Washington was called from Mount Vernon to serve his country on three most noteworthy occasions, and each time after an interval of several years: In 1775, when he was made Commander in Chief of the Continental Army; in 1787, when he became president of the convention in Philadelphia that framed the Federal Constitution; and in 1789, when he became first President of the United States of America. [Illustration: _Courtesy of Army Air Corps._ MOUNT VERNON] [Illustration: MOUNT VERNON] Washington died at Mount Vernon on December 14, 1799. Martha Washington lived there during the remainder of her lifetime. On her death in 1802 the property was inherited by her nephew, Bushrod Washington, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Thereafter the estate suffered for need of repairs. In 1858 the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of the Union was organized. The association purchased the property for $200,000 and to-day own and control Mount Vernon, including about 400 acres of the old estate. [Illustration: TOMB OF WASHINGTON] Mount Vernon each day is the place of pilgrimage of hundreds of American and foreign visitors, who go there by motor or steamboat to visit the mansion and see the many historical articles of interest that once belonged to George Washington and his family and are now there on exhibition, but more particularly do they go to Mount Vernon to pay homage at the Washington tomb, which is near the mansion. Here also Lafayette came on his second visit to the United States during 1824-25, after an interval of almost 40 years. The number of visitors at Mount Vernon for the year ended December 31, 1938, was 633,514. WAKEFIELD, THE BIRTHPLACE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON After more than a century and a half of neglect, a group of patriotic persons have within recent years taken steps to restore Wakefield, the birthplace of George Washington, situated about 50 miles south of Mount Vernon, along the Potomac, amidst beautiful landscapes between Popes Creek and Bridges Creek. The Government erected a monument at the site in 1895 to mark the birthplace and provided a watchman to care for the grounds. Until within the past few years the little Government reservation of 11 acres, acquired in 1882, was inaccessible because the Government dock was washed away and the road leading into Wakefield from the main highway was almost impassable. The State of Virginia recently completed a sand and gravel road to the place. The new road, about 2 miles in length, intersects the George Washington Highway from Fredericksburg, between Oak Grove and Potomac Mills. The Wakefield National Memorial Association (Inc.) has been organized to purchase the lands at Wakefield and thus save them from threatened encroachments of hunting and fishing clubs, which are now securing valuable sites along the Potomac River. Thus the association is doing for Wakefield what the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of the Union accomplished for the preservation of Mount Vernon.