Batteau Construction Project

On January 20, 1793, George Washington wrote to Anthony Whitting that he would not object to one of the carpenters assisting Mr. Stuart in building a batteau. The batteau constructed here is 21 feet long and between 6 and 8 feet wide. It is typical of the skows, skiffs, and small boats used to haul goods and materials up and down the Potomac River between Washington's outlying farms, as well as supplies to and from Alexandria. Boats like this were also crucial pieces of farm equipment used for fishing and related work on the river. This batteau is made of white oak and cypress, and such boats would have been made with timber harvested from Mount Vernon's woodlands. Traditional hand tools such as planes, draw knives, and augers were used for this project.

Fort Hunt, Virginia · United States