Centuries-Old Cherries Unearthed at George Washington’s Mount Vernon

Archaeologists discovered well-preserved cherries in bottles hidden beneath a brick floor, shedding light on 18th-century preservation practices.

Two glass bottles containing cherries, pits, and stems found during renovations at Mount Vernon.
Bottles likely from the 1740s-1750s, buried beneath a floor laid in the 1770s.
Discovery includes organic materials, offering insights into colonial-era life and food preservation.
Cherries possibly harvested before the Revolutionary War, preserved by enslaved workers.
Research ongoing to analyze the contents and historical context of the find.