School’s almost out for winter break, and while there will be plenty of holiday activities going on, sometimes your kids will find themselves with a bit of idle time. When they do, many of them might turn to their devices, but here’s another idea: Take the kiddos to George Washington’s Ferry Farm at historic Kenmore for both some fresh air and a little education about our first president. Washington was a young boy when he lived here, and there’s a lot of interesting information about him and his family. To get you pumped up for your visit, we thought we’d share some myths we learned from the History Channel’s website about Washington.
Cherry Tree
The story about Washington cutting down a cherry tree and admitting his misdeed is false. It was reportedly invented by a biographer named Mason Locke Weems in the early 19th century. Today it serves as a lesson to us all not to believe everything we read.
Betsy Ross Flag
Betsy Ross did make flags, but there is no evidence to suggest that she created the first American flag, much less take direction from Washington in designing it.
Wooden Teeth
While he didn’t have wooden teeth, he did have awful dental problems. In fact, when Washington became president in 1789, he had only one natural tooth remaining – and he had it pulled in 1796. His dentures were not made of wood, however.
Prayer At Valley Forge
You may have heard about a famous incident in which a man named Isaac Potts came across Washington kneeling in prayer. Turns out, most historians believe this was the work of Weems again.
You might also like: Turkey Day Tablescapes To Try
The White House
Did you know that George Washington is the only president never to have lived at The White House? It’s true. While Washington was instrumental in its design, it wasn’t complete until our second president, John Adams, was in office. When Washington was president he lived in New York and Philadelphia.
Disclaimer: The stock image is being used for illustrative purposes only, and it is not a direct representation of the business, recipe, or activity listed. Any person depicted in the stock image is a model.