Historic manuscript collection

Access and use

Location of collection:
The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon
The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon
3600 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway
Mount Vernon, VA 22121
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Reference services
Phone: (703) 780-3600
Restrictions:

This collection is open for research during scheduled appointments. Researchers must complete the Washington Library's Special Collections and Archives Registration Form before access is provided. The library reserves the right to restrict access to certain items for preservation purposes.

Preferred citation:

[Name and date of item], Historic Manuscript Collection, [Folder], Special Collections, The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon [hereafter Washington Library], Mount Vernon, Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
approx. 60 Linear Feet
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Name and date of item], Historic Manuscript Collection, [Folder], Special Collections, The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon [hereafter Washington Library], Mount Vernon, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection of historic manuscripts dates from 1607-1933, with the bulk of materials dating from 1738-1868. The correspondence, journals and diaries, legal and financial records, estate documents, and printed ephemera in the collection primarily relate to the Washington and Custis families, the Revolutionary War, and society life in antebellum Washington D.C. and Virginia.

Portions of this collection have been digitized, as noted in the item-level descriptions.

Custodial history:

Items in this collection were acquired by gift and purchase from various sources. Materials are added to the collection as they are acquired.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into three series: Series 1. Documents and Manuscripts; Series 2. Ledgers and Bound Manuscripts; Series 3. Oversized Documents and Manuscripts. Each series is arranged in chronological order by date.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard