Cherries Dating Back To 18th Century Found At George Washington's Home

MOUNT VERNON, VA — The myth of George Washington and the cherry tree is well known, but now experts have a real cherry story to unpack at the first president's home.

Recently, bottles containing cherries were discovered buried at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate, the Washington Post first reported. An archaeologist found the bottles while digging in the mansion's cellar.

According to the Mount Vernon estate, the two European-manufactured bottles contained liquid and may have been buried in the 1770s. The bottles appeared to have styles popular during the 1740s and 1750s. The preserved cherries still had the scent of cherry blossoms.

"This incredible discovery at Mount Vernon is a significant archaeological find. Not only did we recover intact, sealed bottles, but they contained organic material that can provide us with valuable insight and perspective into 18th-century lives at Mount Vernon," said Mount Vernon Principal Archaeologist Jason Boroughs. "These bottles have the potential to enrich the historic narrative, and we’re excited to have the contents analyzed so we can share this discovery with fellow researchers and the visiting public."

Mount Vernon staff separated much of the cherries from the bottles. The bottles will be shipped for scientific testing of the cherries and liquid contents.

George Washington's Mount Vernon, a privately-run estate owned by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, is in the process of a restoration process involving the mansion where Washington lived. Individual rooms are closed off temporarily for work, but parts of the mansion remain open to visitors. Part of the work includes improving drainage around the cellar where the bottles were found. The project is expected to continue through 2026.

"As we conduct a historic preservation effort at the iconic home of America’s first President and revolutionary hero, we have been deliberate and intentional about carefully excavating areas of potential disruption," said Mount Vernon's President & CEO Doug Bradburn in a statement. "Consequently, we have made a number of useful discoveries including this blockbuster find of two fully intact glass bottles containing liquid that have not been seen since before the war for American independence."