George Washington's Fisheries (Historical Marker)

Here follows the inscription written on this trailside historical marker:

George Washington's Fisheries
"The whole shore in short is one entire fishery."
-George Washington to Arthur Young, 1793

Mount Vernon's proximity to the Potomac River provided George Washington with access to vast quantities of fish. In one season alone, more than one million shad and herring were pulled from the river. This abundance made the fishing industry on the Potomac an extremely profitable enterprise for Washington that sometimes brought in more revenue than crop cultivation. He owned and operated three fisheries—landing places to salt and barrel fish—along Mount Vernon's shoreline.

"…I shall not object to one of the Carpenters assisting Mr Stuart in building a Batteau for the erection of [water fences]…."
-George Washington to Anthony Whitting, 1793

Washington utilized a wide variety of boats, some of which were built at Mount Vernon, including flatboats, barges, ferryboats, schooners, and fishing boats. Although there are many references to boating activities at Mount Vernon, a complete inventory or detailed descriptions of the vessels do not exist.

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A bateau, or flat-bottomed boat, was a common sight on the 18th-century Potomac, and Washington likely used boats similar to this at Mount Vernon.

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Many references indicate that Washington engaged in recreational fishing. When on such trips, Washington always carried fish line and hooks, which were kept coiled, inside a round, sheet metal tackle box for the protection of the equipment and the user.

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The writings of the day had references to the surface of the water "sparking like silver" as millions of shad and herring moved up the river to their spawning grounds. During a five-to-six week period each spring, most of Mount Vernon's enslaved workforce left their regular tasks to engage in Washington's fishing operation. They used boats to spread long nets, called seines, out into the main channel of the river to catch the fish, which were then cleaned, salted, and packed, several hundred to a barrel. This process kept them edible for a year or more. Fish not used to feed the Mount Vernon community were sold to neighbors and merchants, creating an important source of income for Washington.

Seines, which could be over 300 feet long, were deployed in a semi-circle by enslaved workers aboard boats. Buoyant corks attached to the top of the seine and lead weights affixed to its bottom allowed the net to extend from the surface of the water to the riverbed. At each end of the seine was a hauling line; one was secured on land, the other was brought back to shore by boat after setting out the net. The seine was then hauled toward shore by hand, and the fish were removed.