MOUNT VERNON, VA – George Washington’s Mount Vernon welcomes the Hermione, a reconstruction of the 18th-century ship that the Marquis de Lafayette used to sail to the colonies, on the afternoon of June 9 as it undergoes an unprecedented voyage sailing up the east coast. The original Hermione was a sleek three-mast ship that carried Lafayette to America in 1780. After 17 years of detailed craftsmanship, the reconstructed Hermione is the largest and most authentically built tall ship created in the past 150 years. Due to water depth, the Hermione is unable to dock at Mount Vernon’s wharf. For a full schedule of stops, please visit http://www.hermione2015.com/history.html#map.
The Hermione stop on the Potomac River in front of Mount Vernon celebrates George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, two revolutionary leaders whose enduring friendship helped secure American independence. As the Hermione sails past Mount Vernon on June 9, it will pass the “Lafayette Bedchamber” on the second floor of the Mansion, which faces the Potomac River. Lafayette stayed in this room during his visit to Mount Vernon. Today, visitors can pay their respects to the Marquis – the noble “Friend of America” - on a tour of Mount Vernon, where they can see the Key to the Bastille sent by Lafayette and the Lafayette Bedchamber. To learn more about Lafayette, please visit www.mountvernon.org/lafayette.
On June 12-14, Mount Vernon is proud to serve as the host of 2015 Sons of the American Revolution conference ‘The Marquis de Lafayette and the European Friends of the American Revolution” conference. This two day conference will highlight the well-known alliance between the United States and France as well as lesser-known relationships with the Netherlands, Spain, and other Europeans states and individuals. For more information about this conference, please visit www.mountvernon.org/lafayetteconf.
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