MOUNT VERNON, Va. Dozens of bottles filled with perfectly preserved cherries and other berries from George Washington’s era have been unearthed at his Mount Vernon estate in a remarkable archaeological discovery, . This find was made during a restoration project at the historic site on the banks of the Potomac River.
Mount Vernon’s principal archaeologist, Jason Boroughs, described the discovery as nearly unprecedented. “Finding what is essentially fresh fruit, 250 years later, is pretty spectacular,” Boroughs said. “All the stars sort of have to align in the right manner for that to happen.”
The excavation revealed whole cherries and other fruits like gooseberries and currants, still intact in some bottles. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is conducting DNA testing on the fruit to confirm their identity and exploring the possibility of planting some of the 50 cherry pits recovered from the bottles. However, USDA plant geneticist Benjamin Gutierrez cautioned that the chances of growing a tree from the waterlogged pits are slim.
In addition to DNA testing, chemical tests are being conducted to determine if specific spices were used to preserve the fruits. Historical records from Mount Vernon show that George and Martha Washington were fond of cherries, particularly when mixed with brandy. Martha Washington’s recipe for a “cherry bounce” cocktail has survived, and it is known that George Washington took a canteen of cherry bounce on a trip in 1784.
These newly discovered cherries were likely intended to be eaten as fruit rather than used in cocktails, according to Boroughs. The quality of preservation highlights the high skill level of the enslaved workers who managed the plantation’s kitchen, overseen by an enslaved woman named Doll. “The enslaved folks who were taking care of the trees, picking the fruit, working in the kitchen, those would have been the folks that probably would have overseen and done this process,” Boroughs said. “It’s a highly skilled process. Otherwise, they just wouldn’t have survived this way.”
The discovery was made possible by a $40 million revitalization project at Mount Vernon, aimed to be completed by the United States’ 250th birthday in 2026. The bottles were found in six distinct storage pits uncovered from the cellar of Washington’s mansion. The dig revealed a total of 35 bottles, 29 of which were intact, containing cherries and other berries, some dating back to before 1775.
“When we do archaeology, it’s destructive,” Boroughs noted. “So unless we have a reason to disturb those resources, we tend not to. In this case, because of these needed structural repairs to the mansion, the ground was going to be disturbed. So we looked there first. We didn’t expect to find all this.”
The bottles, predating the 1775 expansion of the mansion, were found in excellent condition, with 12 holding cherries, 16 containing other berries, and one larger bottle containing a mix of cherries and other berries.
“There is a lot of information that we’re excited to get from these bottles,” Boroughs said, highlighting the ongoing analysis that promises to shed more light on the culinary practices of George Washington’s time.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
