Historic Mount Vernon Creates New Department of Historic Preservation

Historic Mount Vernon has recently announced a new strategy to advance its mission of historic preservation and conservation.

The newly created Department of Historic Preservation and Collections encompasses all collections, restoration, and preservation initiatives, including artifact acquisitions to documentation and historic structure repairs.

The mission of the new department is to “will foster a comprehensive approach to historic preservation at Mount Vernon, uniting the historic architecture, historic collections, archaeological sites, and historic landscape and gardens in a comprehensive, holistic manner,” according to a recent press release.

“Whether we are conserving an object or restoring a historic structure, the same principles and goals of preservation are in play,” Mount Vernon President and CEO Curt Viebranz said in a statement. “By unifying our team, we are positioning ourselves to develop and execute preservation initiatives in a more integrated way. This realignment also enables us to communicate more effectively about our discoveries and their applications across many disciplines and to many different audiences.”

Senior collections official Carol Borchert Cadou has been promoted to vice president for historic preservation and collections. Cadou, who has been with the Mount Vernon Estate since 1999, will lead the new Department of Historic Preservation and Collections. Cadou previously worked at the Historic Charleston Foundation in South Carolina.

“The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association led the nation’s historic preservation efforts with its founding in 1853 to preserve George Washington’s estate and the legacy of the country’s first—and arguably most important—president,” Cadou said in a statement.

“The National Trust and Historic Charleston Foundation were both established in the century that followed, and the three have offered a road map to the country on a wide range of key preservation issues. I’m both honored and delighted to be heading the talented team that will continue to lead the nation’s preservation efforts at Mount Vernon using George Washington and his remarkable estate as a guide.“