Mount Vernon 2020 Annual Ornament

If Mount Vernon was the focus of George and Martha Washington’s life in Virginia, the Mansion was certainly the centerpiece.  Washington spent his adult life designing, expanding and improving the Mansion at the center of his estate along the Potomac River.

Before Washington began construction work in 1774, he executed a design drawing showing how he intended the west front of the Mansion to look. The drawing shows the façade as completely symmetrical with the front door and cupola on the center axis, with the windows balanced to either side of it. But in truth, the door and cupola do not align, nor are the windows symmetrically placed. The construction of the stair in 1758 pushed the door to the north and a window south out of the passage and into the small dining room. This break with the architectural ideal is a good example of the value Washington placed on practical solutions to challenging questions.

The Mount Vernon 2020 annual ornament pays tribute to George Washington the architect. The griffin at the top of the frame embodies the intelligence and strength of the lion and the eagle found atop the Washington family crest. 

The central design is inspired by details found in the décor of the New Room. The “crystal” is a custom-cast acrylic centerpiece designed to reflect the appearance of cut crystal with the mansion relief sculpted into the back.

The ornament measures 3” by 3”, has a blue ribbon for hanging and is presented in a decorative gift box.  An educational enclosure card is included.

See our Annual Ornament Collection