Visitor account, L. Osgood, 1839

Containers:

Box 63, Folder 1839.06.28

Scope and content:

A.D. 17 pages. "A Visit to Mount Vernon" by L. Osgood. Autograph document, put together in book form, subheading "Mt. Vernon in 1839 by a Native of this Country," dated at Washington, D.C.

"I am under the disagreeable necessity of saying I was never more disappointed in my life, than on this visit. The home of Washington in life His resting place in death, the most hallowed spot in America's soul and a place visited yearly by thousands should be suffered to moulder and decay apparently with its once illustrious possessor."--piazza supported by 2 "natural colemns from the forest"--engraving of Bastille hanging directly above key--rooms downstairs, including mantle "presented to him by Lafayette [Vaughan]"--greenhouse burned 4 yrs. ago, but part of blackened walls standing--most of plants, shrubbery etc. destroyed in fire--took lemon from a tree planted by G.W.--outbuildings all of brick and very delapidated--many abandoned--only a small part of garden cultivated, along walks and the strawberry beds, rest in weeds--"The old gardner seemed very proud of once belonging to Washington and took more interest in talking of his former gardening than exhibiting the present as well he might."--ate some cherries there--gave servant quarter for lemon and cherries--saw splendid portrait of Mrs. [John A.] Washington and "one son and two daughters" [actually 2 sons, 1 daughter and nephew]--by [John Gadsby] Chapman--tomb delapiated too--"The two sarcophaguses are placed in wooden boxes or pens placed without the vault in the enclosed yard the vault is very damp, and a kind of acid is produced by water leaking through the bricks and mortar is so powerful as to rot mahogany boards in three years and two Gentlemen from Philadelphia [Wm.] Strickland an Architect and the gentleman that manufactured the Sarcophagus of Washington when they took it to Mt Vernon and discovered the state of the vault they said the acid would dissolve the marble in seven years and in consequence of this unfortunate circumstance the sarcophagus are cooped in the open yard and hid from the eye of the Visitor."--Lewis [Wm.] Washington [son of Geo. C. W-n], who has a farm 4 mi. from Mt. Vernon has his own servants prepairing for the masons who will put new arch to vault laid in hydraulic cement--wall enclosing vault badly done, crumbling already.

Places:

Mount Vernon (Va. : Estate)

Access and use