Property of the Month

Our property of the month is a series of photos selected by one of our appraisers. These photos illustrate a new development, special or unique property.

On a recent trip to Washington, DC for an Appraisal Institute meeting Daniel Fries, SRA visited Mount Vernon. 

Although your home may not be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, we at Daniel Fries & Associates will  offer all of our customers a professional  appraisal in a timely manner.

This 2-1/2 story frame Georgian house facing the Potomac River was the long-time home of George Washington (1732-1799), Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary forces and 1st President of the United States (1789-97). Washington returned to Mount Vernon after his term as President, and lived here in retirement until his death.

Following his service in the war, Washington returned to Mount Vernon and in 1785-1786 spent a great deal of effort in improving the landscaping of the estate. It is estimated that during his two terms as president of the United States (1789-1797) Washington spent 434 days in residence at Mount Vernon. After his presidency, Washington tended to repairs to the buildings, socializing, and further gardening. The remains of George and Martha Washington, as well as other family members, are entombed on the grounds.

After Washington's death in 1799, plantation ownership passed through a series of descendants who lacked either the will or the means to maintain the property. After trying unsuccessfully for five years to restore the estate, John Augustine Washington offered it for sale in 1848. The Virginia and United States governments declined to buy the home and estate.

In 1860, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, under the leadership of Ann Pamela Cunningham, acquired the mansion and a portion of the land for $200,000, rescuing it from a state of disrepair and neglect. The estate served as neutral ground for both sides during the American Civil War, although fighting raged across the nearby countryside. Mount Vernon was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 19, 1960 and later administratively listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The mansion has been restored by the Association (without accepting any state or Federal funds), complete with period furniture and fixings, and today serves as a popular tourist attraction. The estate is also well known for its exceptional landscaping and ancillary buildings.