Kitchen

Built in 1775 as a separate outbuilding, the kitchen reduced the danger of fire to the mansion and kept the Washington family and their many guests away from its smoke, heat, and noise. George Washington wrote on June 26, 1786, “A glass of wine and a bit of mutton are always ready, and such as will be content to partake of them are always welcome.” Martha Washington is said to have supervised the bread-making and ordered a ham boiled daily. House slaves who worked here included three cooks, Hercules, Nathan, and Lucy. Lucy's husband, Frank, served as a butler, and at various times the couple lived in a room above the kitchen. In 1799, Mrs. Forbes, a white hired housekeeper, lived in the rooms above, convenient to her work of running the household.

Mount Vernon, Virginia · United States