VOICE ONE:

Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm DougJohnson.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Gwen Outen. Today we visitMount Vernon, the home of the first president of the United States,George Washington.

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VOICE ONE:

George Washington lived at Mount Vernon in Virginia for more thanforty-five years. The big wooden house is twenty-four kilometerssouth of America's capital city named in his honor.

George Washington was born inseventeen-thirty-two. Before he became president, he commanded thetroops who won the American Revolution against Britain. He helpedcreate the United States of America. Some historians say the nationwould not exist if George Washington had never lived.

Washington helped choose where to build the new capital city anda house for the president. Yet he is the only president who neverlived in the White House. It was completed after he left office. Helived in New York and later Philadelphia while president. But MountVernon was always important to him.

Today it remains an important place in history for a lot ofpeople who visit Washington, D.C., and nearby areas.

VOICE TWO

George Washington helped design Mount Vernon. He died there inseventeen-ninety-nine. The property seems not too much differenttoday. But there are big plans for the two-hundred hectares ofpresent-day Mount Vernon. The goal is to make the hero of long agomore meaningful to the people of today.

The group that operates Mount Vernon sought the plans. The MountVernon Ladies' Association noted studies showing that young peopleknow little about George Washington. Several years ago, theassociation decided to try to make him more real to visitors. Thenew building project resulted from that decision.

Eighty-five million dollars in gifts have been promised for theexpansion. The money is creating a center to welcome visitors toMount Vernon. An education center and an underground museum also arebeing built.

At the education center, visitors will be able to use interactivedevices to see information and images. A new library will containelectronic versions of Washington's papers and letters. TheUniversity of Virginia has those papers. The university is helpingto produce the online collection.

VOICE ONE:

Mount Vernon director James Rees says three life-size statues ofWashington will stand in the education center. One will representhim as a young explorer and land recorder. Another will showWashington as commander of the Continental Army during therevolution against England. A third statue will represent him aspresident. He led the new United States from seventeen-eighty-nineto seventeen-ninety-seven.

Production will begin soon on a short movie about Washington.Visitors will see it in a new Mount Vernon theater. People will beintroduced to George Washington as a man of action as well as alandowner and farmer. Visitors will also see a new exhibit ofWashington and his soldiers crossing the Delaware River.

The exhibit will show America's colonial commander on his way towinning a surprise victory in New Jersey. The Battle of Trenton wasone of the turning points of the American Revolution. Thepresentation will seem very real. Man-made snow will even fall onvisitors.

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VOICE TWO:

Many things at Mount Vernon will remain the same after theadditions. Guides will still wear clothing of Washington's time.They will tell visitors about his daily life. And they will explainhis service to America.

George Washington spent many years away from his home. Inseventeen-seventy-five, he took command of the Continental Army ofthe American colonies. After the victory, some people wanted him tobe president for life. Or even king. But Washington said Americanshad fought for freedom from such rulers.

He was elected president two times without opposition. He wasoffered a third term. But he refused. He wanted to return to thelife he had led at Mount Vernon before the war.

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And that is what he did. George Washington returned to MountVernon. During those last years, he led the life of a rich farmer.He directed the work of five farms.

He and his wife Martha ofteninvited friends for meals in the dining room at Mount Vernon. TheWashingtons also provided sleeping rooms and food for travelers.Very few hotels existed then. So George and Martha Washingtonoffered a place to stay for about six-hundred visitors a year. Manywere strangers.

VOICE TWO:

But George Washington was able to enjoy retirement at MountVernon for less than three years. In seventeen-ninety-nine, theformer president became sick. Modern doctors believe he died of asevere infection. He was sixty-seven years old.

Citizens mourned. The United States had declared its independenceon July fourth, seventeen-seventy-six. The country was still veryyoung. People felt a terrible loss at the death of theirrevolutionary war hero and first president.

More than seven-hundred speakers throughout the country honoredhim. Towns and villages held funeral marches. Businesses were closedfor days. Bells rang and rang.

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VOICE ONE:

Now we continue with our visit to Mount Vernon. The propertycontains the family home and smaller buildings. Visitors also seefarming areas and nature paths. A green hillside leads down to thePotomac River. A guide suggests you start in the main house. It isthree floors high. George Washington was responsible for much of thedesign.

His office is on the ground level. It contains many of his books.This is the room where George Washington planned the farm activitieson his land. It is also where he wrote to other leaders. One writercalled this room "the center of political intelligence for the newworld."

Another guide leads you up the steps to the second and thirdfloors of the main house. Mount Vernon contains eight sleepingrooms. George and Martha Washington needed all these for theirvisitors. Above the bedrooms is a cupola, a small structure withwindows on all sides. Washington designed this so hot summer airwould escape from inside the house.

VOICE TWO:

More than three-hundred African slaves lived and worked at MountVernon. Slaves and some paid workers operated George Washington'sfive farms. Together, the farms covered more than one-thousandhectares. Other slaves built houses and furniture. Still otherscooked and performed housekeeping duties. Visitors can see theburial places of slaves at Mount Vernon.

Even in George Washington's time, there was great debate aboutslavery. Washington came to disapprove of slavery as he grew older.He was the only one of the men known as the Founding Fathers of thecountry to free his slaves. He ordered that his slaves be freedafter he and his wife died. Older slaves received payments for yearsafter that.

Much is said about George Washington the hero. But there is alsothe argument today that not enough is said about George Washingtonthe slave owner.

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VOICE ONE:

After George and Martha Washington died, Mount Vernon was givento other family members. By the eighteen-fifties, the person whoowned it did not have enough money to keep it in good condition. Heoffered to sell Mount Vernon to Virginia or to the federalgovernment. Both said no.

That is when the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association rescued thehome. The group bought the property with money it collected. TheMount Vernon Ladies' Association has made a number of changes overthe years. Many visitors praise the organization for keeping thehistorical spirit of Mount Vernon while improving the property.

Now, however, some people question if that spirit will survivethe current changes. They say Mount Vernon could seem too modern.Others disagree. They want people to think of George Washington asmore than just a name in a history book.

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VOICE TWO:

Our program was written by Jerilyn Watson and produced by CatyWeaver. I'm Gwen Outen.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Doug Johnson. You can visit Mount Vernon on the Internetat mountvernon.org. And join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICAin VOA Special English.