When I was growing up there was a running joke about historic places all saying "George Washington Slept Here." Living 8 miles from what was his home, it is easy to find places he touched, slept or worked. He was one of the surveyors for the hilltop we lived on, he was part of the survey crew that platted the City of Alexandria, just down the hill from where I live. The Fairfax family had a house on this hill, about 300 feet from my terrace, George Washington's diaries show he had dinner with them there, about a week before he died.
George Washington's Mt Vernon estate is owned, maintained and operated by the Mt Vernon Lady's Association. It is all privately funded. I buy an annual membership, that gets the two of us in whenever we want to go. Only a few times in the past year, but more often under normal circumstances. I can easily find places where George Washington slept.
The state of Pennsylvania is much the same. There is a running joke about historic places all saying "Mistress Borghese Slept Here." Or was the hotels?
ReplyDeleteAh,but did the Mistress sleep?
DeleteYou don't think the Fairfax family gave him a slow acting poison in his meal a week before he died?
ReplyDeleteThat would have changed things up a bit. He died from a throat infection (that would be easily treatable today) after a long day out inspecting his estate on horseback in a rain that turned to freezing rain and snow.
DeleteI've seen those signs everywhere (and the ones for Mistress Borghese, as well). We used to ride our bikes from our home in Georgetown via Rock Creek Park to Mt. Vernon. Beautiful ride.
ReplyDeleteAn ambitious ride, there is quite a hill the last half mile going south to Mt Vernon.
DeleteI don't remember a specific final hill (and I was NOT the greatest rider). But I do remember hills here and there. 17 miles each way. We loved it. I think I even have a photo of us standing beside our bikes the first time.
DeleteGeorge, like Maddie, slept around!
ReplyDeleteI suspect George got more sleep
Deletewhere HASN'T maddie slept?
ReplyDeleteThere will be plenty of time for sleep in eternity
DeleteWell, he hasn't slept HERE. I'd remember.
DeleteYou are lucky to live with so much history all around you.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons we like it here.
DeleteHistory must be in the very air you breathe!
ReplyDeleteAs long as it smells like old books, and not mildew.
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