Last Saturday we braved the dreary, cold, drizzly weather to warm up at Mount Vernon. The highlight of the day was taking the National Treasure tour. When we got to the ticket window at 9am, we were thrilled that we could take the 3pm tour! These tickets can be difficult to get.  Note: You can buy the tickets ahead of time on-line.

    We began the day at the "kids'" museum, which portrays Washington's life from birth to death.  Along the way are interactives, displays and movies. Some of my favorite displays are built around the wax figures of George Washington at different parts of his life.  Here he is as a surveyor at the age of 19.

     These wax figures are as lifelike as a likeness of George Washington can be.  The artists carefully inspected the original Houdon and then using science and logic, deducted years from his face to get realistic representations at different times of his life. This particular display is lots of fun for the young at heart because of all the wild animals, hidden within the tree, peeking at you! 

     At this display, you can sit in a church pew like George Washington's. That activates the movie about George Washington and religion.  When that was over, we went into the room across the way to watch another movie about George and Martha Washington...how they met and their life together.  It talked about why Martha burned their correspondence.  I got teary eyed in that one!

     Here is the wax figure of General George Washington.  Is he on Blueskin or Nelson?  When did he use each one? And why?Those questions can be answered here!

      We looked at a book of pictures and description of the generals of the American side and the British side.  Of course many French helped the American side.  Across from this, was a special Lafayette display. A certain someone asked me why Lafayette got a display of his own, when there were other French who helped. Rest assured, I clarified Lafayette's significance to America to this certain someone over lunch!  =)  In the display are two of the muskets Lafayette had France send to the American army. Also there is a carving of the Bastille out of stone that actually came from the Bastille. 

      The favorite of my husband and son was the interactive movie of three battles of the American Revolution: Boston, Trenton, Yorktown.  There is mist rising from underneath the screen, snow falling from above and the chairs in which we sit rumble with cannon roars.

     We were also intrigued by a fascinating display through a window where Washington had a choice...king or civilian?  We saw a wax figure of Washington seated on a throne, only to fade away as his civilian figure emerged.  When advised by his generals (not Lafayette) after the war to take military leadership of his country, he refused. Instead of following the history of Julius Caesar and Oliver Cromwell, he forged a different path like an ancient Roman named Cincinnatus, who peacefully returned to his plow.  America's strength has been built upon the foundation Washington laid of neither seeking power...nor keeping power.  May Americans always follow in his footsteps.

    Here is George Washington taking the Presidential Oath of Office.  You really feel like you're there! You can place your hand on the Bible and give the Oath of Office and then there is applause. Hmmmm, I wonder if my son did that because he wants to be president someday. 

    I loved this display of the Presidential Cabinet. You open the doors to see their pictures.

      At the end, when we got to George Washington's death, I got teary eyed again. Where were the tissues?

     Finally it was time for the long anticipated National Treasure tour. The tour groups are never larger than 25 people, because we are going to places seldom seen at Mount Vernon.  Some of these places are a bit cramped, like the basement. We also got to find out where history separates from Hollywood!  We began the tour on the Potomac River side of the house, where the guide showed us pictures from the movie of the fictitional President's birthday party and showed us from the pictures where all the action happened.   

    Then we went into the basement.  We got to see the Lawrence Washington  crest that was instrumental in the basement scene. Lawrence was the half brother of George Washington, who previously owned Mount Vernon. Here's the real crest...

     Here is the other part of the cellar that Hollywood recreated for the secret tunnel scenes...

This is outside looking into the upper part of the secret tunnel...

A closer look...

    We went down to the Potomac to get a view of the tunnel (a bit more inaccessible than the one we were at) that Benjamin Gates and the fictitional president came out of. It is nestled on the side of the hill.  During the tour you find out what these tunnels were really used for!

Close up...

    The guide asked if we'd like to see the old fire truck.  The guys definitely wanted to see that!  There were also barrels of whisky and gin stored down there!  My husband insisted I get a picture of this!

 On the hill above the fire truck we got to see the wild turkeys...

Close up...

     We also saw where the dogs had been kept. Many of the dogs were gifted to George Washington by his "adopted" son Lafayette. One of the descendants, named Vulcan, stole one of Mrs. Washington's hams and wouldn't give it back!

     While standing below the mansion, we heard the history behind the naval honors given to George Washington.  In 1801 a man-of-war was going up the Potomac.  Everyone went up to the deck to see the lovely home of their former Commander-in-Chief.  (Washington had passed away a few years before.)  They saw Mrs. Washington and other family members on the portico. They saw his tomb to the left. The colors were lowered to half-mast and a thirteen gun salute was fired.   In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt was aboard a yacht that gave naval honors while across from Mount Vernon. Impressed, he made this tradition official. Sometimes the Star Spangled Banner is played. Civilians passing in boats often take off their hats in honor while passing.  Last summer when we took a boat ride from Mount Vernon up the Potomac, we were all awed by the sight of Mount Vernon from the river. We all stood, all was serene...even though we had just walked through the mansion and grounds itself...we were still in awe of how God had used this great Father of our Country.    

   I highly recommend this tour, which will be available until October.  We got to go behind the scenes of history (and Hollywood). We attracted a bit of attention, as we got to go where some curious tourists wanted to follow.  Alas, one can only join this tour if they have a ticket. =)

   By now, the rain had stopped. During the tour we had heard the bleating of sheep and had been told it was the lambs. We went to see them.  It seemed to be dinner time for the ewes but none of them seemed interested in feeding their babies for long. That was the reason for all the bleating!   While meandering through the sights of spring, the sun came out at long last!