Rare Photograph of George Washington's Gristmill at Mount Vernon, Virginia c.1930

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George Washington's Gristmill Black & White Photograph C.1930s

Fine Black & White photograph of George Washingtons Gristmill. The photograph shows … Read more George Washington's Gristmill Black & White Photograph C.1930s

Fine Black & White photograph of George Washingtons Gristmill. The photograph shows an attendant at the door, and a sign with a 10c. entrance fee.

The date of this photograph is period to the reconstruction, c.1930s

After Washington's death in December 1799, the gristmill and distillery passed to his nephew, Lawrence Lewis. In 1808, he rented the site to Alexandria merchant James Douglass. The last known reference to the distillery business is an 1808 whiskey advertisement. The distillery building burned in 1814; this is documented by a small insurance payment made to Lewis that year. In 1848, Lewis’ grandson sold the gristmill property along with Woodlawn Plantation. That is the last record of the original buildings. Local oral history suggests that the mill was quite run-down by 1848, and it was razed around 1850.

The reconstructed gristmill is a Colonial Revival-style stone building that was constructed in 1933 based on archaeological and documentary evidence.

Dimensions 14" wide x 17" high

Good vintage condition with some handling and trimmed edges. Please see all images. This photograph will look great when properly matted and framed See less