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Washington's marquee on a postcard circa
1910
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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. and WILLIAMSBURG, Va.
(April 1, 2013) - It was George Washington's home for much of the
Revolutionary War, a large oval-shaped tent that was his bedroom and office
- the first "oval office" occupied by the first
commander-in-chief of American military forces. This national treasure will
be displayed in the new Museum of the American Revolution when it opens in
Philadelphia in 2016. This summer, it will be reproduced by Historic Trades
tailors as part of a new partnership between Colonial Williamsburg and the
Museum of the American Revolution. Once complete, the reproduction tent
will be used by the Museum of the American Revolution for a variety of
educational and museum outreach programs in advance of the opening of the
Museum of the American Revolution.
Historical records
suggest that the original sleeping and office tent was one of a pair of
marquees made for General Washington in early 1778, at the end of the
Valley Forge encampment. Washington returned to his Mount Vernon home with
his tents and other military equipment in December 1783 after he resigned
his commission. Following his death in 1799 and the death his wife, Martha,
in 1802, Washington's military effects, including the tents were sold at
private auction to Martha's grandson, George Washington Parke Custis. The
tents were displayed periodically at the Custis home, Arlington House,
during the ensuing decades until his death in 1857. While Union Army units
occupied Arlington House during the Civil War, many of Washington's
military possessions were taken into federal custody until they were
returned to the Custis/Lee family in the early 20th century. Various
elements of Washington's field headquarters are now held by institutions
including the Museum of the American Revolution, the National Museum of
American History, George Washington's Mount Vernon, and the National Park
Service.
"Unlike most
military commanders, George Washington stayed in the field with his army
through the entire War of Independence, spending just a few days at Mount
Vernon between 1775 and 1783," said Dr. R. Scott Stephenson, director
of collections and interpretation for the Museum of the American
Revolution. "For much of that time, he lived under canvas. With the
surviving elements of Washington's field headquarters scattered among
various institutions, the reconstruction project is an exciting way--
perhaps the only way-- for visitors to experience the "other
home" of George Washington."
Fashioned from 160
yards of Irish linen - woven to three different widths - and 90 yards of
linen from Colonial Williamsburg's Weave Room, all of the fabric for the
reproduction tent is being hand-woven. The Irish linen is being produced by
cottage weavers working for the firm Linenblue in Northern Ireland.
Stephenson and Mark Hutter, Colonial Williamsburg's journeyman tailor, will
take delivery of the linen in April during a presentation at the Ulster
American Folk Park in Omagh, Northern Ireland. They also plan to visit the
Irish Linen Center at Lisburn, and other historic sites that document 18th
century linen production and have aided in recreating the fabric.
From mid-May through
mid-August, Colonial Williamsburg guests will be able to follow their
progress publicly in the Secretary's Office next to the Capitol in the
Revolutionary City as tailors Mark Hutter and Neal Hurst along with six
other seamsters as they assemble the linen canvas of the marquee and its
chamber - the large outer tent and an enclosed smaller sleeping and office
tent.
"It may seem
surprising to have tailors make a tent, but it was actually part of the
trade's work until the late Medieval Period," said Hutter. "By
the 18th century, no tailor in America was making tents. When the American
Revolution began, Williamsburg's many tailors became deeply involved in
supplying uniforms, flags, and tents. A couple of thousand tents were made
by the capital city's tailors."
Several of Colonial
Williamsburg's trade shops also will be actively involved in reproducing
the tent and its pieces. Carpenters and joiners will fashion wooden poles
to support the structure. Blacksmiths will forge iron hardware and pole
fittings. Wheelwrights will carve small wooden items and stakes to anchor
the tent. The completed marquee will measure 22 feet long, 15 feet wide and
ten feet high.
"This is a
wonderful opportunity to use our expertise in the 18th-century
trades," said Jim Horn, Colonial Williamsburg vice president of
research and historical interpretation. "Our guests will be able to
see and experience the construction of the marquee, and we are able to
partner with another museum to tell the story of the American
Revolution."
The reproduction of
the tent, and associated research on General Washington's field equipment,
is funded in part from a generous grant to the Museum of the American
Revolution from the Acorn Foundation Fund for History in Memory of
Alexander Orr Vietor.
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The
Museum of the American Revolution
will be the nation's premier museum dedicated to the complete story of the
American Revolution. To be built in historic Philadelphia, just steps from
Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the museum will feature a
distinguished collection of objects, artifacts, artwork, and manuscripts
from the period of the American Revolution that will bring to life the
original "greatest generation" and engage people in the history
and continuing relevance of the American Revolution.
The
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, a
center for history and citizenship, is a not-for-profit educational
institution and cultural destination. The Foundation is dedicated to
promoting the importance of an informed, active citizenry. Its mission,
"that the future may learn from the past," is realized through
offering innovative, imaginative and interactive experiences - both on- and
off-site - designed to educate guests about the importance of the American
Revolution. From the RevQuest: Save the Revolution! series of
technology-assisted alternate reality games, to the theatrical programming
of Revolutionary City®, guests can become immersed in the drama of the
American Revolution and discover the ongoing relevance of the past. Guests
can also visit the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, enjoy the many
gardens and green spaces, and visit up to 35 historic sites. To experience
all that the Foundation offers, guests may stay in one of the five
award-winning Colonial Williamsburg hotels and enjoy the renowned golf
courses of the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club, indulge in The Spa of Colonial
Williamsburg and shop in 40 stores. Fine dining is offered in more than 20
locations from historic dining taverns to restaurants with contemporary
fare. Colonial Williamsburg is
open 365 days a year.
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