2013
Grand Opening
The Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington officially opens with a ceremony attended by 1,200 supporters, including Sen. Mark Warner, Sen. Tim Kaine, Regent Ann Bookout, Governor Bob McDonnell, Mr. David McCullough, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, and the Library’s Founding Director Dr. Doug Bradburn.
First Fellows
Fellowships begin for academic research and the creation of teacher resources, fostering new scholarship about Washington and the founding era.
Since the Library’s founding, it has hosted 171 research fellows, 38 Life Guard teacher fellows, and 77 leadership fellows, resulting in 57 new books on the founding era. Of these books, three have won the Washington Book Prize and eight have been finalists.
Fairfax Account Book
The acquisition of the Fairfax Account Book informs curatorial and restoration efforts to authentically interpret the Mansion.
2014
Ford Evening Book Talk
The Library launches Ford Evening Book Talk, a free, monthly public program that spotlights authors and their new books. Since then, Mount Vernon has hosted 123 free Ford Evening Book Talks with more than 15,000 in-person attendees and over 545,000 virtual views.
The Papers of George Washington
Mount Vernon hires the first Mount Vernon-based editor of The Papers of George Washington.
Founding Debates
The Library launches the Founding Debates, an event where authors, public figures, and historians discuss interpretations of a question of national import.
Sulgrave Symposium
The Washington Library welcomes a host of experts to the Sulgrave Symposium, a special program commemorating the bicentennial of the War of 1812. The event was co-hosted by the Friends of Sulgrave Manor and the George Washington University.
MVLA Archive
The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association Archive is centralized at the Library.
Digital Collections from the Washington Library
The Library officially launches its Digital Collections.
Potomack Navigation Company Archive
Mount Vernon acquires the Potomac Navigation Company Archive. The Potomac Navigation Company was a cooperative project between Maryland and Virginia to expand the Potomac River and establish navigable waterways that would further develop commercial trade. Established in 1785, the company’s first major investor was George Washington, who also served as its first president.
2015
The General in the Garden
After partnering with the University of Virginia Press, Mount Vernon releases a new publication, The General in the Garden—the first publication released under the Library’s imprimatur.
George Washington Leadership Institute
Mount Vernon formally launches the George Washington Leadership Institute to examine and teach the leadership qualities of America’s first president. Since its establishment, the Institute has emerged as a premier platform for cultivating the necessary skills of future leaders.
Georgian Papers Programme
Mount Vernon partners with King’s College in London in support of the Georgian Papers Programme. This represents the Library’s first international partnership.
Archivist
Recognizing the important contributions of the generations of exceptional women and professional staff who have safeguarded Mount Vernon across the centuries, the Library hires a certified archivist, and an archival management system is implemented to make finding aids available online.
Leadership Fellows
The first class of Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows arrives at Mount Vernon. The Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows Program is a highly selective six-week summer institute for rising college juniors, offering unparalleled learning and networking opportunities at the home of America’s first president.
2016
Finding Aids
The Library’s finding aids are made available online, greatly expanding public access to its collections.
The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon
A resource for scholars, students, and all those interested in George Washington, colonial America, and the Revolutionary and founding eras.
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