Special Collections at The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon
PO Box 3600Mount Vernon, VA 22121
Telephone: 703-799-3600
URL: http://archives.mountvernon.org
Katherine Hoarn, Special Collections Librarian, updated by Lesley Parilla, Technical Services Librarian
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research during scheduled appointments. Researchers must complete the Washington Library's Special Collections and Archives Registration Form before access is provided. The library reserves the right to restrict access to certain items for preservation purposes.
Preferred Citation
[Name and date of item], Historic Ephemera Collection, [Folder], Special Collections, The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon [hereafter Washington Library], Mount Vernon, Virginia.
Scope and Contents
This collection includes ephemera from 1796-1986, and contains a variety of formats that primarily relate to the portrayal of George Washington.
Portions of this collection have been digitized, as noted in the item-level descriptions.
Arrangement
This collection is organized into series by format and arranged chronologically.
Related Material
Related books are available in the library catalog: George Washington 200th Anniversary 1732-1932 ; If you grew up with George Washingoton ; George and Martha ; A Picture Book of George Washington ; Original Portraits of Washington.
Container List
- Text box: 6 folder: ADVERT OV 1 2019-SC-026-013
Container Corporation of America advertisement with quote from George Washington's farewell address1 pages1900sEnglish.Scope and Contents
Advertisement series called Great Ideas of Western Man, featuring George Washington on knowledge in a free government. With artwork by Robert Schneeberg.
- Graphic Materials box: 6 folder: ADVERT OV 2 2017-SC-019
Advertisement, Washington CrispsThe United Cereal Mills, Ltd. (Quincy, IL)1910-1921Full page advertisement for Washington Crisps (corn flakes) manufactured by The United Cereal Mills, Ltd. Advertisement is adhered to a piece of cardboard. Printed text reads: You Get Your Money's Worth When You Buy This Package. Actual size of the 'Washington Crisps' package. The most delicious toasted corn flakes you ever tasted.English.
- Text box: 1 folder: BALLOT 1 2018-SC-090-001
Federal ticket1 Sheets 15 x 7 cm1796English.Scope and Contents
Printed ballot from 1796 titled "Federal Ticket. Friends to Washington's Policy." With manuscript annotations.
- Realia box: 1 folder: BOOK 1 2018-SC-011-002
Centennial silk bookmark of George Washington with original manufacturer's tag1 Copies1876English.Scope and Contents
Silk bookmark pinned to printed paper tag for Thomas Stevens Coventry & London, inventor and manufacturer of the pure silk woven book markers, 400 different designs.
- Text box: 1 folder: BROAD 1 2018-SC-089-003
Broadside, An act to continue in Force, for a limited Time, an Act passed at the first Session of Congress, intitled, "An act to regulate Processes in the Courts of the United States."1 pages1791 February 8English.Scope and Contents
Printed folio broadside from the third session of the first Congress.
- Text box: 1 folder: BROAD 1 2018-SC-009-004
Broadside, An act to authorize the President of the United States to Lay, Regulate and Revoke Embargoes1 pages1794 June 4English.Scope and Contents
Folio broadside printing of the 1794 Embargo Act, passed at the first session of the third Congress. Printed with an act to authorize the settlement of the account of Lewis Dubois, for his services in the late army of the United States.
- Text box: 1 folder: BROAD 1 2018-SC-084
Broadside, An extract of the Act, entitled "An Act, for the relief and protection of American Seamen;" passed in the fourth Congress of the United States, at the first Session1 pages1796 May 28English.Scope and Contents
Printed folio broadside printed in Baltimore by John Hayes, in Public-Alley.
- Text Drawer: 22 folder: 1802.00.00 2019-SC-011-002
Broadside, The Address of Gen. Washington to the People of America, on His Declining the Presidency1 pages 34 x 19 inches1802English.Scope and Contents
Printed in London by T. Bensley. An illustrated British printing of Washington's 1796 farewell address, includes a profile portrait of George Washington.
- Text box: 1 folder: BROAD 1 2018-SC-089-002
Broadside, In Senate of the United States, May 8th,18001 pages1800 May 8English.Scope and Contents
Resolutions passed by Congress for the erection of a marble monument in the capitol city of Washington in honor of the late General Washington.
- Text box: 1 folder: BROAD 1 2018-SC-035-002
Broadside, Celebration of Washington's Birthday1 pages1862 February 22English.Scope and Contents
Broadside listing the order of exercises and order of procession for the Celebration of Washington's Birthday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire of February 22, 1862. Published by Chronicle Card Press.
- Text box: 1 2021-SC-006-001
Calendars1900-1909English.Scope and Contents
Incldues calendars for the years 1906, 1909. Includes images of George Washington.
- Text box: 1 2021-SC-006-002
Calendars1910-1919English.Scope and Contents
Includes calendar for the year 1914
- Text box: 1 2021-SC-006-003
Calendars1920-1929English.Scope and Contents
Includes calendars for the year 1925
- Text box: 3 2021-SC-006-004
Calendars1930-1939English.Scope and Contents
Includes calendars for the years 1932, 1932, 1935, 1936 (thermometer removed), 1937 (thermomemter removed)
- Text box: 1 2021-SC-006-005
Calendars1940-1949English.Scope and Contents
Includes calendars for the years 1946
- Realia box: 1 2021-SC-006-006
Calendars1950-1959English.Scope and Contents
Includes calendar for the year 1953 (thermometer removed)
- Realia box: 1 folder: POST 1 2019-SC-026-004
Postcard of George Washington with quote from his farewell address1 Sheets1900sEnglish.Scope and Contents
Unused postcard featuring the quote "Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world" from Washington's farewell address.
- Realia box: 1 folder: POST 1 2019-SC-026-005
Postcard of George Washington with quote from his farewell address1 Sheets1900sEnglish.Scope and Contents
Unused postcard with the quote "The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotish, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations" from George Washington's farewell address.
- Realia box: 1 folder: POST 1 2019-SC-026-006
Postcard of George Washington and Mount Vernon with quote from his farewell address1900sEnglish.Scope and Contents
Unused postcard featuring George Washington and an image of Mount Vernon, with the quote "Every portion of our county finds the most commanding motives for carefully guarding and preserving the Union of the Whole" from his farewell address.
- Realia box: 1 folder: POST 1 2019-SC-026-007
Postcard of the candlestick used by George Washington when he wrote his farewell address1 Sheets1900sEnglish.Scope and Contents
Unused postcard with color image of George Washington and his candlestick.
- Text box: 1 2021-SC-006-014
Postcards of George and Martha Washington1974English.Scope and Contents
Includes post card of George Washington with text "Becoming Father of a Country sure takes a lot out of a guy" and post card of Martha Washington with text "By George... I wish he would try sleeping around here once in a while!", valentines card with image of George Washington
- Text box: 1 2021-SC-006-014
Cartoons1911English.Scope and Contents
Includes cartoon of George Washington lifting weights, cartoon of George Washington at Valley Forge, cartoon of George Washington coming out of a painting to eat cake.
- Text box: 1 folder: CERT 1 2018-SC-039
Certificate of membership in the Washington National Monument Society1 pagescirca 1849English.Scope and Contents
Printed certificate featuring vignettes of George Washington, the Washington National Monument obelisk and pantheon, and the tomb at Mount Vernon. Lithograph by E. Weber & Co., Baltimore.
- Realia box: 2 2018-SC-011-011
Tree Cutter cigar box1 Copies1892 December 5English.Scope and Contents
Cigar box showing George Washington on the cover as a boy chopping down a cherry tree. The interior label shows a portrait of Washington as an adult. Design & Trade Mark Registered No. 12278 Dec. 5th 92 by Geo. A. K. & Co.
- Realia box: 1 folder: CURR 1 2018-SC-022
Martha Washington silver dollar1 Leaves1886English.
- Realia box: 1 folder: FIRST 1 2018-SC-052
First-day cover of Mount Vernon1 Copies 10 x 17 cm1956 February 22English.
- Realia box: 1 folder: FIRST 1 2018-SC-081
First-day cover commemorating George Washington as First President1986 May 22English.Scope and Contents
First-day cover with authorized gold stamp replica of a portrait of George Washington designed by the United States Postal Service and liscensed by the Postal Commemorative Society.
- Text box: 1 folder: INVITE 1 2016-SC-022
Invitation to marriage ceremony of Martha Custis and George Washington1759 January 6English.Scope and Contents
Fragment of engraved wedding invitation, which reads "Mrs. Mary Washington requests your prescence at the marriage ceremony of Miss Martha Custis to Col. George Washington." This is a fictitious imagining of what an invitation could have looked like, if one existed, for the wedding of George and Martha Washington.
- Text box: 1 folder: INVITE 1 2018-SC-035-004
Invitation to Regimental Ball in honor of the Veterans of New Hampshire1 pages1855 December 18English.Scope and Contents
Complimentary invitation to the Regimental Ball in honor of the Veterans of New Hampshire held in Washington on December 18, 1855. Features colored embossed illustration of George Washington.
- Text box: 1 folder: INVITE 1 2019-SC-030
Invitation to the Address on the Character of Washington by the Hon. Edward Everett1 pages1859 May 12English.Scope and Contents
An invitation to take a seat on the platform on the occassion of the "Address on the Character of Washington, to be delivered by the Hon. Edward Everett, At the Academy of Music, on Thursday, May 12, 1859, at 8 o'clock."
- Realia box: 2 2017-SC-018
Set of wooden jigsaw puzzles produced by Shaffer and Wagner of Philadelphiacirca 1860English.Scope and Contents
Wood box with paper label attached to top, containing five wood puzzles with colored paper engravings on them. Includes a puzzle of "Mount Vernon-Washington's Residence."
- Text box: 5
Godey's Magazine and Lady's Book1858 December
- Text box: 1 2021-SC-006-013
Magazines1970-1979English.Scope and Contents
Includes Historic Ideals, American History Illustrated 1975
- Text box: 1 2019-SC-037
Magazine clippings7 Sheets 7 magazine clippings with image of George Washington1960-1979English.Scope and Contents
7 magazine clippings with image of George Washington. Magazines include MAD salutes the bicentennial, Boy's Life, The Saturday Evening Post, National Distillers,
- Text box: 5 2020-SC-027-005
Photo Magazines1900sEnglish.Scope and Contents
photo magazines titled Washington the Nation's Capital, Washington Baltimore and Ohio
- Text box: 3 2021-SC-006-007
Washington's birthday banquets, sons of the revolution14 Files1928-1974English.Scope and Contents
Includes 14 menus of Washington's birthday banquet by the Sons of the Revolution. Years include 1928, 1946-1949, 1952, 1957, 1958, 1961, 1963,1964, 1965, 1972, 1974.
- Text box: 1 2021-SC-006-010
Pamphlets about George Washington1732-1932English.Scope and Contents
Includes George Washington and the America Revolution Bicentennial 1776-1976 pamphlet, George Washington 1732-1799 Pictures of little known events pamphlets printed in 1963 and 1965, Honor to George Washington 1732-1932 compliments of the Pennsylvania railroad, Honor to George Washington 1732-1932 of Bicentenial Commission pamphlet, and Our Presidents pamphlet.
- Text box: 1 2020-SC-027-002
Pamphlets about the caverns of Luray and Natural BridgeundatedEnglish.Scope and Contents
3 Pamphlets about the caverns of luray and natural bridge
- Text box: 1 folder: PRINT 1 2018-SC-079
Engraving of George and Martha Washington printed by C. S. Holland1 pages 19 x 15 cm1838English.Scope and Contents
Portraits of George and Martha Washington engraved by G. F. Storm. Border, featuring engraving of Mount Vernon, Residence of Washington, by T. Pollock. Includes an engraved biography of George Washington. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1838 by G. F. Storm & T. Pollock in the Clerks office of the District Court of Massachusetts. Printed by C. S. Holland.
- Text box: 6 folder: PRINT OV 1 2019-SC-036
The Ledger Carrier's annual greeting to their subscribers, New Year1 pages1856English.Scope and Contents
Engraving of a portrait of Washington, "The Father of Our Country." "From an acknowledged and much admired painting by Col. J. Trumbull." Engraved and printed by Illman & Sons.
- Graphic Materials box: 6 folder: PRINT OV 1 2019-SC-026-011
Lithograph of Washington's Farewell Address by Percy Moran1 Leaves1900sEnglish.Scope and Contents
Color print made in the U.S.A.
- Text box: 1 2021-SC-006-015
Print of George Washington1933English.Scope and Contents
Includes print of You Will Become the Chief of Nations from the original painting by Henery Hintermeister
- Text box: 5 2020-SC-027-006
Print of Washington in calligraphy1854English.
- Text box: 1 folder: PUBLISH 1 2018-SC-087-002
Publisher's prospectus for steel engraving of Martha Washington by J. C. Buttre1 pages 24 x 16 cm1865English.Scope and Contents
Reduced copy of a steel engraving of Martha Washington presented to subscribers of the fortieth part of "The American Portrait Gallery." The engraving was presented with the pamphlet "Martha Washington" by Benson J. Lossing (New York : J. C. Buttre, 48 Franklin Street, 1865).
- Text box: 3 2021-SC-006-011
Realia of George Washington1732-1799English.Scope and Contents
Includes paper fan with image of George Washington and George Washington model kit.
- Text box: 1 folder: SHARE 1 2018-SC-035-003
Share certificate in the American Mining Company, Vermont1 pages1850 March 28English.
- Music box: 3 2021-SC-006-008
Sheet music1930-1939English.Scope and Contents
Includes sheet music of George Washington's time Bicentennial, Father of the the land we love Bicentennial
- Music box: 1 2021-SC-006-009
Sheet music1940-1949English.Scope and Contents
Includes sheet music of Carry me back to old virginny with the image of "Washington selects the site of the Nation's Capital", 1791. Includes sheet music of Hail to the chief with the image of "Washington across the Deleware, Christmas, 1776".
- Music box: 3 2020-SC-027-001
Sheet music, Mount Vernon marchEnglish.Scope and Contents
Mount Vernon March sheet music
- Text box: 4 2016-10-04
Scrapbook with George and Martha Washington related material1933?English.Scope and Contents
A school project done by Nancy Jeanne Budd sometime around 1933. Includes copies of portraits, a series of clippings by J.H. Galbraith, and various other clippings.
- Realia box: 2 2018-SC-050
George Washington macerated currency medallioncirca 1900English.Scope and Contents
Made by the National Currency Souvenir Co., Washington, D.C. Stamped on verso, "Made of money destroyed by U.S. Treasury estimated at $3,000."
- Realia box: 2 2018-SC-046
George Washington macerated currency bust1 Copies1911English.Scope and Contents
With paper label affixed to the back: "Made of United States Bank notes redeemed and macerated at the U.S. Treasury, Washington, D.C. Estimated $15,000."
- Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: STAMP 1 2019-SC-026-003
Block of Washington's Farewell Address commemorative stamps1 Sheets1960English.Scope and Contents
Block of four commemorative stamps with the quote "Observe good faith and justice toward all nations" from George Washington's farewell address.
- Mixed Materials box: 2 2018-SC-065-003
US Bicentennial 13c stamp of Washington at Princeton 1777 by Peale1 Copies Framed by Hanford Heirlooms, 19921970sEnglish.
- Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: STAMP 1 2019-SC-026-002
Washington's Farewell Address commemorative stamp panel1 pages1985 September 19English.Scope and Contents
Commemorative panel with U.S. mint stamp featuring a quotation from Washington's Farewell Address.
- Mixed Materials box: 1 2021-SC-013
Stamps8 pages 8 page scrapbook of stamps 22 x 28 cm1925-1947English.Scope and Contents
Scrapbook of stamps commemorating the people and events of the American founding era.
- Mixed Materials box: 1 2022-SC-010
Stamps, Bicentennial20 Sheets 20 envelopes of stamps 17 x 9 cm1932English.Scope and Contents
George Washington's birthday bicentennial stamps with first day of issue commemorative cancellations.
- Mixed Materials box: 1 2021-SC-006-012
Stamps1943-1975English.Scope and Contents
Includes 1 Martha Washington stamp of 1 cent and 4 Martha Washington stamps of 4 cents 1943, The Golden Stamp Book of George Washington 1975
- Mixed Materials volume: 2 RM-1190.025 - .048
Stamp 72E [Schemikow essay, 90-cent] to Stamp 6LB5b [City Despatch Post on cover]English.
- Realia box: 1 folder: STATION 1 2019-SC-026-008
Envelope with engraving of Washington and quote from his farewell address1 SheetsundatedEnglish.
- Text box: 1 folder: STATION 1 2019-SC-026-010
Envelope with quote from George Washington's farewell address1 SheetsundatedEnglish.