The First President

“Fearing anarchy, disunion, and an end to American freedom if he failed to act decisively, [Washington] transformed himself-and the presidency-from a relatively impotent figurehead into America’s most powerful leader…” (3).

The Book

It is common knowledge that George Washington served as the first president of the United States and set many precedents that his successors followed. However, many do not know the reasoning behind the precedents or the extent to which Washington’s fingerprints are on the presidency. In “Mr. President”: George Washington and the Making of the Nation’s Highest Office, author Harlow Giles Unger outlines “the seven pillars of power [which Washington raised] that sustain the mighty American presidency edifice today-the power to control executive appointments, foreign policy, military affairs, government finances, and federal law enforcement, along with the power to legislate by presidential proclamation and to issue secret fiats under the cloak of executive privilege” (3).  

Unger begins his biography at the end of the Revolutionary War and follows Washington through the government of the Articles of Confederation, his leadership of the Constitutional Convention, his eight years as president, and his retirement. During this time period, the reader comes to release the precarious position the United States of America was in: civil unrest over the size of the federal government and taxes, state’s rights, and foreign influence. The reasoning behind Washington’s pillars of power is presented in detail.

There is a lot we can learn from Unger’s well-written biography of Washington. The reader will come away with a better appreciation for the role Washington played in the early stages of our country. Washington struggled with decisions, cabinet infighting, and negative press. He recognized his major failure as president: the inability to unite Americans into one country. The early stages of the United States were not easy or perfect, but Unger credits Washington with laying the groundwork for a stable presidential structure-one that still continues to this day.

The Place
The Washington Monument  was built to honor the man who was “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countryman” (Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee). However, the building of the monument was not simple. A monument was proposed prior to George Washington becoming president, but wasn’t completed until 1884. If you look closely, you can see two different colors because construction was halted for a time.

Inside the Monument, visitors will find a statue of Washington and an elevator ride to the top. The Monument towers over the National Mall and each of the four sides provide breathtaking views of Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland.

Currently, the Monument is closed (until Spring 2019) due to work being done on the elevator. Despite the fact that visitors cannot go up in the Monument, it is still a breathtaking site to walk along the National Mall and take it in. If you are planning a visit to Washington, DC in the future, check back with the National Park Service for additional information regarding the reopening. 

Washington's Home

“…Mount Vernon was far more than simply a house. It was an extension of [Washington] himself, a tangible emblem of his character, his personality, his hopes, his dreams” (xvi).  

The Book

George Washington’s Mount Vernon by Robert F. Dalzell Jr. and Lee Baldwin Dalzell is an unusual biography. Instead of focusing on the man, it focuses on the place while exploring the impact of and on the man. Mount Vernon was passed down through generations of Washingtons and the present buildings were designed by George Washington. Mount Vernon went through three major reconstructions while owned by Washington and majority of the time Washington was away from home. The Dalzells’s use Washington’s letters to show the reader how involved he still was in the construction. Washington was in constant contact with his managers, even as the commander of the Continental Army.

The Dalzells also introduce the reader to the architecture of the periods and the type of men who would have worked on the construction. Washington’s travels throughout the colonies introduced him to different ways to build a structure. He built an unusual house which is evident in the different types of architecture he was influenced by and the changes over the years. These sections can be hard to read at times, but they lend a better understanding to the eventual outcome.

The Place   



Mount Vernon is a place that combines history with hands on learning. I have visited Washington’s home twice: once as an elementary school kid and once after college. Both times I felt the same awe as I walked up the drive to the front of the house. Washington focused on a visitor’s first impression and that focus is still in place today. You can tour the house and spend some time sitting on the piazza (river front porch) watching the Potomac River. Down the road is a replica of Washington’s sixteen sided barn where wheat was threshed and the tomb where George and his wife Martha were laid to rest.

In the years in between my two visits, a visitor’s center and museum were added. These two add so much to the Mount Vernon experience. As you walk through the museum, you see Washington develop from a young surveyor to the President of the United States. Interactive videos explore the relationship of George and Martha Washington and the battles of the Revolutionary War. The Revolutionary War video includes cannon smoke and “snow” falling from the ceiling. Much time and effort were obviously put into Mount Vernon to make it, once again, a place for the people to visit.