MARY BALL WASHINGTON HOUSE - George Washington purchased this dwelling for his mother in 1772 for $275. Mary Washington lived the remaining 17 years of her life in this comfortable home, attending to her favorite hobby in the back yard, gardening. Within walking distance to Kenmore Mansion, home of Mary's daughter Betty Fielding Lewis, and her son Charles' place which he converted into the Rising Sun Tavern AFTER her death.

The President-to-be came to this home to receive his mother's blessing before attending his inauguration in 1789. This event is reenacted every Mother's Day. MY MOM ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! "George is such a good boy," she repeated over and over as we walked away, quoting Mary Washington. (Mrs. Washington died in 1789, but lived past her son's inauguration.)

Personally, I can only trod the corridors of so many historic houses till I've had it and cry out, "ENOUGH! You see one, you've seen 'em all." I enjoyed these places most when a special event was taking place. I would put this house high on the list on Mothers's Day. On a grand scale, I liked the Lee Mansion at Arlington Cemetery more than Mt. Vernon or Stratford Hall farther south, birth place of Robert E. Lee.

About the last five years of my working career, give or take, my wife and I made it a point to take a day trip somewhere (DC, Maryland, or Virginia) virtually every Saturday. The whole area is jam packed with colonial and civil war history. Travel times and distances are very manageable.