According to legend, the first president of the United States, George Washington, as a young boy, chopped down a cherry tree and later confessed to his father. Although this is a fictional story, archaeologists have recently discovered that Washington did indeed bury many cherries on his estate grounds, and they are still remarkably well-preserved.
Reported by the Associated Press, archaeologists unearthed dozens of glass jars filled with cherries and berries at Washington’s home at Mount Vernon in Virginia.
Chief archaeologist at Mount Vernon, Jason Boroughs, stated that uncovering so many fruits with over 250 years of history and still in such good condition is truly unprecedented.
Boroughs said, “Finding this essentially fresh fruit after 250 years is truly amazing! It takes a perfect combination of timing, location, and preservation for something like this to happen.”
Mount Vernon is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to examine the discovered fruits. The Department of Agriculture will conduct DNA testing and examine over 50 cherry pits inside the jars to see if they are still viable for planting.
Botanical geneticist at the Department of Agriculture, Benjamin Gutierrez, mentioned the low likelihood of success in using these cherry pits to grow trees. Seeds are best preserved when dry, but most of the samples found at Mount Vernon have been submerged in water.
However, he noted that these jars are a remarkable discovery. Besides DNA testing, chemical analysis may reveal whether special spices were used to preserve the fruits at that time.
Records at Mount Vernon show that both George and Martha Washington were fond of cherries. The excellent preservation quality of these fruits reflects the high standards of their production.
Boroughs elaborated, “The slaves who tended to the trees, harvested the fruits, and worked in the kitchen likely supervised and carried out the entire process. This was a highly skilled process; otherwise, these fruits wouldn’t have lasted until today.”
Archaeologists stumbled upon these jars as Mount Vernon undergoes a $40 million mansion renovation project. The project is expected to be completed by 2026, in time for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.