Thrilled to take a unique tour centered around one of our favorite movie series, we drove to Mount Vernon while waiting for our Virginia house to close.
Yes, we finally nailed an offer! And I still can’t believe that touring Mount Vernon is a short drive!
Arriving early, we took our time in the museum, which we speedily toured last summer.
At 3pm our special Mount Vernon tour began, which showed us places seldom seen by the public: the National Treasure Secrets tour.
National Treasure tour groups are never larger than 25 people, due to our visits to cramped places, like the cellar.
The docent promised to divide Mount Vernon fact from Hollywood fiction! He didn’t disappoint!
National Treasure Secrets in the Cellar
Beginning the tour on the Potomac River side of the house, the guide showed us pictures from the movie of the fictional President’s birthday party, while pointing out VIP tents used for special events.
Then we journeyed to the cellar where we were shown the Lawrence Washington crest, an instrumental scene in National Treasure.
Lawrence, George Washington’s beloved half-brother, owned Mount Vernon after their father’s death.
Originally called Little Huntington plantation, Lawrence renamed it Mount Vernon after a British admiral he served under.
After Lawrence’s death, George Washington inherited the property.
Here is the other part of the cellar that Hollywood recreated for the secret tunnel scenes…
From the outside members of our group are looking into the upper part of the secret tunnel…
This is what they saw…
National Treasure Secrets on the Potomac Hillside
Then we walked down to the Potomac to get a view of the tunnel (a bit more inaccessible than the one we were at) that Benjamin Gates and the fictional president emerged from in National Treasure.
That tunnel nestled on the side of the hill.
The guide asked if we’d like to see the old fire truck that had been donated by Henry Ford!
Ford was surprised and disappointed to discover that Mount Vernon was ill-prepared to fight its greatest enemy: fire. When he returned home, he directed his staff to send Mount Vernon its first fire engine. The built-to-order American-LaFrance Combination Chemical and Hose Car arrived at the estate on August 16, 1923. –Mount Vernon
There were also barrels of whisky and gin stored down there!
While walking along the Potomac we passed the area where Washington’s dogs, many of whom were gifted by his adopted son Lafayette, were kept.
One of the dogs, named Vulcan, stole one of Mrs. Washington’s hams, which understandingly made her furious!
Now when we watch National Treasure 2, we’ll known all the inside scoop behind the scenes of the fun action.
For more pictures of our time in the museum and the lovely spring views, check my Flickr set here.
