Following Martha Washington's death in 1802, George Washington's will was carried out in accordance with the terms of his bequests.
The largest part of his estate, which included both his papers and Mount Vernon, passed to his nephew, Bushrod Washington, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
The younger Washington and his wife then moved to Mount Vernon.
Bushrod Washington did not inherit much cash and was unable to support the upkeep of the estate's mansion on the proceeds from the property and his Supreme Court salary.
He sold some of his own slaves to gain working capital.
However, the farms' low revenues left him short, and he was unable to adequately maintain the mansion.

Following Bushrod Washington's death in 1829, ownership of the plantation passed to George Washington's grandnephew, John Augustine Washington II.
After he died in 1832, his wife, Jane Charlotte inherited the estate, and her son began managing it.
Upon her death in 1855, John Augustine Washington III inherited the property.
 As his funds dwindled and the wear and tear of hundreds of visitors began to take its toll, Washington could do little to maintain the mansion and its surroundings.
Washington suggested to the United States Congress that the federal government purchase the mansion.
Little interest was paid to Washington's offer, as their focus was on the coming war.
Washington traveled to Richmond where he was equally unsuccessful in appealing to the Virginia General Assembly for the state to purchase the mansion.
The mansion's decline continued.

In 1858, Washington sold the mansion and a portion of the estate's land to the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, which was under the leadership of Ann Pamela Cunningham.
 The association paid the final installment of the purchase price of $200,000 ($6.3 million in 2020 dollars) in December 1859, taking possession in February 1860.
The estate first opened to the public during that year.
The estate served as a neutral ground for both sides during the American Civil War, although fighting raged across the nearby countryside.
Troops from both the Union and the Confederacy toured the building.
The two women caretakers asked that the soldiers leave their arms behind and either change to civilian clothes or at least cover their uniforms.
They usually did as asked.

Harrison Howell Dodge became the third resident superintendent in 1885.
During his 52 years' overseeing the estate, he doubled the facility's acreage, improved the grounds, and added many historic artifacts to the collections.
Dodge reviewed George Washington's writings about the estate, visited other Colonial-era gardens, and traveled to England to see gardens dating from the Georgian period.
Using that knowledge, Dodge oversaw the restoration of the site and put in place a number of improvements that Washington had planned but had never implemented.
Charles Wall was assistant superintendent from 1929 to 1937, then resident superintendent for 39 years.
He oversaw restoration of the house and planted greenery consistent with what was used in the 18th century.
In 1974, a campaign he organized was successful in preserving as parkland areas in Maryland across the Potomac River from Mount Vernon, as part of an effort to retain the bucolic vista from the house.
His office was the same one used in the 18th century by Washington.

Steamboats began to carry tourists to the Mount Vernon estate in 1878.
In 1892, the Washington, Alexandria and Mount Vernon Electric Railway opened, providing electric trolley service between Alexandria and the estate.
The electric railway and its successors carried tourists and others between Washington, D.C., and Mount Vernon from 1896 to 1932, when the federal government acquired part of its route on which to construct the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
The parkway, originally named the Mount Vernon Memorial Parkway, opened in 1932.

In 2007, the estate opened a reconstruction of George Washington's distillery on the site of Washington's original distillery, a short distance from his mansion on the
Following Martha Washington's death in 1802, George Washington's will was carried out in accordance with the terms of his bequests. The largest part of his estate, which included both his papers and Mount Vernon, passed to his nephew, Bushrod Washington, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The younger Washington and his wife then moved to Mount Vernon. Bushrod Washington did not inherit much cash and was unable to support the upkeep of the estate's mansion on the proceeds from the property and his Supreme Court salary. He sold some of his own slaves to gain working capital. However, the farms' low revenues left him short, and he was unable to adequately maintain the mansion.
Following Bushrod Washington's death in 1829, ownership of the plantation passed to George Washington's grandnephew, John Augustine Washington II. After he died in 1832, his wife, Jane Charlotte inherited the estate, and her son began managing it. Upon her death in 1855, John Augustine Washington III inherited the property.  As his funds dwindled and the wear and tear of hundreds of visitors began to take its toll, Washington could do little to maintain the mansion and its surroundings. Washington suggested to the United States Congress that the federal government purchase the mansion. Little interest was paid to Washington's offer, as their focus was on the coming war. Washington traveled to Richmond where he was equally unsuccessful in appealing to the Virginia General Assembly for the state to purchase the mansion. The mansion's decline continued.
In 1858, Washington sold the mansion and a portion of the estate's land to the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, which was under the leadership of Ann Pamela Cunningham.  The association paid the final installment of the purchase price of $200,000 ($6.3 million in 2020 dollars) in December 1859, taking possession in February 1860. The estate first opened to the public during that year. The estate served as a neutral ground for both sides during the American Civil War, although fighting raged across the nearby countryside. Troops from both the Union and the Confederacy toured the building. The two women caretakers asked that the soldiers leave their arms behind and either change to civilian clothes or at least cover their uniforms. They usually did as asked.
Harrison Howell Dodge became the third resident superintendent in 1885. During his 52 years' overseeing the estate, he doubled the facility's acreage, improved the grounds, and added many historic artifacts to the collections. Dodge reviewed George Washington's writings about the estate, visited other Colonial-era gardens, and traveled to England to see gardens dating from the Georgian period. Using that knowledge, Dodge oversaw the restoration of the site and put in place a number of improvements that Washington had planned but had never implemented. Charles Wall was assistant superintendent from 1929 to 1937, then resident superintendent for 39 years. He oversaw restoration of the house and planted greenery consistent with what was used in the 18th century. In 1974, a campaign he organized was successful in preserving as parkland areas in Maryland across the Potomac River from Mount Vernon, as part of an effort to retain the bucolic vista from the house. His office was the same one used in the 18th century by Washington.
Steamboats began to carry tourists to the Mount Vernon estate in 1878. In 1892, the Washington, Alexandria and Mount Vernon Electric Railway opened, providing electric trolley service between Alexandria and the estate. The electric railway and its successors carried tourists and others between Washington, D.C., and Mount Vernon from 1896 to 1932, when the federal government acquired part of its route on which to construct the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The parkway, originally named the Mount Vernon Memorial Parkway, opened in 1932.
In 2007, the estate opened a reconstruction of George Washington's distillery on the site of Washington's original distillery, a short distance from his mansion on the
Mount Vernon