I am happy to tell you that I had the honor of visiting Mt Vernon! What a grand experience! We also had dinner at The Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. We discovered this wonderful historically packed restaurant and tavern while taking a night tour of the Old Town of Alexandria, on foot, via lantern light. We were so impressed that we came back, on our on, the next night for the dinner. This place is packed with history, not only from the early days, but also during the Cilvil War according to our (dressed in colonial attire), tour guide. This place is where George Washington choose as a favorite dining place and was said to be (the premiere house in America), when he was in Alexandria conducting business. Just outside the building is a brick lined, several feet deep, round under ground silo or cellar which was used to store ice during the summer months. Ice that was gathered form the Potomac River during the deep cold of winter and stored here. Ice during these times was a luxury and rare. It was used to make a favorite treat, Ice Cream! The Gadsby Inn (as a side) was in the Ice business selling the very expensive commodity during the summer to other restaurants and private citizens who might be fortunate enough to afford it, for a premium price. Many members of Congress, Some who would later themselves, become President, would meet here to have dinner with Mr Washington as well and dignitaries form all over the world. Upon his retiring form public service the Continental Army marched past here with President Washington standing on the steps, of this very Inn.
Although history tells us that the Battle of Fort Sumter was the first battle of The Cilvil War, (with no causalities), according to our nighttime, dressed in colonial attire, guide, the first causality of The Cilvil War was in this very building! According to what he told us there was a huge confederate flag flying over this ''skyscraper'' of the day, (only three or four stories tall) could be seen from our Nations Capitol and Ole Abe just couldn't stand the sight of it so close to Washington. Supposedly he sent some picked troops there to take it down. The proprietor of the Inn shot the bearer of the flag dead on his way down the stair way making him the first causality of the war. Now guess who the second causality was? The proprietor! One of the escorting troops shot him!! We greatly enjoyed this dinner with the waiters and waitresses dressed in the attire of the days of our First President and the warmness of eating in the same room and Inn with so much history! The meal was delicious!!