George Washington’s Back In The News
So, as many of you pointed out, shortly after I wrote about George W. and the cherry tree chopping, archeologists discovered Ferry Farm, G. W.’s long lost plantation, and the cherry tree story reared it’s apocryphal head once again.
However, one journalist reported that no cherry trees were found on the property (not to mention a mutilated one) and no hatchet. They did find thousands of other artifacts in the dig, including wig curlers, wine bottles and a clay pipe (the dude could party), but ix-nay on the atchet-hay. So that myth went back to bed.
They also pointed out that, unlike the way it’s portrayed in certain portraits and literature of Washington’s time, his house was no rustic cabin. It had eight rooms, and what’s described as one and a half stories (whatever that means), as well as, excuse me, slave quarters in a separate building. Most people of normal means at that time lived in one or two-room houses, and that includes, by the way, big shots like T.J. So no more crying a river over poor George’s humble origins.
Also in question now is the story of W. skipping a stone across the Rappohannock River. (Frankly, even as a child I had my doubts about that one.) Archeologists have found no stone, although they have noticed the presence of a river.
So, where does it end? Next thing you know they’ll tell us he wasn’t really six feet two, but five feet seven, or maybe even that he wasn’t actually the president, but the president’s butler.
Of course, there’s plenty of evidence to support what we know about our current president’s character, about what he thinks and what he’s accomplished. I guess the lack of mystery surrounding this century’s G.W. is something we should find comforting; it’s good to know exactly who your president is.
Isn’t it?
