1700s

Through the first five years of the Revolutionary War, the beloved home of George Washington has managed to remain out of harm's way. But as winds sweep inland along the Potomac, British ships start to stalk upriver. From the windows of Mount Vernon, the household can see homes and plantations burn on the Maryland shore. Then, the warships turn their guns toward General Washington's home.

Colonel Ninian Beall, a towering Scottish settler who helped found Georgetown and lived to 92, earned a bronze‑plated memorial in 1910—complete with a hidden surprise. The stone carver was an aviation enthusiast who tucked newspaper clippings and a biplane photo into a compartment inside memorial, turning a colonial tribute into a quirky time capsule.