ThegardensgiveusoneperspectiveofhowWashingtonusedhisland:togrowcrops,toplantexoticflowers,andtoshowoffhiswealthandpowerindifferentways.Wecanalsolearnaboutthehistoryofaplacebystudyingthelandwithabroaderview.TakeWashington’sbowlinggreen,for example.

Youmightwonderwhatabowlinggreenis.It’sanareaofcloselymowedgrass.TheoneatMountVernonlookslikeahugefrontlawn.Thatmaynotseemlikeabigdeal.Manyhouseshavelawns.Yet,inthe18th century,landwasexpensiveandprecious.Mostpeoplegavetheirlandapurpose—mostoftenforfarming—andfewpeoplekeptlargeareasofornamental grass.

Washington,however,chosetomaintainatidylawnratherthancultivateitwithcrops.Thissentamessage.Itshowedvisitorsthathehadmorethanenoughlandandmoney.Somuchsothathecouldsetasidesomelandjustforshow.Hisusageofthislandisyetanotherexampleofnatureactingasaprimarysourcetogiveuscluesaboutaperson,aplace,andaperiodin time.

Ifyoulookmoreclosely,thebowlinggreenatMountVernontellsussomethingelse.Thinkaboutallthatgrass.Today,someonewouldusealawnmowertokeepitneatandtrim.ButinWashington’stime,therewerenolawnmowers.So,whowasresponsibleforkeepingit tidy?

ThatjobfelltoWashington’senslavedlaborers.Theyusedaheavyrollertotrimandflattenthegrass,andthenusedabladetocutit.Draggingthisacrossthebowlinggreenrequiredalotofphysical labor.