United States

The home of America’s first president, George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate is one of the country’s most popular historic sites.

Site History

George Washington’s father began building the mansion at Mount Vernon in 1734. George Washington took over the estate in 1754 and enlarged the mansion over the next half decade. In the fall of 1784, the Marquis de Lafayette visited Mount Vernon, the home of his close friend and ally. A significant figure in French heritage, Lafayette played an important role in the history of the United States. Long after Lafayette’s visit, the Washington family continued to associate the room he stayed in with the hero of the American Revolutionary War. In this respect, the room became the first space in America to celebrate Lafayette’s memory and, by extension, that of the Franco-American Alliance. The comparatively modest Small Room dates to the initial construction of the house, though its current state reflects significant changes.

About the Project

Numerous restorations of the Lafayette Room and Small Room have taken place since the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association opened the estate to the public in 1860, with the most recent restoration completed some 30 years ago. The grant from French Heritage Society will cover the costs associated with the selection of period-appropriate wallpaper, the commission of the creation of reproduction wallpaper and the hanging of the wallpaper. This extensive restoration of the Lafayette Room and Small Room is part of Mount Vernon’s effort to emphasize the Franco-American relationship and ensure that the second floor of the mansion is preserved and interpreted to reflect the latest research into its appearance in 1799, the last year of Washington’s life.

Mount Vernon Today

A touchstone of American civic and national identity, Washington’s home is one of the most visited historic sites in the United States. It welcomes more than a million annual visitors, including some 350,000 students. The mansion comprises 21 rooms, which have been beautifully interpreted for the benefit of the public. 

One of the most important buildings in Newport, the Georgian-style Vernon House hosted major historical figures and played a key role during the American Revolution.

Site History

The William Vernon House is one of the most important buildings in Newport due to its history and its architecture. Its origins date to 1713, when the noted painter William Gibbs first constructed a dwelling on the site. In 1760, Newport merchant Metcalf Bowler transformed the home into the structure that stands today. William Vernon, for whom the house is named, purchased it in 1774. 

The house is one of four surviving 18th-century Newport buildings with rusticated siding, and one of the finest examples of the formal Georgian style of architecture. It played a critical role during the American Revolution, serving as the headquarters for the Commander in Chief of the French forces, Comte de Rochambeau. Important historical figures like George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette spent time there.

About the Project

This project will repair the first-floor structural framing, which shows signs of its age. A significant portion of the framing, as observed from the basement, has been structurally compromised by wood rot and wood-boring insects. Several joists and portions of timbers have also been trimmed or notched by electricians or plumbers. The first-floor framing should be increased to allow a capacity of 100 pounds per square foot. In 2017, the Vernon House received an FHS restoration grant in the amount of $13,000, which was supported by the New York Chapter.

William Vernon House Today

In November 2009, the William Vernon House was formally donated to the Newport Restoration Foundation. Tours are provided to small groups of historians, preservationists, grant funders, individual donors, and colleagues from museums and cultural sites. Students from Rhode Island universities and high schools are welcome to tour the house as well.

Built by the French at the end of the 17th century, Fort St. Joseph is a vital source of information about trade in La Nouvelle France.

Site History & Significance

Fort St. Joseph is a former mission, trading post and garrison built by the French in 1691. Located on the banks of the St. Joseph River near the present-day city of Niles, it remained under French rule until 1761, when the British took control following the Seven Years’ War. By the mid-18th century, the fort ranked fourth in volume of furs traded among all posts inLa Nouvelle France. Its interpretation is vital for learning about the extensive trade networks and operations of New France.

About the Restoration Project

The City of Niles is seeking a grant in the amount of $5,000 to match funds for the conservation and display of iron hardware recovered from Fort St. Joseph, encompassing keys and escutcheons; strap hinges; hasp locks and padlocks; hinges and pintles; door, gate and shutter hooks; door latch bars; and lock bolts. The conserved artifacts will be displayed on a reproduction door built in the French Colonial style typical of the buildings that would have been found at the fort. The project will consist of three phases: artifact conservation, display, and exhibition.

Fort St. Joseph Today

Since 1998, the Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project, a joint venture of the City of Niles, Western Michigan University and Support the Fort Inc., has conducted excavations at the site. No maps or plans of the fort are known to exist, and since few historical documents describe the post, artifacts recovered through archaeology are the main source of information in learning what it looked like. To date, six structures, each approximately 16 by 20 feet, have been identified as residences for fur traders. Evidence of structural stone and remains of wooden posts—both poteaux en terre (posts in ground) and poteaux sur sole (posts on sill)—suggests typical French colonial construction.