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A recent discovery at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate has unveiled a hidden cache of culinary history, officials announced. In the midst of ongoing renovations at Washington’s famed home, archaeologists stumbled upon 35 glass bottles containing preserved cherries in the estate’s cellar. This remarkable find occurred just weeks after the initial discovery of two bottles in April.
Mount Vernon’s President, Doug Bradburn, expressed his amazement at the discovery, hinting at the historical significance of such findings. The cherries, along with gooseberries and currants, were meticulously stored in five different pits within the mansion’s cellar, hidden away for approximately 250 years. Of the 35 unearthed bottles, 29 remained intact.
Renowned for being the lifelong residence of America’s first president, Mount Vernon was under George Washington’s stewardship starting in 1754. Expansion and management of the estate were heavily reliant on the labor of hundreds of enslaved individuals.
The discovery of these cherries, preserved through centuries, sheds light on the culinary expertise and contributions of the enslaved people at Mount Vernon, particularly emphasizing the role of Doll, the cook brought by Martha Washington in 1759 to oversee the mansion’s kitchen operations.
Mount Vernon officials speculate that these artifacts had not been exposed to daylight since the era preceding the American Revolution, potentially overlooked as George Washington left to lead the Continental Army.
Jason Boroughs, the principal archaeologist at Mount Vernon, highlighted the exceptional condition of the bottles and their contents, which include intact fruit, pits, and pulp. This rare find offers a unique glimpse into 18th-century plantation life, dietary practices, and the early foundations of American cuisine.
Preliminary analysis of the cherries yielded 54 pits and 23 stems, with the latter being neatly trimmed before preservation. Research teams are hopeful that DNA can be extracted from these pits for further study and possibly even germination.