Dung Repository (Historical Marker)

Here follows the inscription written on this trailside historical marker:

Dung Repository
"When I speak of a knowing Farmer, I mean one who understands the best course of Crops […] & above all, Midas like, one who can convert everything he touches into manure, as the first transmutation towards Gold."
George Washington to George William Fairfax, June 30, 1785

The "repository for dung" was designed to compost animal manure and a variety of organic materials to cure into fertilizer for use in the nearby gardens and orchards. This building illustrate George Washington's dedication to progressive farming techniques. The original 31-by-12-foot open-walled structure was built in 1787 and was reconstructed in 2001. Archaeologists revealed remnants of the brick foundation walls along with the virtually intact cobblestone floor, which have been incorporated into this reconstructed building. Washington's dung repository is the first known structure in the United States devoted to composting.