Apr 26, 2024 12:30:00

250-year-old bottle of cherries found in first US President George Washington's mansion, with liquid residue inside

Two glass jars dating back about 250 years were found beneath the floorboards of Mount Vernon, Virginia, the former plantation of the first US president, George Washington, containing cherries likely picked by slaves.

Archaeologists Discover Two Intact, Sealed 18th Century Glass Bottles During Mansion Revitalization at George Washington's Mount Vernon George Washington's Mount Vernon

https://www.mountvernon.org/about/news/article/archaeologists-discover-two-intact-sealed-18th-century-glass-bottles-during-mansion-revitalization-at-george-washington-s-mount-vernon/

George Washington's stash of centuries-old cherries found hidden under the Mount Vernon floor | Live Science
https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/george-washingtons-stash-of-centuries-old-cherries-found-hidden-under-mount-vernon-floor

George Washington's 250-year-old cherries found buried at Mount Vernon
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/04/23/george-washington-mount-vernon-cherries/73422858007/

The vial was found intact and upright under a brick floor laid in the 1770s during a restoration project at Mount Vernon Mansion. It is believed to have been buried between 1758 and 1776, when George Washington lived in the mansion, according to a statement.

'When they got to the basement, they smelled like cherry blossoms and they found whole cherries,' said Jason Borrows, Mount Vernon's chief archaeologist. 'So this jar is a time capsule.'

The archaeologists removed the cherry pulp, stems, and liquid residue from the bottles and transferred them to smaller containers to preserve the contents for future analysis. The contents still had a cherry aroma, the archaeologists said, but most of the liquid is believed to be groundwater that had entered the bottles due to the deterioration of the cork.

During colonial times in Mount Vernon, a drink called

the Cherry Bounce , made with brandy, cherry juice, sugar and spices, was popular and was known to have been enjoyed by George Washington and his wife Martha.

But because cherry bounces were typically stored in larger containers, the archaeologists concluded that 'the cherries in this glass jar were likely intended for other uses, such as cooking or baking.'

In those days, there were no refrigerators, so the cherries were dried and bottled, then corked and stored. Documents from the 18th century refer to similar methods of preserving fruits and vegetables, and it is believed that this method allowed cherries to last for up to a year.

Archaeologists say the find is remarkable because the cherries were picked by any of the hundreds of slaves who lived in Mount Vernon at the time, providing a modern-day glimpse into colonial history.

'We think of these items as kind of tangible pieces of life history that we can salvage from the soil,' Borrows said. 'These jars are trying to tell a story, and if we can figure out how to put the pieces together, we can recreate their history.'