3 Things You Didn't Know About George Washington from Historian Philip Levy
Historian Philip Levy’s new book, Where the Cherry Tree Grew, is a fascinating look at Ferry Farm, George Washington’s boyhood home. In honor of Presidents Day, we asked Levy to offer 3 Things You Didn’t Know About George Washington, and he provided some priceless facts about the father of our country:
1. In 1750 George Washington was mugged. Really! He stripped down for a swim in the Rappahannock River near Fredericksburg and while he was indisposed, two local serving women rifled through his clothes to see what they could get. The only thing we know they got for their efforts was a public whipping.
2. Washington had a really good arm and liked to throw stones. The stories abound. He supposedly cleared Virginia’s Natural Bridge with one toss and might even have reached the top of New Jersey’s Palisades with another stone. Revolution veterans recalled him besting them in skipping stones as well. It might just be that the old tale of the dollar over the Rappahannock was true after all.
3. As late as the 1970s visitors to Ferry Farm, Washington’s childhood home could buy splinters of the old Cherry Tree itself. You could have them cut as big or as small as you liked—no problem—locals kept a spare cherry tree trunk is a shed just in case demand outpaced supply.
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