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Educating the public on the life and legacy of George Washington, colonial life, slavery, and other relevant subjects is part of the MVLA's mission. The publication of books, brochures, and other printed material is one aspect of achieving this goal. This collection combines all printed formats published by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Associaton including books, booklets, brochures, information sheets, event announcements, bylaws, and handbooks or guidebooks. Annual Reports and the Minutes of the Council provide background and information on the yearly activities and business of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. The material includes a wide date range, 1854 to the present.

This collections contains the architectural drawings of Mount Vernon including the measured drawings of the Mansion, outbuildings, and other MVLA structures. The bulk of material dates from the 1930s (during the tenure of the Director of Research and Restoration, Morley Jeffers Williams) through the 1990s. The drawings were accumulated by, and transferred to, the library/archives over time and are now compiled into this collection based on format and purpose.

The Historical Photograph Collection is largely comprised of materials created by or for the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. Photographers primarily include staff members and contract photographers. The collection spans the 1930s to the 2000s and includes analog material made up of a variety of sizes of film negatives providing a visual history of the Mansion, outbuildings, tombs, grounds, events, visitors, collection objects, personnel, restoration, and changes throughout the estate.

The Historical Photograph Collection is largely comprised of materials created by or for the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. Some of the earliest photographs of the estate were created and sold to visitors by the Association as a means of income. Those efforts helped to establish an important collection of 19th century views. The collection spans the 1850s to 2000s and includes over 140 linear feet of analog material providing a visual history of the Mansion, outbuildings, tombs, grounds, events, visitors, collection objects, personnel, and changes throughout the estate.

This collection documents the care and management of Mount Vernon through the work of the MVLA. Types of material include correspondence, reports, memos, notes, personal and biographical information, news clippings, meeting agendas, photographs, scrapbooks, and ephemera. Several highlights of the collection include the original minutes of Council meetings, scrapbooks and ledgers created by Vice Regents, and early correspondence with Regents and Vice Regents. While the library's collection "Early Records of the MVLA" documents the founding and early years of the organization, the Papers of the MVLA continues where that collection ended and preserves the ongoing story of these women and the fulfillment of their mission. Creators of the collection are largely the board members themselves, along with staff and employees who worked directly with them. Scope notes have been added before the content list of each series to better describe its specific provenance and content. The bulk of the collection dates from the 1950s to the 1990s, however there is a very wide range represented overall, 1858-2016.

Maps collected by, or created by, Mount Vernon staff and the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. Includes maps of the estate itself, as well as the surrounding neighborhood, the viewshed, and Fairfax County. Dates range from the 1850s to 1992, with bulk dates in the 1930s-1960s.