence. The material dates from 1858 to 2006, however there is some information on Washington family property that dates from the 1830s (the originals of these items were removed and replaced with photocopies in 2001).
Files in the collection are arranged alphabetically by folder title. All folders were formerly housed in a wooden box with no discernible order. Folder titles in this finding aid appear much the same as the originals, although some have been shortened or simplified.
Other records pertaining to land purchases and gifts may be found in the following collections: - Early Records of the MVLA - Papers of the MVLA - Papers of the Superintendent and Resident Director - Papers of James Rees - Restoration Files - Publications and Printed Material of the MVLA
[Name and date of item], Land Records of the MVLA, Archives of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington [hereafter Washington Library], Mount Vernon, Virginia
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