Archives of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association
PO Box 3600Rebecca Baird, Archivist
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[Name and date of item], Financial Records of the MVLA, Archives of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington [hereafter Washington Library], Mount Vernon, Virginia
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The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union has owned and operated George Washington's home at Mount Vernon since purchasing the estate from John Augustine Washington III in 1860. The Association is composed of one Regent and 20-30 Vice Regents who serve as the executive board of this historic home. Each Vice Regent represents a different state and is responsible for fundraising and establishing interest in Mount Vernon within their state. They also make all major decisions concerning preservation, collections, visitor experience, maintenance, and finances at Mount Vernon. The MVLA does not receive any government funding and relies solely on ticket sales and donations to continue operating the site as a tourist destination.
The Regent and Vice Regents assemble twice a year in April and October for Council, their bi-annual meetings, where they hear motions and reports concerning projects or issues at the estate. The Vice Regents also divide into committees focused on different functions and operations that rotate members every few years. Today the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association is remembered as the first national organization dedicated to historic preservation in the United States, and as innovators in the field of preservation. The Association remains loyal to its original goals, the restoration and care of Mount Vernon, and educating people all over the world about George Washington's life and legacy. Mount Vernon is open to visitors 365 days a year. The estate now consists of not only the Mansion and tomb of Washington, but restored gardens, outbuildings, Pioneer Farm, Gristmill, Distillery, museum and orientation center, the National Library for the Study of George Washington, gift shops, food pavilion, and the Mount Vernon Inn restaurant.
This collection holds the historic financial records of the MVLA including accounting ledgers, tax documents, insurance papers, receipts, invoices, payroll lists, annual and quarterly budgets, financial statements and reports, policies, contracts, correspondence, and other miscellaneous items. Records in this collection contain information on the Association's financial accounting, revenue, expenditures, employees and employee benefits, investments, taxes, and other financial concerns. There is a very limited amount pertaining to fundraising efforts and/or private donations, which can be found in the files of Mount Vernon's development department (currently unprocessed). Bulk date 1870s-2000s.
The collection is broken down into series based on the type of record. One series, Series 3. General, holds correspondence and subject files relevant to financial matters. Series are mostly organized alphabetically by folder title, then chronologically, but arrangement notes have been added to each for further information. Bound volumes, ledgers, and accounting books are described at the end of the collection in their own series.
List of series: Series 1. Accounting Series 2. Budgets Series 3. General Series 4. Insurance Series 5. Investments Series 6. Reports Series 7. Taxes Series 8. Bound Volumes and Oversize
- Papers of the Superintendent or Resident Director - Papers of the MVLA - Superintendent's Letter Books, Diaries, and Monthly Reports - Papers of James Rees - Council Minutes and Annual Reports of the MVLA - Publications and Printed Material of the MVLA - Development Files
Records pertaining to the daily exchange of money into and out of Mount Vernon through revenue and expenses. Documents include payroll lists, accounts, invoices, receipts, and deposit summaries. Many of the bound volumes and account ledgers found in Series 8. are related to accounting, but have been described separately at the end due to format and physical storage needs. Bulk dates, 1920s-1980s.
Alphabetically by folder title, then chronologically.
Final annual budgets and preparatory work to create the budget for each fiscal year. Inclusive dates 1936-2015.
Alphabetical by title, then chronologically.
General records concerning the finances of the MVLA including correspondence, donation and gift information, committee meeting minutes/agendas, employee records, and subject files related to finances or expenses. Inclusive dates, 1858-2000.
Alphabetical by folder title, then chronological.
Insurance paperwork, policies, proposals, employee benefits information, and claims. Bulk dates, 1980s-1990s.
Alphabetical by folder title, then chronological.
Employee investment plans, Mount Vernon Ladies' Association investments, and related records. Inclusive dates, 1858-2012.
Alphabetical by folder title, then chronological.
Financial statements, audit reports, quarterly and annual financial reports. Inclusive dates, 1891-2001.
Alphabetical by folder title, then chronological.
Tax returns and forms, tax preparation, charitable registration information. Inclusive dates, 1946-1994.
Alphabetical by folder title, then chronological.
Bound and/or oversize financial records including ledgers, accounts, bound receipt books, and employee time and payroll lists. Inclusive dates 1874-1980s.
Described alphabetically; physically arranged on shelves according to size and best preservation practices.
Note: See end of Series 1. for Box 23-24 oversize content list