What Is George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill?
This is where the wheat and whiskey for Mount Vernon estate got processed!
What Makes It Historical?
In 1766, after declining tobacco profits, George Washington decided it was time for a new cash crop: wheat. Here, in 1771, George installed his first gristmill here at Dogue Run Farm to process flour and cornmeal, and a cooperage for making barrels to ship both! He would later upgrade to an Oliver Evans automated flour milling system, which could do all the milling processes without manual labor! He was the first in the country to do so!
Then, in 1794, he introduced his own invention, the 16-sided treading barn, where horses would walk over wheat grains on an elevated platform, and the loosened grains would fall through the slats while keeping the chaff up on the platform! Ever adding to the property, he also opened a rye whiskey distillery here in 1797, and that was more profitable for him than any other experiment!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer at Mount Vernon!
- Donate to the Mount Vernon Ladies Association of the Union!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
5513 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy
Alexandria, VA 22309
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
Unlike Mount Vernon, the gristmill and distillery are only open daily between April and October from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM!