Episode 033: Douglas Bradburn, George Washington & His Library

by Liz CovartJune 9, 2015

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When you think about George Washington, what image comes to mind?

Washington the general?

Washington the president?

Perhaps, Washington the gentleman farmer of Mount Vernon?

But did you know that George Washington loved to read?

In this episode, we chat with Douglas Bradburn, the Founding Director of the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington, which serves as the George Washington Presidential Library.

About the Show

Ben Franklin’s World is a podcast about early American history.

It is a show for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world.

Each episode features a conversation with an historian who helps us shed light on important people and events in early American history.

Episode Summary

In this episode, Douglas Bradburn, the Founding Director of the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington, helps us discover more about George Washington the person by taking us on an exploration of his library.

During our conversation, Doug reveals why the Mount Vernon Ladies Association founded the George Washington Library; The work presidential libraries undertake and the challenges the George Washington Library deals with as a private, presidential library; And, details about George Washington, his reading habits, and his estate Mount Vernon.

What You’ll Discover

The work Doug performs as the Director of the George Washington Presidential Library
Information about the George Washington Presidential Library and its founding in 2013
Overview of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association
Information about presidential libraries and the presidential library system
George Washington’s desire to build a library at Mount Vernon to house his military papers
The mission of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association and the George Washington Library
Challenges the George Washington Library faces as a private institution
Overview of the books and materials will you find at the George Washington Library
Strengths of the George Washington Library's collections
Information about Bushrod Washington and his care for George Washington’s books and papers
Locations of large portions of George Washington’s scattered library
Benefits of the National Archives System
Washington’s reading habits and favorite books
How Washington came to own Mount Vernon and details about how he built a profitable estate
Why Washington loved agriculture and husbandry
How Washington came to marry Martha Dandridge Custis
Operations of Washington’s distillery and gristmills
The ways Mount Vernon shaped George Washington
What we don’t know about George Washington
Reading suggestions for those who want to discover more about George Washington
Information about George Washington the slaveholder
George Washington’s views toward Native Americans

The West Front of Mount Vernon, attributed to Edward Savage, ca. 1787–1792 Courtesy of U.S. Library of National Medicine

Links to People, Places, and Publications

Mount Vernon
Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington (George Washington Presidential Library)
George Washington Library on Twitter
Mount Vernon Special Events Calendar
Mount Vernon Membership Information
Douglas Bradburn, The Citizenship Revolution: Politics and the Creation of the American Union, 1774-1804
Ron Chernow, Washington: A Life
Edward Lengel, General George Washington: A Military Life
Joseph Ellis, His Excellency: George Washington
Edward Larson, The Return of George Washington: 1783-1789
Episode 029: Colin Calloway, The Victory with No Name

Time Warp Question

In your opinion what might have happened if Dr. Joseph Warren had not died at the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775? Do you think Warren would have assisted Washington, been rivals with him, or perhaps become our nation’s first president instead of Washington?