Harrison Howell Dodge

==Superintendent==

==Superintendent==

In 1885, the regents of [[The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association]] (MVLA) appointed Dodge as the successor of [[John McHenry Hollingsworth]], who had succeeded MVLA founder [[Ann Pamela Cunningham]] in 1872. The nationwide depression in 1882-1883 caused tourism to drop. The non-resident Hollingsworth's means of addressing the revenue drop alienated first the staff (which also had to deal with vandalism and natural deterioration of the wet historic site) and then the MVLA regents. However, his departure proved messier than Cunningham's exit.Casper pp. 129, 132-142, 148-157 Dodge also succeeded Hollingsworth as [[postmaster]] for the Mount Vernon post office. [[President of the United States|United States President]] [[Grover Cleveland]] appointed Dodge to the latter position, and successive Presidents reappointed him until his death.

In 1885, the regents of [[The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association]] (MVLA) appointed Dodge as the successor of John McHenry Hollingsworth, who had succeeded MVLA founder [[Ann Pamela Cunningham]] in 1872. The nationwide depression in 1882-1883 caused tourism to drop. The non-resident Hollingsworth's means of addressing the revenue drop alienated first the staff (which also had to deal with vandalism and natural deterioration of the wet historic site) and then the MVLA regents. However, his departure proved messier than Cunningham's exit.Casper pp. 129, 132-142, 148-157 Dodge also succeeded Hollingsworth as [[postmaster]] for the Mount Vernon post office. [[President of the United States|United States President]] [[Grover Cleveland]] appointed Dodge to the latter position, and successive Presidents reappointed him until his death.

While managing Mount Vernon, in addition to his primary duties of handling visitors to the historic site and managing the farm, Dodge reviewed George Washington's writings about the estate. Dodge also visited other Colonial-era gardens and traveled to [[England]] to see gardens there dating from the [[Georgian era|Georgian period]]. Using this knowledge, Dodge oversaw the restoration of the site and put in place a number of improvements that Washington had planned but never implemented. This restoration work was completed from 1932 to 1935 by [[Charles Wilson Killam]]. Dodge and then-assistant superintendent [[Charles Wall]], who had been hired in 1929, rotated turns sleeping as guards in the manor house. Barnes, Bart. [https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/19560292.html?dids=19560292:19560292&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+04%2C+1995&author=Bart+Barnes&pub=The+Washington+Post+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Former+Master+of+Mt.+Vernon+Charles+Cecil+Wall+Dies+at+91&pqatl=google "Former Master of Mt. Vernon Charles Cecil Wall Dies at 91"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103090028/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/19560292.html?dids=19560292:19560292&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+04,+1995&author=Bart+Barnes&pub=The+Washington+Post+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Former+Master+of+Mt.+Vernon+Charles+Cecil+Wall+Dies+at+91&pqatl=google |date=2012-11-03 }}, ''[[The Washington Post]]'', May 4, 1995. Accessed July 24, 2010. Dodge's 1932 book ''Mount Vernon: Its Owner and Its Story'', with an introduction by [[Owen Wister]], told many stories about Washington and his home, including details of a mechanical roasting spit that Washington had designed and of finding a pocketknife that had belonged to Washington in his youth. The knife was said to have played a role at [[Valley Forge]] in convincing the general to continue as leader of the [[Continental Army]] in one of its darkest days.Staff. [https://www.nytimes.com/1932/03/09/archives/finds-rich-quality-in-our-literature-ludwig-lewisohn-declares-it.html "FINDS RICH QUALITY IN OUR LITERATURE; Ludwig Lewisohn Declares It Stands With Strongest of Day in Creative Values. LOOKS FOR MASTERPIECES In Book Tracing Culture Through Artists He Says Successive Moral Revolutions Are Not Ended."], ''[[The New York Times]]'', March 9, 1932. Accessed July 24, 2010. George Washington University recognized Harrison Howell Dodge in 1931 with an honorary [[LL.D.]] degree.Staff. [https://www.nytimes.com/1937/05/21/archives/col-harrison-dodge-mt-vernon-custodian-superintendent-of.html "COL. HARRISON DODGE, MT. VERNON CUSTODIAN; Superintendent of Washington's Home Since 1885--Made Many Improvements"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', May 21, 1937. Accessed July 24, 2010.

While managing Mount Vernon, in addition to his primary duties of handling visitors to the historic site and managing the farm, Dodge reviewed George Washington's writings about the estate. Dodge also visited other Colonial-era gardens and traveled to [[England]] to see gardens there dating from the [[Georgian era|Georgian period]]. Using this knowledge, Dodge oversaw the restoration of the site and put in place a number of improvements that Washington had planned but never implemented. This restoration work was completed from 1932 to 1935 by [[Charles Wilson Killam]]. Dodge and then-assistant superintendent [[Charles Wall]], who had been hired in 1929, rotated turns sleeping as guards in the manor house. Barnes, Bart. [https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/19560292.html?dids=19560292:19560292&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+04%2C+1995&author=Bart+Barnes&pub=The+Washington+Post+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Former+Master+of+Mt.+Vernon+Charles+Cecil+Wall+Dies+at+91&pqatl=google "Former Master of Mt. Vernon Charles Cecil Wall Dies at 91"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103090028/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/19560292.html?dids=19560292:19560292&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+04,+1995&author=Bart+Barnes&pub=The+Washington+Post+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Former+Master+of+Mt.+Vernon+Charles+Cecil+Wall+Dies+at+91&pqatl=google |date=2012-11-03 }}, ''[[The Washington Post]]'', May 4, 1995. Accessed July 24, 2010. Dodge's 1932 book ''Mount Vernon: Its Owner and Its Story'', with an introduction by [[Owen Wister]], told many stories about Washington and his home, including details of a mechanical roasting spit that Washington had designed and of finding a pocketknife that had belonged to Washington in his youth. The knife was said to have played a role at [[Valley Forge]] in convincing the general to continue as leader of the [[Continental Army]] in one of its darkest days.Staff. [https://www.nytimes.com/1932/03/09/archives/finds-rich-quality-in-our-literature-ludwig-lewisohn-declares-it.html "FINDS RICH QUALITY IN OUR LITERATURE; Ludwig Lewisohn Declares It Stands With Strongest of Day in Creative Values. LOOKS FOR MASTERPIECES In Book Tracing Culture Through Artists He Says Successive Moral Revolutions Are Not Ended."], ''[[The New York Times]]'', March 9, 1932. Accessed July 24, 2010. George Washington University recognized Harrison Howell Dodge in 1931 with an honorary [[LL.D.]] degree.Staff. [https://www.nytimes.com/1937/05/21/archives/col-harrison-dodge-mt-vernon-custodian-superintendent-of.html "COL. HARRISON DODGE, MT. VERNON CUSTODIAN; Superintendent of Washington's Home Since 1885--Made Many Improvements"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', May 21, 1937. Accessed July 24, 2010.