Exterior view of George Washington’s Distillery	Interior view of George Washington's Distillery. Photo by Shannon Bell

In 1797 George Washington's farm manager, a Scot named James Anderson, convinced his employer that producing whiskey made from corn and rye grown on the plantation would be a natural complement to his milling business. Washington was initially skeptical, but soon granted permission to build the structure.

Washington erected the 2,250 square foot distillery -- making it among the largest whiskey distilleries in early America. In 1799, Washington produced 11,000 gallons of whiskey, worth the then-substantial sum of $7,500. Upon Washington's death in 1799, the complex was passed down to a relative who apparently was not equipped to run it, and he rented it to a local operator. The distillery ceased operating in 1814 when the building burned. Not until 2000 did Mount Vernon begin the excavation and restoration of the distillery with a grant from the distilled spirits industry.

• The Distillery
• A Brief History of George Washington’s Distillery
• George Washington’s Distillery FAQs
• Excavating George Washington's Distillery
• Recreating George Washington's Distillery -- Using 18th-century Tools and Techniques
• George Washington Quotes on Distilled Spirits
• George Washington Distillery Letter and Ledger
• Photo Gallery of the Reconstruction Process at Mount Vernon
• Spirits in Early America

More Links:

• George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens
• BOOK: George Washington's Gristmill at Mount Vernon, by Dennis J. Pogue and Esther C. White
• Visit George Washington's Distillery

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Watch History Channel Presentation on George Washington's Distillery at Mount Vernon

Washington and Moderation

Listen to WhiskyCast Feature on George Washington's Whiskey